By Chris Agabi
At least 5,600 displaced households now live in decent shelters, the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has said.
He said the shelters were built by the state government on an 70 -hectre land with support from International Organization for Migration (IOM) and USAID – BHA.
The governor stated this Thursday in Makurdi during the joint mission visit of IOM and ECHO to Benue State.
He said his government is commited to addressing the root causes of displacement and fostering sustainable solutions for Benue citizens.
Speaking to his efforts thus far he said: “We have enrolled over 6,273 vulnerable individuals from 15 IDP Camps into the Benue State Health Insurance Scheme, ensuring they receive essential healthcare services that are vital for their well-being.
“Dignified Shelter: By allocating over 70 hectares of land, we have facilitated the construction of shelters, restoring dignity to 5,600 displaced households. This achievement has been realized through the invaluable collaboration with partners like IOM and USAID – BHA” he noted..
Gov. Alia lamented that Benue State, renowned as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” has unfortunately been at the forefront of displacement crises in Nigeria.
“Since 2018, over 1.5 million individuals have been compelled to abandon their homes due to communal conflicts, often stemming from competition over scarce natural resources, and exacerbated by environmental adversities such as flooding, fires, and droughts” he noted.
According to the governor, as per the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix report of June 2024, Benue state currently shelters 500,182 displaced persons, accounting for 38% of the displaced population in the North Central region.
“These individuals are dispersed across 26 camps and 185 host communities, enduring conditions that are far from ideal. They grapple with inadequate shelter, limited access to clean water and sanitation, insufficient healthcare services, and a lack of robust protection mechanisms. Such hardships have precipitated detrimental coping strategies, including early marriages, transactional activities, and reduced food intake, disproportionately affecting women, children, and persons with disabilities’ he acknowledged.
On other actions taken by the governor to ameliorate the conditions of the IDPs, the Governor indicated that he has invested in social justice promotion and commitment to fostering harmonious coexistence between host communities and IDPs.
“We have empowered host communities with resources and social services to alleviate any strains arising from the influx of displaced populations.
“Security Enhancement: To bolster safety for both IDPs and host communities, we have deployed over 5,000 Civil Protection Guards working with the Nigerian security agencies providing a critical layer of security against potential threats.
“Educational In Emergency: Recognizing education as a fundamental right, we have ensured that displaced children and youth have access to ongoing learning programs within the camps. We acknowledge the need for further improvement and are dedicated to expanding these efforts. We must acknowledge partners like UNICEF, WHO, USAID, PLAN International and Save the children International in this regards” he recounted.
“Agriculture stands as the cornerstone of Benue State’s economy and is pivotal in our strategy to rebuild and empower our displaced populations. In alignment with ECHO’s emphasis on supporting agricultural livelihoods to enhance food security and resilience, we are implementing several key initiatives” he further said amongst others.
