Environment
FG Commences Construction of Resettlement Homes for Benue IDPs
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The Federal Government has commenced the construction of cluster resettlement homes for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.
Performing the ceremony at Mbagwen, Makurdi Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, said President Bola Tinubu was committed to improving the lives of IDPs.
Edu said Tinubu had promised during his campaigns to return displaced persons in the country to their ancestral homes, and that the process had started with the commencement of the construction of resettlement homes.
The minister said it was the current administration’s hope that the IDPs would return to their homes, to enable them continue their businesses and farming, and help the government realise its agenda of ensuring food security.
“Benue people have cried enough, they have struggled enough, they have been in pain enough, President Tinubu says it is time for Benue people to rejoice.
“To all those who have come all the way from the IDPs camps to witness this event, this is the beginning of the journey for your return to your ancestral homes.
“President Tinubu has eight points agenda, the first agenda is Food Security and the people of Benue are key to achieving that.
“Benue is known as the food basket of the nation, when we talk about food security, the hope of the nation is on Benue, therefore, we cannot allow the state to go through pain and anguish,” she said.
Edu said the construction of cluster resettlement homes was the beginning of a renewed hope for Benue.
“President Tinubu does not want to keep IDP camps. He doesn’t want the people of Benue to be staying in shanties.
“He wants you to have a dignified house where you can call your home, where you can sleep in peace with your eyes closed, wake up and go to your farm,” the minister added.
According to her, the houses will be built in clusters through direct labour, adding that the locals in every community will be used during the project.
“The President is keeping to his promise; we have laid the foundation for the building of the renewed hope shelter for poor IDPs in Benue.
“This project will be completed within six months so that they can immediately return to their ancestral homes.
“Every cluster will have 20 houses; this will allow them to resettle in their various communities. We will buy the materials in Benue and the locals will build these houses themselves,’’ she said.
Edu said the project would be unique because it would be constructed by the locals, the Federal Government would provide whatever would be needed to ensure success of the project.
She further explained that the Federal Government would provide the funds and supervise, while the state government would closely monitor.
In his remarks, Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue, said the security situation in the state was beyond herders’ attacks, adding that the state was also facing banditry and kidnappings.
Alia said his administration had deployed an underground security architecture, which had resulted in the relative peace the state was currently enjoying.
He said the IDPs were tired of taking shelter in camps and were desperate to return to their ancestral homes.
“We are in touch not only with the security apparatus, but also with all the affected communities.
The governor therefore, appealed to the people to support the resettlement programme and key into the project.
He said his administration would do everything possible to support the resettlement programme to succeed.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr Aondowase Kunde, said the crisis had affected a total of eight local government areas (LGAs).
Kunde listed the affected LGAs as Guma, Logo, Ukum, Kwande, Gwer West, Agatu, Makurdi and Katsina-Ala.
“The people were force to live their homes and vocation, particularly farming, to take refuge in 21 IDP camps.
“The Food Basket status of Benue has however, been threatened as many farmlands are now abandoned due to the continued stay of our people in IDP Camps,” he said.
Kunde however, said strong measures had been put in place to prevent and reduce vulnerability to future crises and disasters.
Also the member representing Makurdi LGA in the State House of Assembly, Mr Alfred Berger, said the suspected herders had killed more than 12,000 persons in Mbagwen alone, between 2010 and 2023.
Berger said that the last time he visited the community was in 2017, adding that herders have taken over the entire area. (NAN)
Environment
Prolonged Public Holidays Come with Negative Economic Effects on Citizens – Anambra Residents
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Anambra residents have slammed the additional day approved by the Federal Government for the Muslim faithful to celebrate the 2024 Eid-Ei-Fitr, saying this will have negative effects on the economy.
The Federal government had early declared April 9 and 10 as Muslim-Ummah for the successful completion of a month’s spiritual rejuvenation.
Reports says that residents of Anambra capital city believe that the additional day which they did not plan for will result in economic hardship to the citizenry.
Most respondents believe that people had planned to resume their economic activities instead of wasting their time staying at home doing nothing..
Former Chairman, Awka Chamber of Commerce, Chief Felly Akosa, described the additional day to the two days approved earlier as “unfair to the economy of the country as people were unprepared for the additional day.
Akosa said that although it is right for the Muslim faithful to celebrate their holiday after a month-long fasting, the process needs to be carefully planned for in place of the additional rest day which could inhibit business activities.
Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, National Vice President of Igbo Apex Social Cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said the policy would cause huge economic waste as businesses are put on hold,
He advised that, in future, a proper and well planned programme needs to be in place before declaring a public holiday for any celebration that will be national.
“Our economy and other sectors are not very healthy,” and it would, therefore be appropriate to plan well to avoid declarations that will hamper the citizens’ welfare.
Mazi Christian Beluchukwu, a business man in Awka, described the extension of the Eid-El-Fitr public holiday to Thursday, April 11, as an added hardship for the citizenry.
Beluchukwu said that any public holiday for three days, April 9 to 11, to celebrate any feast in the country is an economic loss to the nation.
He said that it was best to stick to the two-day national public holidays as this gives room for the people to plan their activities very well.
He stated that his wife went to a public hospital on Tuesday and was unattended to because there was no doctor on seat to provide medical attention.
“She resorted to visiting a private hospital which cost extra money which the public hospital is expected to handle at a reasonable cost. (NAN)
Environment
World Bank Fund: Corporation Rehabilitates Treatment Plant, Reticulation in Jos South
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The Jos Water Services Corporation (JWSC) has said that the World Bank fund received would be used to boost water supply to Bukuru and environs in Jos South Local Government Area.
Mr Apollos Samchi, the Managing Director of the corporation, said that N1.7 billion would be expended on the rehabilitation of water treatment plant, over head steel tank and laying of pipes to homes of consumers.
Samchi, who disclosed this on Friday in Jos, during a two-day capacity building workshop, said that the projects were expected to be completed in four months.
Reports says that the workshop organised for contractors has at its theme: “Implementation of Environmental and Social Management Plans for Projects in Jos South.
The MD said that the projects would ensure steady provision of potable water to residents in Gyel and Kurgiya in Jos South Local Government Area.
He said the treatment plant when rehabilitated would pump out 5,000 cubic litres of water daily.
The MD further stated that the reticulation exercise would cover residents who weren’t initially connected to public water supply in the area.
Samchi said that the essence of the workshop was to ensure that the contractors were trained to develop adequate measures and controls to minimise and mitigate potential environmental and social risks that could adversely affect the project implementation.
He called on all the contractors handling the projects to ensure that they adhered to the environmental and safety standards and deliver within the specified timeframe.
In his remarks, Mr Jonathan Malann, the Plateau Project Coordinator, Sustainable Urban, Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene programme (SURWASH), also advised contractors to adhere to the environmental and safety standards as provided by the World Bank.
The Federal Government had received $700m financing from the World Bank to ensure that all its people have access to sustainable and safely managed WASH services.
The seven participating states are Plateau, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Katsina, and Kaduna.(NAN)
Environment
Erosion Control Project: Gombe SEC Approves N389m Compensation for Residents
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The Gombe State Executive Council (SEC) has approved payment of N389 million as compensation for residents that would be affected by the gully erosion control project at Federal College of Education (FCE) Technical and its surrounding communities.
The Commissioner for Finance, Gombe State, Malam Mohammed Magaji, stated this at the end of the SEC meeting on Friday in Gombe.
Magaji said the payment, which would commence immediately, would be for individuals and organisations along the gully erosion site.
He said almost 1000 persons were expected to benefit from the gesture.
According to him, the compensation is part of the requirements of the World Bank, which specifies that such payments be made to property owners.
Magaji said the payment would also be made to ensure seamless resettlement of affected persons.
“The beneficiaries are in hundreds, almost a 1,000 people; there is compensation for houses, and also for business premises.
“There is also stipends for the elderly living around that area so that they are able to have good livelihood,” he said.
The commissioner for Education, Hajiya Aishatu Maigari, also said the SEC approved upgrade of the five mega senior secondary schools in the state to sustain improvement in the education sector.
Maigari said the upgrade would be carried out based on the needs of each of the schools.
She stated that infrastructure in some of the schools were already being upgraded to global standards.
“We have seen construction of toilets, installation of solar-powered light, construction of roads, school clinics, boreholes and many more,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had on Nov. 23 signed a N12 billion contract with Triacta Nigeria Ltd. for a 21-kilometre gully erosion control work in six communities within Gombe metropolis.
The project is under ACRESAL project, a World Bank-assisted project to address the challenges of land degradation and climate change in northern Nigeria. (NAN)