The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast Nigeria.
The signing of the MoU was performed by the UNHCR Country Representative, Mrs Angele Dikongue-Atangana and a member of MMF’s Boards of Trustee, Mr Abba-Risquat Muhammed, in Abuja.
Atangana-Dikongue said the MoU was aimed at creating a synergy on how to provide livelihood for the people displaced by the insurgency in the region.
She said that beyond the humanitarian assistance to the IDPs, what mattered most was about providing houses and means of livelihood for them.
The agreement according to the two partners will focus on providing shelter for the IDPs as well as empowering them through various skill acquisition programmes.
The country Representative said Nigeria was a centre piece of the African continent, adding that to be able to take out poverty from the continent, there should be synergy towards solving its humanitarian crisis.
According to her, Nigeria cannot afford to fail because if we let Nigeria fail, ECOWAS and Africa in general will suffer.
“Boko Haram is today a regional as well as continental issue which must be defeated through cooperation but we must try to turn the problem into opportunity and make sure we take people back to productive scheme.
“Some years back, Boko Haram was regarded as Nigerian matter, but now it has become a sub-regional issue that needs to be addressed from both fronts.
“The challenges are too much and need synergy to turn the suffering of the people into opportunities, by putting a smile on their faces.
“No better achievement than giving them joy, rekindling their hope, giving back their life back to them.
“It is crucial that we get together with the like minds to turn the situation around in favour of Nigeria and Africa.
“UNHCR and the foundation will bring their resources together to address the needs of the IDPs in the Northeast,” she said.
Atangana-Dikongue called for commitment of the parties to the MoU to put smile on the faces of those that have been crying by giving them meaningful lives.
Muhammed in his response assured the UN body of the foundation’s commitment to the agreement and the livelihood projects of UNHCR.
He said they owed it to the society to contribute to meeting the needs of IDPs and make life better for those that have been displaced by the insurgency.
According to him, you cannot continue to give people food, you have to help them have their own homes and this partnership is an opportunity to give back to the society, especially by identifying with the needy.
“If we can ensure that our citizen live better life, they would contributed meaningfully to the society,” he said. (NAN)