The House of Representatives will partner the International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC) over the state of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila made this known while receiving ICRC delegation led by the organisation’s head in Nigeria, Mr Eloi Fillion, on Thursday in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila noted that the collaboration was necessary to ease the sufferings of displaced persons, following the Kampala Convention on IDPs which he believes will go a long way in addressing their plights.
“We’re more than happy to collaborate with you. I’m glad you’re working with my Special Assistant on IDPs. He has a lot of zeal for the work. We always look forward to collaboration such as this.
“Nigeria is a signatory. If the House domesticates it, I think the different states have to do the same. We’ll try and see how we can get it domesticated,” he stated.
According to him, a situation where some international conventions demand that organisations such as ICRC could provide assistance to both soldiers and insurgents at the same time would not augur well for the country.
On his part, Mr Fillion said the ICRC would want to collaborate with the House in a number of areas to achieve its mandate in Nigeria, calling for the domestication of the Geneva Convention and the Kampala Convention on IDPs.
He said the international community has given ICRC specific mandate to deliver humanitarian service, saying they are independent and neutral in carrying out their mandate, stressing that the organization will organise a workshop where all issues relating to its activities.
