Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has commended the UN World Food Programme (WFP) for its support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), vulnerable groups of people and children in the state in the wake of the disastrous and monstrous Boko Haram insurgency.
The governor spoke when Ms. Myrta Kaulard, WFP Country Director led a team from the UN agency on a courtesy call on him.
The team included Mr. Tito Nikodimos, the WFP’s head of Maiduguri area office.
Ms. Kaulard said that she was visiting to familiarize herself with the state and to ‘ask for advice and guidance’ from the governor on the WFP’s food security interventions in the Northeast.
She said that she and her team were poised to work with the state government to help with food security in Yobe.
Responding, Gaidam said, “I wish to take the opportunity provided by the visit of the WFP Country Director and her entourage to commend the World Food Programme for the assistance it renders to humanity, especially the victims of disasters, drought, flooding as well as people displaced by insurgency, communal and inter-communal conflicts and wars, among others.
“In specific terms, I commend the WFP for helping IDPs in the state through the provision of direct cash assistance to over 1, 250 households in Nguru and Gashua areas as well as registering additional 1, 500 households waiting to be provided with cash assistance. The programme has equally rendered assistance to IDPs in Gaidam and Yunusari local governments in the form of seedlings, cash support and other agricultural inputs to enable the IDPs engage in agricultural production. I am also pleased that the WFP has supported 17, 000 children under the age of two with plump foods to address the problem of malnutrition in the state.”
Gaidam also commends the WFP in helping with setting up a Centre for Research and Capacity Development on Humanitarian Studies at the Yobe State University.
“The establishment of the centre will surely enhance the capacity of operators of humanitarian activities both within and outside the state”, he said.
While appreciating the WFP, the governor called on the UN agency to scale up.
“I would like to further request the World Food Programme to scale up its activities in the state by providing additional support to IDPs, vulnerable groups and returnee communities.
“We also appeal to the WFP to intervene in schools feeding to help revive and reinvigorate educational activities in the state which had suffered serious setbacks resulting from the devastating impacts of the Boko Haram insurgency on educational infrastructure and the conduct of academic activities, among others. I equally appeal for capacity building support for our state officials to adequately manage the academic activities, among others. I equally appeal for capacity building support for our state officials to adequately manage the humanitarian situation in the State”, he said.
Source: nigerianewsflight.com