VSF Distributes Relief Material to Victims of Conflict in Benue

*Procure ambulances for communities

By George Okoh In Makurdi

Victim Support Fund (VSF) has distributed relief materials to victims of conflicts and vulnerable people in Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas (LGAs) as well as Gbajimba and Ortese Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps all in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The items that were distributed were beans, rice, garri, sanitary pad, soaps, palm and vegetable oil among others.
The State Project Coordinator, Mndepawe Kwaghe said that VSF was intervening in seven LGAs of the state.
Kwaghe said the local governments include Konshisha, Oju, Ado, Gwer West, Kwande, Logo and Guma, stressing that the intervention would last for six months.
“Today we are distributing materials to them for the months of April and May and we are giving them two of each of the items. One for April and the other for May,” Kwaghe said.
She disclosed that they were intervening in the state as a result of the cry of the governor of the state that the number IDPs keep increasing and donor agencies should wade in to cushion the hardship faced by the displaced persons.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI), Mrs Elizabeth Jeiyol, said that as implementing partner of the project they would ensure that the materials get to the targeted people.
Jeiyol applauded VSF for the intervention, saying that the organisation had done a lot for the state, stressing that they partnered with the organisation during the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
“VSF has various intervention programmes for the communities ranging from health to economic.
“The economic programme is aimed at empowering them financially to enable them to fend for themselves,” Jeiyol said.
She further appreciated the Benue State Government for supporting the displaced persons through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Also, the Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary of SEMA on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Mr Alexander Chia, appreciated VSF for their intervention and sued for sustenance.
Meanwhile the fund has procured three tricycle ambulances to be distributed to the Senatorial Districts in Benue.
Elder Sunday Oibe, a member of the VSF Special Intervention Team disclosed this during the distribution of food items to the Gbajimba and Ortese Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps all in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Oibe further said that each of the senatorial districts would be given one ambulance.
“They are meant to address shortage of ambulances especially in the hinterlands as well as at the IDP camps.
“This is made possible through the support of the Chairman of VSF, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma.
“Our chairman has responded swiftly to the cry of Gov. Samuel Ortom, that well meaning Nigerians should come to the aid of the IDPs whose number keep increasing everyday,” Oibe said.
He lamented that the situation of the IDPs was very pathetic, stressing that most children at the various camps were malnourished.
He said that VSF had plans to attend to the medical needs of the IDPs by supplying them with drugs.
“We did a thorough diligence of needs assessment and we have discovered all that they need,” he said.