By Abasi Ita
Concrete plans geared towards getting displaced Borno Indigenes currently being accommodated in IDP camps across the state back to their homes for possible reintegration into society with viable means of likelihood capable of sustaining their families are receiving attention from the Federal Government.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu dropped the hints during a visit to Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, the state capital
Dr Edu lamented the ordeals and challenges synonymous with IDP camps stressing that the present administration is working assiduously with relevant players for an extensive plan to get those displaced by insurgency back to their ancestral homes and farmlands to proceed with normal life activities.
She stated that the choice of the state as her first port of call since assuming office demonstrates the priority accorded by the Federal Government towards resolving the lingering humanitarian crisis rocking the northeast region of the country and soliciting effective cooperation for mutual benefits.
“I am here for a first-hand assessment of the plight of Internally Displaced Persons, and the level of humanitarian crises as well as for the cross-fertilization of ideas with the state actors and key stakeholders on viable modalities needed to address the crisis”
Dr Edu, who expressed delight over the rousing reception accorded her, applauded Governor Zulum for his glaring developmental strides and tremendous success recorded in efforts geared towards bringing peace, development, and stability to the people and the region despite myriad challenges.
She reiterated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s avowed commitment to containing the prevailing humanitarian crisis and poverty in fulfillment of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goal, SDG,
targets
Dr Edu posited; “It is important that the Ministry renews its partnership with the State and leverage on their successes and experiences to find better ways of doing things.
“The Ministry under my watch will not only aspire to reduce the poverty level but shall also provide safety nets to prevent Nigerians from sliding under the poverty line.”
On modalities to rehabilitate the IDPs to become self-reliant, Edu stressed that enabling structures must be put in place to repatriate and reintegrate the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back into their communities before the end of 2024.
She informed the Governor that the Ministry will soon roll out vocational training programs for capacity development to promote self-reliance while the National Social Register will be updated to accommodate more beneficiaries humanitarian hubs will be floated in all Local Government Areas across the country as a deliberate policy of capturing those at the grassroots in the schemes of things.
Earlier, the error Babagana Zulum congratulated the Minister on her appointment and expressed appreciation for the visit to Maiduguri.
He assured the Minister of his government to address the humanitarian issues and poverty while suing for synergy to ensure optimum results
poverty, population explosion, and engender-benevolence as major challenges in IDP camps which he noted required a teamwork approach to subdue
According to Zulum; “State Government houses t Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) for only a short time in transit facilities, while trying to provide durable solutions from humanitarian to sustainable solutions.
He decried the high number of Borno indigenes dwelling in neineighboringuntries as refugees comprising over 200,000 in Niger, 60,000 in Cameroon,d 24,000 in Chad.
“As a State, we must work with the Ministry to bring these refugees back home. They need houses, money, jobs amongst other basic amenities to eke out a living after years of dislocation from normal life”
Governor Zulum called for collaboration between the the Minister Presidential Committee set by the last administration and headed by current Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima with the sole mandate of ensuring safthe e return reintegration of refugees.
“The Vice President is the Chairman of that committee and the work of the Committee has gone far, the Ministry has a very huge role to play in that committee to fafastrackttainment of set goals.