FG Takes Over Provision Of Food For IDPS In Maiduguri

The Nigerian government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has taken over the full responsibility for the provision of foodstuffs to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The spokesman for the agency, Manzo Ezekiel, said the decision was made to improve the welfare of people displaced by insurgency, who are sheltered in 22 locations and those staying in host communities in the north eastern state.

This decision was taken after a meeting between a delegation of NEMA’s top officials assigned by the Director General Muhammad Sani Sidi, to assess the situation in the camps in Maiduguri.

At the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Borno State Umar Zanna Mustapha, the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Grema Terab and other stakeholders.

Before now, Borno State Government augmented the supply of foodstuffs by NEMA, but the state government made an appeal to the Federal Government through NEMA to take full responsibility for the feeding of the IDPs.

However, when the NEMA team with Borno State officials visited the camps to assess the situation, it was discovered that the problem was not due to shortage of food stuffs but the management.

It was therefore agreed that the responsibilities be shared between the Federal Government and the Borno State Government, with NEMA taking full responsibility for the provision of the foodstuffs to relive the state government of the burden.

However, the state government would now provide the cooking utensils, condiments, firewood, cooks and other facilities including the sanitation and also avail more camp sites for the swelling population of those desperately in need of temporary shelters and care.

More toilet facilities will also be provided by the state government for the IDPs.

The NEMA team was led by the Agency’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade and had the Director Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr Eugene Udemezue Ezeh, Director Disaster Risk Reduction Mr Alhassan Nuhu and other top officials present.