IOM Chief of Mission decries condition of Benue IDPs

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

The Chief of Mission, International Organisation for Migration,IOM Mr Laurent De Boeck has decried the condition of displaced persons in Benue State as ‘highly unacceptable’.
Mr De Boeck who stated this on Thursday during the launch of the Rapid Response Fund, RRF in Makurdi, averred that the RRF is a life saving multi-sectoral intervention aimed at supporting the crisis affected populations of Benue State.
He said with the approval of the State Government, they collated IDPs data in the State not only to ascertain their number but also to identify their needs and that of their host communities for effective and efficient support.
Mr. Boeck commended the Benue State Government and all the relevant stakeholders for their level of coordination so far.
Speaking on the benefits of the programme, Mr John Anisa, Rapid Response Fund Programme Manager, said it is a small grant mechanism that provides rapid humanitarian assistance to communities during external shocks resulting from natural and/or man-made disasters.
Mr Anisa said the programme which started in Nigeria in 2023 is currently being implemented in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States through the provision of grants to national and international non-governmental organisations.
He said this is l the first time the programme would be launched in North Central Nigeria and for the displaced people of Benue State.
Anisa said the exercise which would last for six months targets shelter and settlements, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Protection and
Multipurpose Cash Assistance.
He said a total of 213,640 persons would benefit from different aspects of the programme including building, 6,500 emergency shelters for the displaced persons.
Also the Mission Director U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Ms Melissa Jones said the US Government was committed to helping world’s most vulnerable people.