Poised to touch the less privileged, the Federal Government will soon set up a resettlement city for 22,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Niger state.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Dr. Betta Edu gave the assurance on Friday during her one day working visit to Niger state saying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will provide a resettlement city for IDPs in the state as part of medium term plans to renew the hopes of the IDPs.
Edu who was received by the First Lady of Niger State, Hajiya Fatima Umar Bago, presented empowerment starter packs to the IDPs that passed through the N-Scale Training of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
The Minister in a press release from her office and made available to newsmen in Calabar, distributed food relief materials and inspected the United Nations’ Children Fund (UNICEF) make-swift classrooms for out of school children IDPs at Gwada camp in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state.
She expressed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s concern over the rate of out-of-school children, adding that “education is crucial to wiping out poverty in the country” and assured the IDPs of Federal Government’s intervention and inclusion into the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) and National Social Register.
Responding to issues she met on ground, Dr Edu assured the IDPs that the Federal Government is putting in place stringent efforts to end banditry, terrorism and other forms of security challenges in the country.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sent me here to see the situation on ground and start intervention as soon as possible. He assures you all that hope has come and that he will provide durable solutions to the lapses experienced in all the IDP Camps in Niger State and across the Nation.
Dr. Beta Edu interacting with the IDPs at the Gwada camp in Shiroro, Niger state.
“We have seen a couple of things, especially regarding your unsatisfactory living conditions. We are here to evaluate the situation and ensure that we intervene to change things for the better.
We are considering resettling the IDPs here because of the insecurity in their various places; we are optimistic that resettling them in Shiroro will be better for now.”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured his commitment to provide a resettlement city where everyone who is displaced can live so that you can be safe and your children can also go back to school.” She affirmed.
On her part, the First Lady Of Niger State, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plans to support the state government in fighting insecurity and addressing the challenges of IDPs in the state.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr. Ahmed Suleiman commended the state government’s efforts so far in handling the situation but however lamented that the state has 22,071 IDPs and insecurity has affected 11 of the 25 LGAs as many residents have stopped farming due to bandit raids.
He told the Minister that, “the state government is now faced with the challenge of delivering all essential amenities, aside from the huge funds allocated to fighting insecurity.
“Our educational institutions, especially primary and secondary schools, which serve as provisional refuge for the displaced persons, are now overstretched and our children’s academic programmes are being disrupted”.
