NAN-H-78
Donation
By Lizzy Okoji and Taiye Edeni
Abuja, June 19, 2017 (NAN) Humanitarian organisations through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) on Monday donated food items to refugees at the Nyanya-Gwandara refugees transit camp in Nassarawa State.
The NCFRMI made the donation with the support of Economic Commission for West Africa States (ECOWAS) Commission and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in commemoration of the 2017 World Refugees Day.
The commissions called for the solidarity of Nigerians with the refugees, asylum seekers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who had found themselves in the unfortunate situation beyond their control.
Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI reiterated the commitment of the commission to alleviate the sufferings of the refugees, IDPs and other persons of concern and provide durable solutions to their plights.
She called on Nigerians to support the displaced persons in every little way that they could in line with the theme of this year’s celebration, “We Stand with Refugees and IDPs’’.
She said that the commission would continue to play its role in accordance with its mandate and principles of international protection to ensure the safety and dignity of persons concerned.
Farouq said that beyond relief donations to the refugees and IDPs, the commission would commence skills empowerment programmes to empower the displaced persons so that they could cater for themselves.
In his remark, Mr Jose-Antonio Canhandula, UNHCR representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS called for the solidarity of countries to find solutions to causes of conflicts for people to live in peace and dignity.
Canhandula said that regardless of the interventions of humanitarian agencies in addressing humanitarian crises, they could never be fulfilled until they saw a solution to displacement.
“ Today is a day of solidarity and we are gathered here to remember the situation of our brothers and sisters who are forced to leave their houses and sometimes to leave their families in other to save their lives.
“ We are all working with the commission to make sure that not only do they enjoy asylum where they are but also that countries resolve their conflicts.
“We what a situation that one day all these people who are displaced can return home and enjoy the security of their countries.’’
Canhandula commended the efforts government of Nigeria at the federal and state levels in tackling the huge humanitarian crises in the North east that left millions of Nigerians internally displaced and as refugees in neighbouring countries.
He said that UNHCR was working tirelessly with the Nigerian government to create a dignified and conducive environment of return for Nigerian refugees in Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
Also speaking, Mrs Fatimata Dia-sow, the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, ECOWAS Commission said that the Commission was doing a lot to make sure that situations that led to crises and displacement did not continue to occur.
Dia-sow was represented by Mr Amaechi Alozie, Programme Officer, ECOWAS Emergency Response Team.
She said that the ECOWAS Commission was making adequate policies at the right levels to ensure that members states and beyond West Africa did well to make sure conflict do not arise and when they do, the impact should be less.
“ECOWAS commission always stands to make sure that citizens of West Africa and beyond do not go through circumstances that will not allow them to thrive and develop.
“ The fact that we gave some food items to the refugees is part of what we are supposed to do by ECOWAS standard, especially now that we are talking about the ECOWAS Vision 20-20.
“The ECOWAS Vision 20-20 seeks to achieve an ECOWAS of people than an ECOWAS of state.
Responding on behalf of the refugees, Mrs Germaine Ukumu appreciated the Nigerian government for its hospitality, adding that their situation was a lot better than refugees in other countries.
She said that they would remain law abiding and would not engage in any criminal or unconstitutional activities.
She called on the humanitarian agencies to use the opportunity of their visit to the camp so see other areas they needed assistance including creating job opportunities, counseling, training and more food support, among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the food items donated include 60 bags of rice and 30 cartons of groundnut oil.
The transit camp hosts 23 families comprising 52 people from Niger, Cameroon, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. (NAN)
LIZ/TY/GY
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Edited by Grace Yussuf