Loading ...From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), today,
distributed assorted relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state preparatory to Christmas celebrations.
The Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Emmanuel Shior who spoke to journalists at the SEMA’s headquarter, in Makurdi, recalled that the distribution had started, last week, with those at Anyiin and Ugba IDPs camps, in Logo Local Government Area.
“Today, we are continuing the distribution to the IDP camps in Abagana, in Makurdi, Daudu1 and 2 as well as Gbajimba, all in Guma local government area.
Shior said the items which include bags of rice, cartons of yams flour, condiments, soaps, detergents, other toiletries as well as clothes adding that items were part of government’s efforts to improve the standard of living for IDPs especially during this Christmas period.
“There are many bags of clothes. Remember this is Christmas period and it is important that we share out clothes to the IDPs so that they can use them to prepare for Christmas.
The SEMA Executive Secretary also debuked rumours that state government has closed down IDP camps in the state.
Shior explained that the head of Operations Whirl Stroke, (OPWS) in Benue, General Yekini had approached Governor Samuel Ortom requesting the closure of IDP camps in Benue.
“So the Governor invited him (Yekini) and other stakeholders like the Civil Society Organizations, domestic and international NGOs to a state security meeting.
“So at that meeting, we advised that you do not close the camps because you are thinking that security he improved in some places
From the humanitarians perspective, you have to put certain things in place a lot of measures before you can ask them to go back.
He recalled that the federal government had visited Benue through the Vice President with a pledge to construct housing units three Benue Local government; Logo, Guma and Agatu, as part of resettlement arrangements but since then, we have not heard anything.
He said state government have donated a versed parcel of land for that purpose and that the head of OPWS was told that until that arrangement to resettle the IDPs is concluded and the displaced persons ressettled, the camps cannot be closed.
Most of the people in the camps have no homes. Their homes were destroyed during the attacks. So if you closed down the camps simply because you think there is relative peace in the hinterland, where are they returning back to”, he queried.
He therefore maintained that housing and other requirements need to be sorted out before the camps can closed down.
