The Nigerian Red Cross Society has entered into partnership with the British Red Cross to further ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable people and victims of disasters in the country.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Red Cross Society and its counterparts worldwide had been contributing immensely to support emergency efforts in the North-East Nigeria, which had been under attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.
Red Cross had also been supporting in other places where their emergency efforts are needed at different times in parts of the country.
Alex Carle, the Head of West and Central Africa regions, who spoke for the British Red Cross, disclosed this during a meeting involving all the partners in Abuja.
He assured the Nigerian Red Cross Society that “the British Red Cross is committed to building a strong relationship of transparency and trust and support for the NRCS this year specifically on Organisational Development to get her organisational structure in place.”
Carle pointed out that the Nigerian Red Cross Society has remained the lead humanitarian agency, responding to the aftermath of insurgency, communal clashes and other disasters in Nigeria and therefore need support to do more.
According to him, the British Red Cross had contacted many partners, including participating national societies and donors, keeping them abreast of the positive changes within the National Society as well as its enormous humanitarian work in the North East and other parts of Nigeria.
On behalf of the the British Red Cross, Carle said, “Many more partners were ready to partner with the Nigerian Red Cross Society in providing the urgently needed aid in Nigeria”
Baptiste Rolle, the Head of Africa Desk of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), stressed that the NRCS is going in the right direction with strong commitment to reinforce its capacity and function but the path is still long and there are a lot to be done to make the Nigerian Society a stronger humanitarian organisation.
Rolle said: “The number of partners coming back to Nigeria is an evidence of trust that is being reposed in the Nigerian Red Cross Society to deliver humanitarian assistance whenever and wherever it is needed”.
He advised the management staff to “enhance their level of commitment and motivation; to be open with everyone, ambitious but humble.”
Elder Bolaji Anani Akpan, National President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, assured partners that the Nigerian Red Cross was ready to “work hard and earn their trust by being transparent in its dealings with the partners and the beneficiaries.”