The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday, distributed relief materials to 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)In Taraba state, Northeast Nigeria.
AVM Muhammad Muhammad (Rtd), Director General of the agency made this known at the Official Flag- Off for the distribution of the items to the beneficiaries in the 16 local government areas held in Jalingo, the state capital.
Muhammad, who was represented by Mr. Maidalla Iliya, NEMA Head of Operations, Adamawa/Taraba Operations Office said that the items comprised of both food and non food materials, adding that the relief materials were further harmonised into 5,000 households.
The Director General, NEMA, Muhammad Muhammad explained that the gesture was in line with the agenda of Hajiya Sa’adiya Farouk, the Minister of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development on bringing succor to the internally displaced persons in the state.
He however, said that the items which includes Rice (12.5kg), beans (25kg), vegitable oil, beverages, mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets among many others were to be distributed to all the 16 local government areas of the state.
Muhammad, further revealed that the approval was granted based on the assessment carried out earlier by a disaster assessment team in the agency which visited all the crisis affected areas in the state.
He advised the beneficiaries not to feel that they were compensated by the government, but those items were provided just to relieve them and sustain them for a moment.
He therefore, gave assurance that the materials would get to the jenuin people they were meant for, adding that the agency had developed a mechanism for ensuring efficient delivery of items to the targeted people.
“Our staff have been deployed to all the IDPs camps in the state to ensure efficient delivery of relief items to the targeted people”. Said (rtd) AVM Muhammad.
Earlier, Taraba State Commissioner for Special Duties and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Taninga Dinga commended the Federal government for the assistance.
Represented by Mr. Samson Tijos, Secretary in the ministry, Binga expressed satisfaction with the quality and quantity of the materials provided by NEMA.
He also thanked the federal government for considering the request made by the state Govenernor, Darius Ishaku concerning the plight of the IDPs in the state.
“It was His Excellency’s request to the federal government that yielded this result, so we thank the federal government and urge them to provide more” Dinga added.
In his address, the Chairman, Jalingo Local Government Council, Abdulnaseer Bobbji appealed to the Federal government to assist the IDPs with building materials as many wanted to return to their homes but faced with the challenge of shelter.
He also urged NEMA and SEMA to consider provision of more relief items to Jalingo community which housed many IDPs from various local governments of the state.
Bobboji thanked Governor Darius Ishaku for taking up the complaint of victims of communal crisis to the federal government, as well as the federal government for granting the succor to the IDPs, saying that they still needed more.
The Chairman enjoined the beneficiaries not to segregate against other IDPs in the course of sharing the relief materials, saying that Jalingo as a state capital has accommodated IDPs from various places.
Also speaking, the CEO, Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Abdulmumini Baushe said the gesture by the federal government was a complement to the state government’s effort in providing succour to the IDPs in the state.
Mrs. Dorathy Garba from Mayo Dasa IDPs Camp who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Federal government for the gesture, saying that the materials would go along way in cushioning the effect of hardship accostums with IDPs.
She decried over lack of food stuff and inadequate shelter in the camp as according to her they have the highest number of IDPs amongst the other camps in Jalingo and urged the state government to come to their rescue
