By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi.
Presidential Committee on North East Initiative/Victims Support Fund (PCNI/VSF) has reiterated its commitments to coordinate and sensitize all actionable plans for the rebuilding of the North East region that has been physically destroyed by the activities of insurgency.
The Vice Chairman of the Initiative, Tijjani Tumsa told the press in Bauchi that the carnage in the North East requires proper coordination, cooperation and communication to alleviate the sufferings of the internally displayed persons (IDPs) and reconstruct the destroyed communities.
According to him, the Federal Government and other stakeholders are seriously determined to manage the humanitarian crisis in the region and very soon the IDPs will return to their communities after the reconstruction of their destroyed communities.
Alhaji Tijjani Musa explained that the Federal Government in collaboration with European Union, including various other initiative groups and associations has indicated interest for the resettlement of victims of the insurgency through cash and kind.
Tumsa therefore urged Nigerians to exercise patience as effort are being intensified by the committee to commence the reconstruction and rebuilding of the North East sub-region as soon as President Buhari inaugurates the main committee
According to him, the North East initiative is currently sensitizing youths to compress the existing rays of plans under the General T.Y. Danjuma Presidential committee being the umbrella body put in place by the Federal Government in the interest of the victims of insurgency.
He explained that the committee has the aim of coordinating and harmonizing all initiatives for delivering humanitarian development agenda in the North East, as it would also coordinate the activities of VSF, Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE), and Safe School Initiative (SSI), among others.
“Currently, millions of the victims of insurgency have so far benefited from the victims support funds through health programmes, skill acquisition and agricultural programmes for food production in our renewed commitment to rekindle the hope of the victims”, Tumsa said.
He also assured that efforts are being made by development partners such as World Bank, United Nations and European Union to carry out an assessment in the ravaged areas in the North East including Ministry of Defense to serve as a guide.
The Committee Vice Chairman noted that the North East six states have their peculiarities of needs related to reconstruction, rehabilitation and reintegration, pointing out that Youth must be prepared to actively participate in jobs intending to be created during the exercise.
He maintained that the future of the North East and Nigeria lies in the minds and hands of the youths, and suggested the need for the Federal Government to improve and develop the youths beyond the interest of the sub-region to ensure good relationship.
Tumsa reiterated that the change mantra of the APC can be achieved only when the youths are actively allowed to play a role by working closely with stakeholders.
