The Federal Government has pledged to assist the Bauchi State Government on recovery, empowerment and reintegration of Internally Displayed Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, stated this when Gov. Bala Mohammed, paid her a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Abuja.
Farouq said that a lot of people had fled Borno and other parts of the northeast to Bauchi due to the insurgency, resulting in the huge numbers of displaced persons in the state.
She noted that her earlier visit to IDPs camps in Bauchi was part of the mandate of the ministry, created by President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure strategic disaster management and responses.
Farouq said: “We have a good team on the ground; with the Permanent Secretary, we believe we will leave up to expectations. We are committed and we will do our best to support Bauchi State Government on recovery and reintegration of IDPs.
“Our focus is to move from post-conflict to recovery. What I saw in Bauchi when we last visited was encouraging and I wish other state governments will do the same.
“We will look at the communities and issues in Bauchi and do the needful.
“I know that your little resources have been stretched, but we will do the needful; we need to support and empower the IDPs so that they can live and fend for themselves and their families.
“We are also going to ensure that we use the Social Investment programme to support them; reintegration is our focus”.
Also speaking, Mohammed said the state government is ready to partner with the ministry in many areas.
According to him, the state has been exposed to the migration of people and victims of insurgency from Borno.
“We have got them into camps and fully integrated them, the problem we have now is that our facilities have been overstretched.
“We seek your assistance; we need help to provide water, means of transformation and empowerment so that they can feel the impact of the government.
“I came here with my Commissioners and Senior Special Assistants. This is to tell you that the whole of Bauchi is here to see you and solicit for your assistance,” Mohammed said.
Leave a Reply