By; TINA PHINEAS, Yola.
In a move towards a National Internally Displaced Persons Policy and Act in Nigeria, Nigerians have been urged to support and take care of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), living amongst them in host communities and camps across the country.
The Adamawa State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ahmad Sajoh who made the call while speaking at a two day workshop organized by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), with support from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for the North East Zone in the state, maintained that the IDPs are suffering not because they choose to but due to communal clashes, flood, insurgency and a host of other disasters.
Sajoh who spoke at the opening of the workshop with the theme “Engaging state and non-state Actors towards a national Internally Displaced Persons Policy and Act in Nigeria” stated that we know what it feels like to be displaced, we need to get a platform that will be quick and fast in responding to their needs.
He disclosed that the Adamawa state government is extremely committed to taking care of IDPs, Governor Muhammadu Umar Jibrilla cares about the IDPs to the extent of celebrating his Eid el- Kabir with them in the camp and will continue to support the cause of humanity especially the disadvantaged ones.
“Some good has come out of the ashes of displacement as some IDPs have been given scholarship to study even abroad”, the commissioner stated.
He stated further that the challenges of insurgency has further brought the people of the state together “There are lessons we have learned from the challenges, it brings unity between the faith”
Earlier, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani decried the nonexistence of laws that covers displacement.
Musa who was represented by the Senior Program Officer Okeke Anya maintained the need for the adoption of the National Policy and Acts on IDPs in Nigeria.
He therefore call upon participants and Nigerians as a whole to put all hand on deck and find sustainable and lasting solutions to issues of displacement.
Our correspondent in Yola reports the the workshop was attended by participants from Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba States.
