By Amos Aar
THE Victim Support Fund (VSF) in collaboration with the Benue State Government (BNSG) on Tuesday flagged off 2022 emergency support fund for Benue State.
Speaking during the ceremony which held Tuesday at Ortese, Guma LGA of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom described General T. Y. Danjuma as a father and nationalist who is kind, selfless, truthful and generous.
Ortom lamented that if the APC-led federal government had listened to the alarm earlier raised by General Danjuma that the FG was raising terrorism, Nigeria wouldn’t have been in the mess being experienced.
The governor expressed worry that if insecurity was not checked, bandits will take over Aso Villa and Government Houses one day. He pointed out that the FG took oath to protect lives and property they must live up to their responsibility, adding that security is the exclusive prerogative of the FG and not the states.
Ortom who expressed shock at the population of IDPs in the unofficial camp at Ortese which was over 22,000 as at the time of filing this report, wondered how it would be in official camps. He called on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to visit Benue in order to see things for herself.
Governor Ortom also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign if he can’t protect the citizens.
Earlier, Special Adviser to Governor Ortom on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Prof. Mrs Magdalene Dura, said 21 out of 23 LGAs in Benue State are currently affected by suspected herdsmen/militia attacks.
She said Governor Ortom sought assistance from VSF in 2018 for IDPs who were all over the State and following the governor’s request, the organisation intervened initially in 3 LGAs of Agatu, Logo and Guma. They reconstructed 5 primary healthcare centres destroyed by suspected herdsmen, 23 classroom blocks, built 15 hand pumps and 5 solar powered boreholes and 6 VIP toilets.
She added that when Covid-19 set in, Victim Support Fund again responded and brought food items that were distributed across IDP camps in Benue State.
“Today, they are here again responding to the Governor and in this particular intervention, they are touching not just three Local Governments but six namely; Guma, Logo, Konshisha, Oju, Ado and Gwer West. This is a project that is going to be enjoyed for initial six months and it will take place every month beginning from April in the selected 6 Local Governments”, Prof Dura intimated.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Dr Emmanuel Shior, said the challenge of IDPs started in 2018 and since then, there have been displaced persons in several camps both official and unofficial camps.
“We refer to other camps as unofficial because given the teeming population of IDPs, it’s difficult for Benue SEMA to deploy manpower in all the IDP camps in the state. So we call seven of them official and the rest of them are unofficial.
“There is a total population of 22,274 IDPs in this camp (Ortese camp) and out of this population, there are 3182 households, total number of 1034 children from 0-5 years, 37 nursing mothers, 101 pregnant women, 67 aged people, 17 disabled persons, 1000 most vulnerable households targeted by VSF and out of the 1000, VSF is targeting 87 men, 901 women, and 12 disabled.
“It has become very difficult for Benue State Government, even two weeks ago, there were renewed attacks so the number may be getting close to 2 million because the attacks have continued.
“Governor Samuel Ortom is relentless in ensuring that food and other needs of the IDPs are provided on monthly basis. Benue State Government through SEMA expends hundreds of millions every month in buying food.
Team Lead, Benue State Emergency Support Programme and Victim Support Fund, Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji who applauded the level of unity and cohesion among agencies of the Benue State Government said the programme will focus on seven key areas: food distribution, health and medical care facilities, rehabilitation of Naka water works, economic empowerment support to the tune of N180 million, provision of shelter and setting up of psychosocial support awareness programmes.
“We are setting up health centres in six primary healthcare centres across the state. We are going to give Ambulances, medicines, stretchers, wheelchairs, antibiotics, antimalarial, multivitamin, facemasks, hand sanitizers and everything that the regular primary healthcare centre needs to respond to emergency situations”, Mrs Ogunsiji said.
She expressed optimism that at the end of the six month- intervention programme, peace will return in the State and the over 1.5 million IDPs will relocate back to their ancestral homes.
On her part, VSF Executive Director, Prof Nana Tanko said the organization was instituted in 2014 to support victims of terrorism and the Chairman of the VSF, General TY Danjuma was given the responsibility by “eminent men and women across the nation” with funds to support the Victims. She since then, they have been giving intervention to Northern states that were hit by insurgency but with change of events, their assistance has been extended to other zones especially the North Central and Benue State in particular that has been struck hard by insecurity.
Prof. Tanko appreciated Governor Samuel Ortom for the Love and care he has shown for his people over the years with commitment and dedication.
