Gov Alia flags off distribution of relief materials to IDPs in Benue

The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has flagged off the official distribution of relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in the state.

This is even as the Governor had visited the IDP camps in Makurdi, and Guma local government areas of the state, with the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, and his entourage, who were in the state for an official visit at the instance of the state government.

The flag-off took place on Thursday July 27, 2023, at the Headquarters of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in Makurdi.

The Governor disclosed that by the books, SEMA, had exited with very tall profile of activities, which were only a mirage, and never reflected by application to those who were supposed to be touched, but now has the responsibility under his administration to strictly assist the state respond not only to emergency matters, but also ensure that all the IDPs are giving good care and attension.

He emphasized that, the IDPs who never bargained for the pathetic situations they found themselves, must be giving priority attension by the agency to get the required services, and eventually be returned back to their ancestral homes, not to settle for less.
Governor Alia stated that, “Benue remains a very peaceful place and we cannot allow a few who are non progressive of heart and mind to destroy the state. We are a peaceful people. All those in the IDP camps love their families, they love the state, and also love what they do on their own farms. It remains my priority to get them back home to their ancestral farm lands, and we can never settle for less on this.

“To you this parastatal, your duty is to be the eyes of government and ensure that equity and justice are applied. I would like you the Executive Secretary, and with all your staff to bear this fact in mind that, you are only privilege at this time, to come out and serve the state in this capacity, and to pay closest attension to these our brothers and sisters who need our support most at this time wherever they are, particularly in the IDP camps”.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Acting Executive Secretary (ES) of SEMA, Mr. James Iorpuu, informed the Governor that the agency has embarked on reforms which he introduced as the ES,since assumption of office, to make it efficient and more functional.

He said under the present Government, SEMA had moved from a reactionary to a proactive disaster and emergency management, as it has been repositioned and restructured through recruitment of capable hands and creation of more units to carry out it’s responsibility of providing immediate assistance to the huge humanitarian situations in the state.

According to him, items to be distributed at the flagged off to 14 official IDPs camps in the state were, 6000 bags of rice, 7000 bags of beans, 8000 cartons of noddles, mattresses, and palm oil.
He named the official IDP camps to be reached to include; Abagena, Ichwa (in Makurdi LG), Anyiin and Abeda (in Logo LG), Gbajimba, Daudu 1 and 2, Ortese and Uikpam (in Guma LG), and Naka, Agagbe, in Gwer-West local government, resrespectively.
Donald Kumun
Thursday, 27th July, 2023.