By Habibu Harisu
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons has commenced the distribution of livelihoods support to 500 internally displaced persons ( IDPs) in Sokoto state
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The National Commissioner, Ms Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, inaugurated the distribution on Thursday in Sokoto.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the commission designed a special package that comprised food and non food items for immediate support to displaced persons in various communities.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Deputy Director of Procurement, Mrs Funmilayo Bara, said the exercise was an extension of the commission’s Zero Hunger Project Initiative.
The commissioner said that the initiative was aimed at addressing the nutritional needs of all the persons concerned.
She added that the project was borne out of the necessity to streamline and enhance the distribution and availability of food and non-food- items to all persons of concern ”using our Food Care Packs’.’
The commissioner stated that the distribution exercise was also in line with the mandate and commitment of the commission to always provide care, succour and maintenance to the beneficiaries.
” This is also in consonance with the humanitarian drive of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
” As you are aware, there are currently about 4.1 million IDPs in Nigeria, who are victims of both man-made and natural disasters.
” In view of the increasing numbers of IDPs, management of IDPs requires the hands of everyone to be on deck.
” Governments, NGOs, CSOs, Development Partners, Organized Private Sector and individuals must be involved,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.
She advocated collective approach in the society in order to mitigate the challenges of managing IDPs in Nigeria.
” We urged Nigerians to key into the idea of helping our brothers’ by contributing to measures that would mitigate the challenges of IDPs, ” the commissioner said.
She lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching support for strengthening humanitarian policies and interventionist response programmes and projects.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim reiterated that the Nigerian government would continue to support persons of concern in the country.
She also commended Hajiya Sadiya Farouq for leadership and guidance that facilitated excellent coordination efforts of the humanitarian sector that were yielding life changing results.
“To live in dignity, safety and peace does not discriminate against race, skin colour, tribe, social status, placement or class. It is a fundamental human right ,” she added.
The Sokoto State Commissioner of Basic and Secondary Education, Alhaji Bello Abubakar, commended the efforts and urged the beneficiaries to consider their condition and destiny.
Abubakar, who was represented by Director, Quality Assurance in the ministry, Alhaji Aliyu Jodi, assured continued government support to IDPs education and others.
Earlier, Alhaji Nasiru Aliyu, the Director-General, Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said beneficiaries were drawn from two IDP camps within Sokoto metropolis.
Aliyu said the state government has been supporting the IDPs and lauded Buhari for recognition and support to displaced persons.
He said, ”an empowerment programme was also designed to make displaced persons more productive beside education, healthcare and other livelihoods support.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries were mostly from eastern parts of the state.
NAN also reports that they relocated to the state capital because of banditry and kidnapping activities, while some of them were displaced by Boko Haram insurgency.
A cross section of the beneficiaries expressed excitement over the gesture, as they had spent five years and below residing in the camps.
They were also hopeful of returning back to their respective settlements with such continued government efforts. (NAN)
