Plateau LG Chair weeps over cuts in IDP humanitarian supply
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Management Committee Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local Government Council, Barr. Ezekiel Mandyau, Thursday said over 12,000 internally displaced persons from his domain still face “disturbing humanitarian crisis”.
The IDPs still living in 12 camps are mainly the extreme poor who could not afford private accommodation elsewhere, Mandyau told journalists.
The remnants of the over 30,000 people displaced during the June 2018 killings in Plateau, the LG Chair said deserve federal attention as those in the northeast.
“Many of these IDPs cannot afford regular meals, healthcare or education for their children,” the Chairman tearfully said.
This in his words is further compounded by sudden cuts in humanitarian supply.
“Many of the organizations and individuals earlier supplying food and other essentials have gotten tired and have stopped, leaving the IDPs hopeless,” he said.
The State Government according to him is working hard to return all displaced persons to their original homes but needs support to temporarily cater for their welfare.
He said, “We really appreciate those who have rendered support to these IDPs in one way or the other.
“We will write them all to appreciate them for having carried out our responsibility as a government.
“However, the needs are still there and we want to plead that whatever can be done should be done to see that these poor ones live comfortably.”
Mandyau had toured all attacked communities two weeks ago.
He started a tour of IDP camps yesterday to identify their most pressing needs.
The camps visited yesterday were in COCIN RCC Bokkos, Gana Ropp, St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and COCIN LCC Kworos.
Others are COCIN LCC Gassa, COCIN RCC Heipang and COCIN Ban.
In all the camps visited, the main cries of the IDPs was their home return.
Food and healthcare were equally stressed as crucial needs in all the camps.
The Chairman presented cash donations as welfare support to the IDPs in each of the camps, pledging to mobilize more.
He is expected to round off the tour today with IDP camps in COCIN Rahurung, Dorowa Tsoho, COCIN RCC Fan, Mai idon tarau and School of Geosciences Anguldi, Jos South.
