Reps demand FG support for Abuja IDPs
THE House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, recognise Durumi and New-Kuchingoro Camps as camps for the Internally Displaced Persons in Abuja and provide them with all entitlements and support.
The House also urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, under its interventionist programmes, to come to the aid of the displaced Nigerians “currently living in squalor at the aforementioned camps.”
The call was based on the motion by Messrs Julius Ihonvbere, Shehu Kakale, Amos Magaji, Ahmed Zanna and Samsudeen Bello, titled, ‘Need to support the displaced persons in the Federal Capital Territory.’
In the motion, the lawmakers noted the conditions under which women and children displaced by the insecurity across the country, mostly in the North-East, are living.
They added that the displaced persons were now residing in camps in Durumi and New-Kuchingoro suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory.
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Moving the motion, Ihonvbere said, “The House also notes that the population of the displaced persons are between 4,000 in the Durumi Camp and 6,000 in the New-Kuchingoro Camp, and both camps are single-handedly managed by Dr Olatunji Sanwo-David.
“The House is disturbed that the displaced persons, many of whom are nursing mothers, live in squalid surroundings and rickety accommodation with no water.
“The House is aware that despite concerted and commendable efforts of Dr. Olatunji Sanwo-David and other philanthropists to cater for the welfare of the women and children in the camps, more still needs to be done to mitigate the harsh conditions under which they live.
“The House is worried that if the displaced persons living in Durumi and New-Kuchingoro in the Federal Capital Territory are not urgently and adequately catered for, it could degenerate to massive loss of lives, increase in the numbers of out-of-school children, unbridled violence and total breakdown of social order.”
PUNCH
