27th February, 2018
The Federal Government through the National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), on Tuesday donated relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs) in Edo.
The IDPs received the food and educational materials in the camp located at Uhogua, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.
Mrs Halimat Musa, Special Assistant on media to the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, presented the materials on behalf of the commission.
Umar-Farouq said it was the duty of commission to ensure that lasting solutions were provided for persons and communities displaced.
“We have worked assiduously and had interventions in 28 states and FCT where humanitarian crisis were identified.
“In those areas, we have in short run, provided care and maintenance to alleviate the suffering of persons of concern.
“While on the long run, we continue to plan with a view to providing durable solutions to them,” she said.
She said, “Based on the information provided about the children, the commission dispatched a desk officer to carry out need assessment of these children.
“It is on this premise that I lead the team to identify and flag off the distribution of food and educational materials for the purpose caring for these children,’’ she said.
According to her, NCFRMI would continue to make sure that its activities take into account the serious protection issues faced by the children.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the management of International Christian Centre who has managed the Uhogua camp in keeping the children together,” she added.
Umar-Farouq listed the food items donated to include, 80 bags of 50kg rice, 80 bags of 100kg beans, 80 bags of 50kg gari.
Others are 26 cartons of groundnut oil, 26 cartons of red oil, 10 bags of salt and 10 cartons of Maggi.
In addition to these were 140 branded school bags, 140 food flasks, 430 dozens of 20 leaves notebook, 430 dozens of 40leaves notebook, and four cartons of pen.
Also speaking, Gov. Godwin Obaseki thanked NCFRMI for its efforts in consolidating on the campaign to resettle and re-integrate victims of human trafficking who returned to the country.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Mr Yakubu Gowon, said such structure provided by NCFRMI had curtailed the trend of illegal migration.
Mr Solomon Folorunsho, the General Overseer of the camp, thanked Federal Government for the gesture.
Folorunsho also expressed gratitude to the state government for creating an enabling environment for the IDPS to stay.
“As you can see, despite the challenges the IDPs are happy here,’” he said.