From Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia says his administration will soon launch the Rapid Response Fund, an initiative made possible through collaboration with International Organisation for Migration,IOM and the United States Agency for International Developments Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance,USAID- BHA.
The governor, who made the remark when he received a team representing ambassadors, heads of international financing institutions, the United Nations and other international organisations led by IOM chief of mission in Nigeria, Laurent De Boeck, said the decision was in line with their commitment to issues of security, welfare and stabilisation to development of the state.
Alia represented, by his deputy, Sam Ode, commended the team for their dedication to providing life saving humanitarian aides to thousands of distressed Benue people, pointing out that the Rapid Response Fund project would be a lifeline to many in Benue communities.
He equally announced that the project is designed to provide immediate relief, uphold dignity of the displaced population by addressing urgently,cases of gender- based violence,GBV, improving hygiene within camps as well as facilitating the closure of IDP camps on economic sites to allow normal business activities resume on those places, adding that the initiative aligns with his administrations Durable Solutions Plan.
The governor further assured that his government would continue to provide temporary relief as well as its long- term commitment towards achieving sustainable solutions for the IDPs, adding that welfare of IDPs would also remain priority and called for support to enable government achieve the goal and expressed optimism that a lasting solution is possible.
In his speech, De Boeck said they were in Benue to identify with people of the state over the humanitarian crisis which has bedeviled the state recently.
The IOM chief, on behalf of others, donated household materials, including mattresses, gallons of groundnut and palm oil, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking utensils, buckets among others to the over 2000 million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Ichuwa camp, Makurdi.
He commended the Benue State governor for the work done so far but urged government to redouble efforts in order to actualise the identified durable solutions, calling for much collaboration between state government and development partners for effective handling of the humanitarian crisis in the state.
