From Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, BICD, has stated that the success of Solutions for the Internally Displaced, SOLID, project depends on the synergy and collective ownership of ministries and agencies in Benue State.
Director-General of BICD and State Focal Person for SOLID, Dr Leonard Viashima, who disclosed this during a high-level strategic meeting with permanent secretaries of key ministries, departments and agencies in Benue State, also revealed that the project is aimed at providing the permanent secretaries with an overview of the SOLID project.
He said the engagement was to secure their buy-in ahead of the state steering committee meeting expected to be chaired by Governor Hyacinth Alia.
According to the director-general, the permanent secretaries will be key members of the steering committee and would play a central role in guiding implementation.
He described SOLID as not merely a humanitarian intervention, but a development project of multi-sectoral nature, designed to empower Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, and host communities through improved access to basic services, sustainable livelihoods, agricultural productivity and critical infrastructure.
He emphasised that the project would be implemented in three local government areas of Agatu, Guma and Makurdi, noting the active involvement of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, serving as the engine of delivery.
He noted that Benue as one of the tier one beneficiary states alongside Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Zanfara and Katsina, places it at the forefront of a nationally significant initiative funded by the World Bank with support from the federal government.
The permanent secretaries commended BICD for its inclusive and proactive approach, and pledged to align their ministries with the project framework to ensure smooth and effective delivery.
They assured that their respective MDAs would work collaboratively under the guidance of the steering committee to drive sustainable outcomes for IDPs and host communities.
