From Msurshima Andrew, Makurdi
The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), has commenced its monthly distribution of food and non food relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in various camps across the state and other persons of concern .to cushion the hardship faced by the Persons of Concern.
Briefing newsmen at SEMA premises in Makurdi on Saturday, the Acting Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sir. James Iorpuu, said the items are also to to be given to the host communities of the Cameroonian Refugees at Ikyogen, Kwande Local Government Area in Benue State.
He said he has the approval of the State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, to extend the distribution of relief items Mama Abayol Orphanage, Benue State Rehabilitation Centre, Apir, Special Schools for Exceptional Children, Aliade in Gwer and Vandeikya Local Government Areas respectively.
The items include 5118 bags of 25kg rice, 3580 bags of 25kg Beans, 4010 cartons of noodles, 2050 bags of 25kg garri, 359 bags of salt, 321 20litres of vegetable oil, 180 20litres of red oil, 950 cartons of soup and 600 pieces of mattresses.
Iorpuu, said the gesture to IDPs, Cameroonian Refugees and other persons of concern was the Governor’s love for doing good things to humanity.
He commended the Governor for given proper care to IDPs, stating that, the intervention will continue until IDPs return to their ancestral homes.
The BSEMA boss explained that, the relief items is part of the monthly distribution done by the agency to to ameliorate the sufferings of the IDPs and not palliatives saying when the palliatives are ready for distribution, the general public will be informed as it will be done inna very transparent manner.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disasters Management, Aondowase Kunde while fielding questions from journalists on measures to curtail flooding at BSEMA headquarters, during the distribution exercise, said the ministry is working in collaboration with Line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to reduce the impact of flood in Makurdi and other flooded areas through awareness and sensitization.
Kunde appreciated Governor Hyacinth Alia high for including Mama Abayol Ophanage, Special Schools for Exceptional Children in Vandeikya and Aliade in the food and non food intervention, describing it as the first of its kind in Benue state.
He further disclosed that the state government in collaboration with International Organization for Movement, (IOM), and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has embarked on biometric registration of IDPs to get a verifiable data of the persons of concerns to enable humanitarian partners assist the state in its plan to cater for them and return IDPs to their ancestral homes.
The commissioner called on Benue people to support the state government to enable it build a better place for all.
