FG to Resettle North-east IDPs Soon
With a review to reintegrate the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-east region, the Federal Government has said plans are in earnest to ensure that they are resettled as soon as possible in their home communities.
The Federal Commissioner, United Nations Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, made this disclosure at the recent comprehensive medical care outreach provided by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The outreach, which was held at the United Nations ground at Ikoyi, Lagos, was for the IDPs in Lagos. Over 500 IDPs from FESTAC, Satellite and Ajah camps in Lagos were subjected to various medical screenings and treatments conducted by personnel from NAF Medical Services.
According to the air force, the essence of the two-day medical outreach, themed ‘we care, we share,’ which ended yesterday at Ikoyi, Lagos, was so that the IDPs can have access to adequate health care.
Asides Farouq, the acting Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago, Garth Lamsee and NA F’ s Director of Humanitarian Services, Air Commodore Harold Onyechi, were also present.
In her speech, Farouq said the federal government also has plans to equip them with self-reliant skills so that even those that have no wish to go home can still have means of livelihood.
While comm ending the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, and the Chief of Medical Services, Air Vice Marshal SM Shinkafi, for taking the lead in providing medical care for IDPs across Nigeria, she said the NAF have lived up to its humanitarian duties.
She said ,“The NA F is not only living up to its constitutional responsibility of securing our land, airspace and overall territorial integrity, but also engaging in humanitarian assistance to our persons of concern.
“Plans are in earnest to ensure that the I DPs are re settled as soon as possible in their home communities. There are also plans to equip them with self-reliant skills so that those of them who may not wish to be voluntarily relocated to their states when it is time, would have viable means of livelihood.”
According to her, the commission was conversant with the current spate of internal displacement in the North-east and the attendant issues being faced by these persons of concern in the areas of health, shelter, food, education, among others.
She said: “It is therefore one of the major policy drives of this government, to not only ensure that all persons of concern are properly catered for, but also proffer durable solutions, which encompasses resettlement and return of IDPs to their previous places of abode.
“This medical intervention is an important activity in a series being carried out in collaboration with NAF and is expected to be a continuous exercise, involving more IDPs in this zone.”
Some of the services rendered to the I DPs include eye test, dental clinic, antenatal, general outpatient services, laboratory services and outpatient pharmacy.