Benue, FG Collaborate to Resettle IDPs

George Okoh in Makurdi

Benue State Government in collaboration with the federal government has put in place modalities towards constructing resettlement homes for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to enable them return back to their ancestral homes.

The state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, who disclosed this at the Tiv Area Traditional Council meeting held in Gboko, posited that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in the state was working with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to provide decent accommodation, security, healthcare facilities and education for the victims.

Governor Alia, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr. Aondowase Kunde, further explained that he engaged the military authorities to establish military base in the senatorial districts in the state to improve internal security.

The governor appealed to the Tiv Area Traditional Council to support government’s efforts and encourage its subjects to embrace the initiative, adding that schools and hospitals will be constructed within the affected communities to reduce out-of-school children and improve access to medicare by the IDPs.

Responding, His Royal Majesty, Tor Tiv, Prof James Ayatse, lauded the governor over his concern to improve the welfare of the victims.

The paramount ruler noted that past administrations paid lip service to security challenges, which had rocked the Tiv Nation and other parts of the state.

He expressed confident in President Bola Tinubu and Governor Alia’s efforts towards ameliorating the sufferings of the people.