From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
ndhe Federal Government on Sunday distributed care maintenance items to 1, 500 vulnerable households in Kano state. The beneficiaries include victims of fire incidents, rainstorm, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the crippled, the blind, deaf and dumb and other handicapped persons.
They were supported with bags of hundreds of thousands of food items, including rice, beans, cartons of indomie, superghatti and other consumables, as well as sleeping foams.
Speaking during the flag-off of the programme at the Open Arena, Government House, Kano, the Federal Commissioner in the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed Lado, said due to the alarming rate of displaced persons across Nigeria, “I recently made an intentional shift in focus for the Commission to directly concentrate on more permanent solutions that will restore livelihoods and resettle our people to their lives of dignity.
“To this end, in addition to the distribution of food and non-food items to all displaced persons here present today, the Commission will soon launch Project Reliance and the Resettlement City Project in Kano towards the empowerment and resettlement of displaced persons.
“Project Reliance is a one of a kind empowerment initiative of the Commission, primarily for displaced persons. Through Project Reliance, the Commission in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria have committed to the empowerment of one million people across the nation.
“Thus far, 350,000 displaced persons in Borno and Katsina States have been verified and more will be included next week from Cross Rive State. We expect that disbursements will be made in the third week of March.
“Through Project Reliance the Commission has designed over 50 vocational skills where each and every displaced person will be given the opportunity to choose from. Once trained, each beneficiary will be given starter packs and start up capital to support the businesses of their choice.”
He added that, “secondly, the Commission will build housing units to accommodate those who have lost their homes in Kano. The Commission is extremely excited for this opportunity to build our Resettlement City model and we owe this milestone to my Governor, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR who has been relentlessly supportive in complimenting the efforts of the Commission.
“His humanitarian resolve and love for his people is one that is second to none and one worth emulating. We are equally grateful for his contribution of 20 hectares of land to the Commission to fast track the construction of the 600 household Resettlement City estate which has already reached advanced stages in Borno, Katsina, Zamfara and Edo States.
“Once built, the Resettlement City in Kano will include 2 bedroom housing units, a primary healthcare centre, educational learning centres for improved rehabilitation and educational development of displaced children, skills acquisition facilities, recreational facilities, running water, security post and internal road networks.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, has been tremendously supportive of the keystone projects of the Commission, especially as it relates to the empowerment and resettlement of displaced persons across the country.
“As you may be aware, there are currently more than 2.6 million displaced persons across both north and southern zones of the country. Mr. Presidents continued faith in the Commission to support this population of people is deeply appreciated and we, as a Commission will continue to work assiduously in this regard.”
In her remarks, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who was represented by the Director of Humanitarian Affairs in the Ministry, Mr. Bello Mahmoid, said the Ministry was honoured to be present to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s unprecedented humanitarian intervention through the Ministry’s daughter agency – The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
She enjoined the beneficiaries to make good use of the relief and empowerment items provided to them and to also assure them that the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing all it can to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to persons of concern, empowerment and livelihood support to the most needy Nigerians and sustainable solutions of resettlement, rehabilitation and re-integration of all displaced persons.
She added that, “I commend the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and the Honourable Federal Commissioner Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed for all good work they are doing across the country. I assure the Commission and all other agencies under my Ministry of my resolute support to continue to provide leadership to rally resources towards providing durable solutions to our persons of concern.
“I most sincerely thank His Excellency, Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his executive council members for hosting this activity and honouring us with his presence.”
During the occasion, Governor Ganduje donated N10 million to 200 spinal cord patients who are to receive 50,000 each to support their Magnetc Resonance Imaging (MRI).
He also offered free medical care to all the spinal cord patients, just as he donated the sum of N3 million to Abdulrahman Ibrahim Wailari who recently lost seven family members to fire incident at Wailari Quarters in Kumbotso Local Government Area.
He urged Abdulrahman to use the money for the renovation and furnishing of the burnt house.
Ganduje said in recent times, his administration has supported 34, 180 persons affected by windstorm and 2, 816 persons affected by fire incidents.
He added that on the whole, over 47, 626 persons who suffered from different calamities have received tremendous support from the state government.
“We are going to support the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) treatment of 200 spinal cord patients in the state with N50,000 each making a total of N10 million.
“Also I am personally donating N3 million to Abdulrahman Ibrahim Wailari that lost seven relations to fire outbreak recently at Wailari Quarters in Kumbotso local government.
“He lost his mother two sons, his elder sister and her three children,” Ganduje stated.
He added that, “we are so cautious of the plight of those affected by calamities. We have offered free education to the children of Internally Dsipalced Persons who are camped in Kano as a result of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno state.
” We have given them free learning materials, computers and other necessary support that will enable them acquire quality education. We are also giving them free medical care.”
The Governor also used the occasion to officially hand over the papers of 20 hectares of land in two locations to the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Senator Basheer Lado, for the erection of living houses for IPDs in Kano state.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for remembering the needy and downtrodden in the country.
