By Brenda Agba
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has lauded the Victims Support Fund (VSF), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) for the completion of the Naka Water Works Projects, in Gwer- West Local Government Area of the state, saying it will address issues of water scarcity and eliminate endemics in the area and the state in general.
Governor Alia stated this on Tuesday when a delegation from the VSF, led by the Special Adviser, Programmes and Operations, Barr. (Mrs.) Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Makurdi.
According to a statement made available to newsmen by Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Media & Publicity/Strategic Communications, Bridget Ikyado, the Governor also commended the team for its’ doggedness in carrying out their projects in spite of the security challenges faced by the state.
“The over N100 million Naka Water Works Projects and other projects embarked upon in the state are worth commendation and I thank the team for the resilience and pledge my administration’s full support to these projects”, he said.
Ealier in a remark, the Special Adviser, Programmes and Operations, Barr. (Mrs.) Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, stated that the Victims Support Fund (VSF), which is founded by the former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theopilus Danjuma (Rtd), is involved in other humanitarian interventions in other parts of the state like Kwande and Oju Local Government Areas respectively.
She said the Naka Water Works Projects, which gulped the Sum of over a hundred million naira, is projected to be completed in four (4) weeks time, even as it has undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation process.
“We made available a security facility, also built accommodation for workers on site and made provision for Solar Powered Water Works which provides 100,000 (Hundred Thousand) cubic litres of water per day through 50 fetching points.
Barr. Akerele-Ogunsijwho said they were in the Governor’s office to brief him on their activities following the change in leadership in the state, explained that the foundation had designed programmes that would respond to the needs of the people from 2023 to 2025 in 21 out of the 23 Local Government Areas of the state for a start.
She stressed that, “the intervention covers seven strategic areas including food distribution, health and medical care, psycho-socio support and mental living, safety and shelter, water, hygiene and to provide support for primary healthcare centers.”
According to her, “The VSF was established in 2014 to cater for victims of terrorism in Nigeria, with its operational base in the state for two years. It is to complement the Federal Government’s efforts in taking care of victims of terrorism.
“Terrorism has spread to the North Central that is why we are intervening. We have had many interventions in the state. This comprehensive humanitarian programme is the first of its kind of in Nigeria”, she added.
The Special Adviser disclosed that for Humanitarian and Health Services, Local Government Areas including Guma, Logo, Gwer West, Konshisha, Ado Oju, Obi and Kwande, have benefitted from the intervention which has touched majority of the Internally Displaced Persons in the state.
“We have various interventions from different sectors which cut across the state. Some are in medicals, health, Agricultural inputs and rehabilitation of health care facilities among others,” she disclosed.
