Benue Govt declares all unofficial IDP camps Official

Benue Govt declares all unofficial IDP camps Official

By Bridget Ikyado

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia said the State under his watch would not rest on its plan to return the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), back to their respective communities.

In a Statement by Charity Agber ,Information Officer,Benue BSEMA the Governor said government will not rest on its plan to return all IDPs to their ancestral homes.

The Governor also declared all the unofficial IDP camps official and charged BSEMA to ensure security of their lives and property, adding that his administration would make food, water and health care available to Persons of Concern.

Rev. Fr. Dr. Alia gave the declaration today Thursday, July 27th 2023, at BSEMA headquarters while flagging off distribution of food materials to IDPs across the State.

He reinstated his administration’s commitment to make Benue State a liveable place as well as attract development and charge the public to also assist the security personnel to fish out criminals, insisting that Benue State under his watch will not allow ingrate to destroy the image of the State as a peaceful place.

While decrying the poor condition of living of the IDPs who have been displaced by heartless fellow men during his tour to Camps with UN team, the Governor vowed to provide a lasting solution to IDPs.

On BSEMA’s mandate, he said he was bitter about the development in the Agency few weeks he took over administration and decided to appoint the Acting BSEMA ES to head the Agency that created by the Government to coordinate and tackle humanitarian challenges, noted that the Agency must judiciously carry-out its mandate and ensure that items meant for Persons of Concern reach them. This is even as he charged the security personnel to arrest any persons caught diverting the food items meant for IDPs or selling in the markets.

He commended all humanitarian Partners supporting the IDPs and invited the Internation and domestic partners as well as BSEMA staff to render their selfless service and contribute meaningfully return process of the IDPs to their communities, admonishing all to be their brother’s’ keeper.

Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Sir. James Anodoakaa Iorpuu, described the Governor’s presence at BSEMA to perform the first flagg off of distribution of relief materials under his administration to the Persons of Concern is highly commendable.

He said the distribution of food items would cover the nine (9) officials and the Five (5) unofficials camps made official today by the Governor.

He lauded the Governor’s commitment to the welfare of the IDPs and assuring that the huge food and non food materials would be distributed judiciously.

Sir. James Iorpuu while highlighting some of his achievements within the short time he assumed office said, the Agency under his watch has been repositioned through recruitment of capable hands and creation of more departments including, Planning, Research and Statistics, Administration, Rescue and Rehabilitation.

He also commended National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Engr. (Dr.) Chief Sylvanus Ghasarah and Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), for supporting the Persons of Concern through the Agency.

The SEMA boss added that he has also launch a web site for the Agency to ease humanitarian actors and spirited individuals to intervene in various areas of interest in addition to creation of Website so that the people and humanitarian partners will know the activities of BSEMA and what is doing to ensure that disaster is being prevented as well as collaborate with the Agency.

On the Technical Committee on 2023 flood, the BSEMA Ag. ES said the report of the Technical Committee is ready and would be presented to the Governor.

The Governor later perform the symbolic distribution of relief items by cutting the tape.

Items distribution; include six thousand bags of rice, seven thousand bags of beans, eight thousand cartons of noodles, red oil, garri, maggi, salt, groundnuts oil and sugar