A Non-Governmental Organisation, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), has trained 50 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Uikpam, Benue, on the installation of solar energy panels.
The Executive Director of GIFSEP, Mr David Terungwa, disclosed this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the solar system at the IDP camp in Uikpam, Guma Local Government Area of Benue.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that GIFSEP carried out the training in conjunction with Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF).
Terungwa further disclosed that the solar energy facility installed at the camp was done by the IDPs themselves.
“We trained them and we are further going to retrain 20 out of the 50 so as to become technicians in that regard.
“During the training, the 20 exhibited uncommon interest in the job and that is why we want to further train them to be more equipped and become self-reliant.
“We will issue them with certificates at the end of the training,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Dondo Ahire, the Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, applauded GIFSEP for its untiring efforts aimed at ensuring that IDPs did not live in inhuman conditions.
Ahire assured them of the state government’s support at all times to enable them to continue with their humanitarian works.
Also, Dr Godwin Oyiwona, the state Commissioner for Energy, Science and Technology, urged those trained to further step down the knowledge they acquired in order to increase the number of beneficiaries.
Oyiwona assured the IDPs that their pains would soon be over, stressing that they would soon go back to their ancestral homes.
Dr Emmanuel Shior, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), however, lamented the increasing number of the IDPs, owing to renewed attacks on Benue communities.
“We have 1,000,007 IDPs that we are catering for now, but some are yet to be profiled,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Msendoo Iornongo, appreciated GIFSEP and ESLF for equipping them with the ‘rare knowledge’.
She promised that they would continue to make use of it to better their lots. (NAN)