NEWS
NCFRMI Wants Expansion of Resettlement City Project to Other States
By Blessing Bature-Akpakpan, Abuja
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI has called for the expansion of the resettlement city project to other states due to the large numbers of IDPs in the country.
The Federal Commissioner, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said this during the oversight visit of the honourable members of the national assembly that there is a compelling need to expand and accelerate the Resettlement Cities project to other states bearing in mind that over three million persons in IDP camps and settlements across the country will benefit from the project, hence the need for an increase in funding for the aforementioned project.
She said due to the abrupt nature of the displacing or migrating factors, Persons of Concern often find themselves stripped of their economic, psychological, and social security, and restoring the livelihood and productive capacities of Persons of Concerns becomes imperative to minimize or totally eliminate their long term vulnerability.
While sharing the challenges of the Commission, she said to that there’s need to strengthen Internal Framework, the sub-optimal staff performance and weak internal processes, brought by poor organizational structure, absence of core units weakens our response within some mandate areas and inherent gaps in the capacity and training needs for staff, she added.
“NCFRMI is a Frontline Humanitarian FG Agency saddled with the responsibilities of providing care and assistance to all Persons of Concern (IDPs, Refugees, Migrants, Asylum Seekers, Stateless Persons and Returnees) as well as providing durable solutions to PoCs that assures their rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement into the society through self-sustenance & reliance.
Due to the World’s unprecedented Humanitarian Crisis, over 3 Million People have become Internally Displaced in Nigeria alone and Nigeria is host to about 73,000 refugees from over 23 countries, who have fled their countries into Nigeria in search for greener pastures, safer homes. There are also over 500,000 Nigerian Refugees currently awaiting repatriation from Niger, Chad, Cameroon Mali and Libya.”
There is need for livelihood support (Health and Education) to over three million (3 Million) Persons of Concern in IDP camps, host communities and settlements.
Also of concern, she said is the absence of adequate and streamlined data, as well as a standard IT framework for the digitization of the Commission’s operations which continues to hamper the planning capacity and implementation strategy of the NCFRMI.
This, she said has caused waste and makes simple processes seem unnecessarily opaque and cumbersome, she stressed, adding that food insecurity is the worst form of insecurity and has an adverse effect on our National Security. Poor end to end distribution of Food and Non-Food items to PoCs encourages compromise while reducing productivity and long-term sustainability.
She however advocate for Empowerment programmes for persons of concern such as basic trainings and start-ups kits, since they have been dislocated and moved away from their traditional home and denied activities such as essential farming, fishing and artisan’s activities.
“Commission works tireless within the boundaries of limited budgetary allocations to meet the needs of all Persons of Concern.
“It is also important to note that the Commission’s mandate has been expanded to include provision of care of and support for Migrants, Internally Displaced Persons and Stateless People and solicit for special intervention fund to effectively match the growing numbers of Persons of Concern with the appropriate interventions and sustainable solutions that assures their long-term sustainability and productivity,” she said.
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, Thursday and Jan.1, 2025 as public holidays.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on Monday in Abuja.
According to Ajani, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said that the public holidays were to enable citizens to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and the New Year respectively.
“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal.
“As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” the Minister.
Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and to strengthen bonds across families and communities.
He assured citizens of the federal government’s continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.
He further expressed confidence in the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu’s administration for a better and prosperous economy in 2025.
The Minister, on behalf of the federal government sent warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.(NAN)
Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning properties within the premises, including a vehicle.
The palace, located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00 am on Saturday.
The Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union were planning to host the 2nd edition of the Nupe Natives end-of-the-year event, tagged “Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta,” on Dec.
21, 2024, before the incident occurred.The event was, however, aborted due to the unfortunate attack.
Dauda-Shelika said this on Monday in Lokoja that he heard a big bang on my door at around 1 am.
“I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car that was set ablaze by attackers.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace, and therefore I could not come out because of fear of being attacked. So, I managed to come out through the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Thereafter, I came out to the road and realised that all my neighbours in the community were on the ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.”
The traditional ruler appealed to the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
He admonished Nupe natives in Lokoja to avoid any reprisal attack but continue to remain peaceful and law abiding and allow the government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the attack.
“We are appealing to Gov. Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to please use their good offices to investigate this unfortunate incident and bring to justice whoever is concerned, whether directly or indirectly.
“We also want the government to kindly visit our issues by recognising and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja, which had been in existence before colonisation,” he said.
He stated that the Lokoja Local Government Area chairman and his security team came for an on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning, as well as the police and other security outfits.
The National President, Nupe Natives Union Lokoja, Alh. Abubakar Ndashite, said the event scheduled for Saturday was a celebration of Nupe cultural heritage and not any form of coronation as being insinuated from some quarters.
Ndashite, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee, said the aborted event was to project the Nupe spirit and culture as well as the rich history of the diversely composed Lokoja community and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence among her.
He expressed his displeasure over the aborted cultural event, noting that the union had expended so much on it, and urged the government to bring perpetrators to book. (NAN)
The Abia Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of eight persons with two others injured in a road traffic crash that occurred along the Bende-Ohafia Road.
A statement by the Sector Commander, Mrs Ngozi Ezeoma, on Monday in Umuahia said that the crash occurred on Sunday along the Mmuri River axis of the road in Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
She said the crash involved a Trailer carrying chippings which hit and fell on a Sharon Volkswagen vehicle with 10 persons on board.
“At the time of the crash eight persons had died including a woman standing by the roadside and three were injured.
“The injured victims were taken to the hospital while the dead ones were deposited at the morgue,” she said.
Ezeoma said that preliminary investigation revealed that the crash was caused by dangerous driving and excessive speeding. (NAN)
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