2.1m persons displaced in North-East –NEMA DG

2.1m persons displaced in North-East –NEMA DG

 

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

DIRECTOR General of Na­tional Emergency Manage­ment Agency (NEMA), Alh­aji Mohammed Sani Sidi, has said there are 2.1 million In­ternally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 34 camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states,

Alhaji Sidi also said 2,400 school children from the vari­ous IDPs’ camps have been transferred to various unity schools across the country to continue their education on scholarship from the Save School Initiative programme supported by former British prime minister, Mr. Gordon Brown.

Sidi disclosed this in Ka­duna after he received the best performing civil servant and the best organisation for good governance awards from Northern Youth Coun­cil.

“What is required now is reconstruction and rehabilita­tion of the region as the war is almost over… There was mass displacement of people. We still have 2.1 million in­ternally displaced persons with over 1 million of them in Borno State.

“We had to establish formal camps in the three states. There are about 26 camps in Borno, 11 in Ad­amawa and four in Yobe. We used to have IDPs’ camps in Gombe and Bauchi States but, due to the succeses re­corded under this admin­istration, the seven local government controlled by the insurgents have been lib­erated. The 11 camps in Ad­amawa State have been col­lapsed to four, as IDPs return to their various houses.

““Many schools were closed down in the last two years and of some that have not been reopened, 2,400 children were transferred under Safe School Scheme from the North-East to other parts of the country under the scholarship. There is the programme of build­ing and rehabilitation of all schools affected in the three states. Nigerian government is doing a lot to support the IDPs who are fed thrice daily.”

President of the Northern Youth Council, Malam Isah Abubakar said NEMA and its director general were giv­en awards to appreciate their efforts and achievements, while motivating them and other organisations to do more especially in this new era of change.

Source: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/2-1m-persons-displaced-in-north-east-nema-dg