The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has commenced the distribution of relief materials to 1,000 persons displaced by recent windstorm in Nasarawa State.
Ahmed Aliyu Tijjani, the Federal Commissioner of the commission, in his address during the flag-off exercise, said the gesture was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to cushioning the hardship Nigerians are facing.
He pointed out that they were in the state to provide support to the affected persons, having conducted a first-hand assessment of the situation of all internally displaced persons in Nasarawa State.
“Your Excellency, I commiserate with all those who have lost their valuables, homes and sources of livelihood occasioned by banditry, natural disasters as a result of climate change and other forms of human inhumanity to fellow man. I assure you that, by the grace of God; they will not be forgotten.
“It will interest you to know that, the Commission is establishing skills acquisition centres in the six geopolitical zones of the country, which is in line with the skill-to-wealth strategic initiatives.
“And we are building resettlement cities in Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Nasarawa states to resettle all displaced persons,” Tijjani assured.
While commiserating with the Nasarawa State Government and the victims, the Federal Commissioner further assured that those affected would not be forgotten until their sources of livelihood were fully restored.
“I want to assure you that you will not be forgotten by President Bola Tinubu, neither the Federal Government nor the Nasarawa State Government. And the Commission will not forget you. We shall stand with you through thick and thin until your livelihoods are fully restored in a dignified manner,” Tijjani stressed.
He, however, made a case for strong collaboration between the State Government in assisting the vulnerable people and also to provide durable solutions to IDPs in the area of mental health and skill acquisition.
Tijanni said that the Commission is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable people, not only in Nasarawa state but Nigeria at large, and called for stronger collaboration between the Commission and Nasarawa government moving forward.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, who appreciated the Commission and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu for the gesture, said,
“I sympathise with you, just like the Commissioner said, we will continue to support you in the best way we can.
“I am so happy to hear the Federal Commissioner thinking outside the box, when he mentioned that, they are going to establish skills acquisition centres for refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons.
“That is the direction to go in order to give them some sense of belonging, some sense of independence and for them to be able to stand on their feet ” Sule corroborated.
He stressed that his Government take seriously skills acquisition initiatives and appreciated Tijjani for their resettlement project in Keffi, adding that as a Government, he would be happy to personally hand over keys to beneficiaries, as it is inline with his administration initiatives for everyone to own a house.
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