President Assures Military of Logistics for War against Terrorism…
Says 1.5 million IDPs must be cared for
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the military that his government would provide the necessary logistics needed to successfully prosecute the on-going war against the Boko Haram terrorists.
Buhari who was represented by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Munguno (rtd), gave this assurance yesterday during his visit to operational areas in the North-eastern part of the country.
In another forum, Buhari stressed that the wellbeing of about 1.5 million people displaced by terrorism in the North-east remained one of the top priorities of his government.
The president also used the opportunity to address officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Yola.
“I am telling you this, and you can take it as if it is coming from the president himself that you are going to be given everything you require, not only for the operation but for your personal welfare. This is an assurance I want to give you,” he said.
He said that the purpose of the operational visit was to enable his team assess the situation on ground and relate with the troops with a view to adequately identifying and addressing observed challenges facing the troops.
Buhari noted that the NAF has brought a lot of noticeable improvements in the war against the terrorists due to the aerial support provided to the ground troops, hence he commended NAF personnel for their commitment and patriotism while urging them to keep the spirit high and to remain steadfast in their resolve to stand-up against the Boko Haram terrorists.
The operational areas visited by the president’s representatives and his team include Damaturu, Maiduguri and Yola in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
Meanwhile, the president who spoke after receiving a briefing form the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi, said efforts were being made to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The president therefore directed the ministry to include them in the proposals for next year’s Budget.
He said: “You must help to improve their situation.”
Oyemomi had earlier briefed Buhari on the activities of his ministry as well as the successes and the challenges.
He asked for improved funding for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in the 2016 budget.
The permanent secretary later spoke with State House Correspondents on his mission to the presidential villa.
He said: “We exposed to the president all that we are doing, all that we are supposed to do and our challenges. At the end of it all he realised and confirmed that our ministry is such that it is very demanding.
“When you look at what the ministry is set up to do, we cut across 70 per cent of the population dealing with the issues of women, children, the vulnerable, people with disabilities, the distressed, distressed families and the lot.”
He gave his word that once government can recover some funds, he will make sure that such funds are introduced into boosting the budget of the ministry so that we can be well funded, especially on areas of empowerment, empowering all the stake holder groups.
“Part of the challenges are that some establishments should normally be under our control, but they have been absorbed somewhere else especially the presidency and we have exposed them to him and believe that the president will look into it and bring them back under us.
“He didn’t give a definite response but our documents that have been presented certainly would be reviewed, so that the right thing can be done,” he said.