From Rashidat AbdulRahman, Minna
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago has assured that the state government will continue to collaborate with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) to provide succour for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
The Governor gave the assurance when he received the Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, Tijani Aliyu Ahmed and his entourage on a walking visit to the state.
The Governor noted that Niger as an agrarian state is capable of feeding the nation but has not been able to attain its potential due to insecurity and natural disasters being experienced in the state, adding that the situation has led to a high number of IDPs with humanitarian crises.
“We are supposed to feed Nigeria not to be fed but unfortunately this is where we find ourselves”, the governor said.
He assured that his administration will work closely with the Commission to ensure that the victims are well catered for.
The Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Aliyu Ahmed, said they were in the state to distribute relief materials to IDPs in the state.
He said 700 households from the various IDP camps in the state will benefit from the items provided.
The Federal Commissioner said from the Commission’s finding, there are not less than 64,000 IDPs at various camps in the state
Items distributed were 572 bags of rice, 572 cartons of Spaghetti, 572 bags of Semovita, 144 bags of garri, 96 cartons of vegetable oil, 91 cartons of seasoning, 58 bags of salt Lake City and 1 solar-powered borehole.
In a related development, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has announced the establishment of the Niger State Refugees Commission with N500 million for its take-off as part of his efforts to cater for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
The governor announced this after making symbolic presentations to some of the 700 household beneficiaries of the relief materials from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons held in Minna.
The governor, who observed with dismay the high number of IDPs in the state, said the Commission would effectively address the challenges faced by the IDPs.
He said the State Refugees Commission will operate under the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
The Governor also disclosed that the state government will from its reserve, distribute 13,000 bags of grains to the IDPs in the state.
He assured that the State Government will continue to do its best to ameliorate the sufferings of the IDPs in the State.
