THE CHALLENGE OF MAINTAINING IDPS

The government must ensure that resources meant for soothing the pains of the displaced are not misappropriated

The enormity of the burden the internally displaced persons (IDPs) has placed on the country became more manifest a couple of weeks ago. Speaking while receiving a delegation of the African Union Peace and Security Council in Abuja Acting President Yemi Osinbajo lamented the “huge and enormous” cost of maintaining about 2.4 million IDPs scattered in camps across Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States as well as Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

Although the acting president did not mention any specific figure, the cost could be gleaned from the account of the Chairman of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Mallam Grema Terab. In a recent media interview, Terab said the state was spending about N3.5million daily to provide for the IDPs, warning, however, that the daily provision might be cut due to cash crunch.

It is significant that the reference to the cost of the humanitarian needs of IDPs and the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their homesteads is coming against the background of mounting revelations about their squalid conditions of living in several of such camps across the country. In spite of the humongous amounts government, multilateral international and local aid agencies as well as the international community have deployed in the North-east, the displaced persons continue to lack the basic necessities of life.

That poverty has become an ever-present situation, especially in the North-east should be of great concern to our leaders. With schools shut, markets burnt, homes and communities razed and all forms of economic activities crippled, the need for intervention can hardly be over emphasised. Unfortunately, there has been a high level of corruption which has exacerbated the poverty of majority of the people. By diverting scarce resources meant for the most vulnerable of our people, lives are being made increasingly difficult for them. This challenge must be addressed.

Hunger is all pervasive in the IDPs camps, medicare is in short supply even as shelter, clothing and water are essential commodities. The dire situation of the displaced persons is amply captured in a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which stated that “The vulnerable host populations are in critical need of humanitarian interventions that include food, water, sanitation, protection, education, shelter and health services.”

The UN office added: “More than 4.8 million people are now in urgent need of food assistance and 5.1 million are predicted to be food insecure if not supported by the humanitarian community in 2017. An estimated 300,000 children in Borno State alone will suffer from severe acute malnutrition over the next 12 months and up to 450,000 in total across Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, if adequate assistance is not received.”

The question, therefore, is: Why, in spite of the “huge and enormous” cost to the federal government, Nigeria, according to the UN agency, is facing “the biggest humanitarian crisis in Africa today”?

The challenges are probably the ineffectiveness of the several agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of soothing the pains of the IDPs, and massive corruption. After all, it is known that relief materials meant for the IDPs have been diverted to the open markets for sale to the general public by officials of government. Also notorious is the fact of misappropriation of funds meant for the relief of the displaced persons.

While the investigation into the case involving the suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal, remains pending, the federal government needs to to ensure that resources being deployed in this regard yield the desired results. For it would be inappropriate to, in these times of economic recession, deploy scarce resources without receiving value. Nigerians must be rest assured that monies meant for the distressed are not being misappropriated by a few persons in position of authority.