FG donates empowerment materials to Bama IDPs

The Federal Government has donated skills empowerment materials to the Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno.

Mrs Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the distribution of the items in Bama, Borno.

Umar-Farouq said it was the duty of the commission to ensure that lasting solution was provided for persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency through meaningful skill acquisition programmes.

She said that the IDPs were supported with irrigation farming implements, sewing and grinding machines, maternity kits as well as foodstuff.

“We are donating 500 cartoons of Soya milk and 200 of Soya kunu; 150 irrigation farming machine; 100 each of sewing and grinding machines; and 400 maternity kits to enhance health care delivery system, among others,” she said

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Falmata Bulama, commended the Federal Government for the gesture.

Bulama said that this would go a long way in supporting their immediate family needs.

“I am very grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari and the people who brought this to us.

“But one of the problems we are facing now is lack of jobs to do especially for our men, but with this sewing machine, I am hopeful that I will get something out of it that will help me to carter for my needs, ‘’she said.

Malam Babagana Yusuf, another beneficiary, also commended the federal government for providing adequate security to protect returning IDPs.

“This gesture had rebuilt our confidence in President Buhari, the federal government, the military and the Borno government.

“We enjoy cordial relationship with the military personnel here in Bama as they are always around whenever we need their attention,” Yusuf said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 26,000 IDPs have returned to Bama.