No doubt, the activities and welfare of the vulnerable groups in Nigeria have taking a positive dimension, as the IDPs , Person’s of concern POC’s, Stateless people, asylum seekers, Refugees among many others now heave a sigh of relief fall out of the handlers under the management of Honorable Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Person’s NCFRMI, Hajiya Imaan-Suleiman Ibrahim in the last few months.
The combination of technocratic, administrative acumen, haywire political solutions and human capital development, has transformed the hitherto IDPs yearning for government attention not only passive, but active in all areas through meaningful development of the IDPs.
The Federal Commissioner inconjunction with the international bodies, civil society organizations CSO’s, philantrophists, professional bodies NAOWA, DEPOWA among many other care givers had enlarged the scope of activities of the new Refugees Commission in line with the mandate of not only returning the IDPs to their various homes , but giving them a sense of belonging while in various camps scattered around the country.
These, among many others led to the conversion of several of it’s programs to ‘projects’ and expansion of many others aimed at rejigging it’s activities towards attaining the desired results and outcome.
The convening of Project Zero Hunger had reduced to the barest minimum the incidence of malnutrition, food scarcity, poverty and other related provision of basic amenities to the IDPs across the country.
The maiden launch of the program in Abuja, the city of government and Nassarawa state with extension to the northeast reduced the clamour by the internally displaced person’s IDPs across the country.
This was a departure from the previous years when concerted efforts was jettisoned against the welfare of person’s of concern POC’s in Nigeria.
Aside ‘Project Zero Hunger,’ ‘Project Total Health’, ‘Project Skill up and ‘Project Education for All ”, among many others had opened avenue for gainful engagements both in the IDPs and out of IDPs.
Project Total Health has provided not only primary health care services, but intensive care to the IDPs through routine checkup and attention from the commission, in collaboration with the NAOWA, DEPOWA and other social services and public spirited organizations, as well as launch in states of federation, through provision of free medical outreaches programs to the person’s of concern POC’s.
The administration of COVID vaccines across the IDP camps had insulated the vulnerable from critical conditions of battling with myriad of ailments, resulting from complications of the pandemic among many others, through strategic collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency NPHCDA.
It also included Project Skill up and Project Education for All, as the former was geared towards creating engagement outlets, through skill acquisition, development, capacity building for the IDPs.
In line with all work and no play, the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Person’s NCFRMI created ‘Project Education for All’ to give quality education to the IDPs, person’s of concern POC’s in accordance with goal 4 of the SDGs.
The launch of ‘Project Total Health’, that included free medical outreach and distribution of essential items which started in Abuja, the nation’s capital , Nassarawa among many other states debuted in Kebbi state, that attracted the state government along with many communities and beneficiaries in Ribah, Danko – Wasagu local government area of Kebbi state, along with advocacy visits to some traditional rulers in the state.
The program executed in Kebbi state included the Project Total Health, the free medical outreach and distribution of relief and essential items to person’s of concern POC’s in the state.
From all indications, the determination of National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Person’s NCFRMI under the leadership of Hajiya Imaan-Suleiman Ibrahim as the Federal Commissioner will no doubt resolve the critical conditions and situations in the IDP camps and person’s of concern POC’s in Nigeria.
Yusuf writes from Abuja,he can be reached via: [email protected]
