President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday disclosed why he is yet to revisit Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps since last year August.
According to him, he has not been himself since his last visit, describing the situation of the IDPs as pathetic.
He accused those in charge of managing the funds from non-governmental Organisation and international organizations of being reckless, insisting the people are not feeling the impact of the funds.
President Buhari said this when he inaugurated the National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC) to oversee all humanitarian actions in the country.
The NHCC is chaired by the Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadia Umar and National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Mungonu, is co-Chairman.
Buhari had August last year visited the victims of banditry from Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Jibiya, Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume local government areas of Katsina State to sympathised with them.
Buhari who said he had initially wanted former chief of Defence staff, General Theophilius Danjuma (rted) to head the committee to ensure accountability but he had pleaded to be excused because age was not on his side, urged the committee to ensure the IDPs feel the impact of their work.
Buhari said: “As a digression, I will like to make some comments based on my visit to some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps. The pathetic scenes I saw pushed me to ask one of the most respected generals we had in the military, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, initially to head this organization. Because, what we receive from NGOs sometimes does not permeate, does not go down to the people there. If you see the children they don’t know their fathers not to talk of where they come from.
“So I had to go and beg Gen. Danjuma to please come and be in charge of that so that our resources are properly utilized, because some Nigerians are really reckless. There don’t care whose money it is they will put it in their own pockets.
“So I had to get Gen. Danjuma but when he told me that age was not on his side, I got documents from intellectuals so that we could set up a ministry so that it will coordinate the activities of NEMA and others. So that the sources can be properly accounted for. This is the reason the ministry was set up so that the minister will account to the executive council and make sure that the resources are properly utilized.
“I went only three times and since then I have not gone back because I couldn’t stand it, it’s really terrible. I hope you will give your patriotic support so that they will properly get the advantage of the contributions made by the country and the NGOs and international bodies.”
Buhari assured that his administration will ensure that permanent peace and stability returned to the troubled Northeast, and charged the armed forces to make clinical finishing of the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents.
He added that the rehabilitation of devastated communities is set to begin in earnest.
“As a result of the mindless actions of the terrorists, many of our compatriots have been killed, maimed, or displaced from their communities. This necessitated the efforts of this Administration to develop immediate interventions and measures to alleviate the sufferings of those affected, and to ensure their proper resettlement,” he said.
President Buhari noted that the need to harmonise all humanitarian activities in the region for greater effectiveness informed the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development last year (2019) with the mandate to develop humanitarian policies and provide effective coordination of National and International humanitarian interventions, among others.
President Buhari lauded local and international partners for their assistance over time, assuring them of continued government commitment.
“I commend the support of our friends and partners who have over the years provided humanitarian assistance to our people in need. At the same time, I also seek their understanding in situations where our sovereignty and national security require more pragmatic and proper consideration.
“This government will continue to evolve ways of ensuring that all humanitarian actors receive the necessary support to carry out their activities safely, in line with established principles and taking cognizance of our national security imperatives,” he assured.
President Buhari added that it was in realization of the need for a smooth working relationship that government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, approved a “Civil – Security Coordination workshop to provide a platform for all the stakeholders, to deliberate and agree on frameworks and guidelines for civil security coordination in humanitarian action.”
The President also praised the Armed Forces for their efforts so far, calling on them to intensify actions to bring an end to the insurgency in the country.
“I wish to commend our Armed Forces for their commitment towards eliminating the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists and securing the affected communities for the resettlement and rehabilitation of affected populations. I urge our Armed Forces to put more efforts to bring the insurgency to a speedy conclusion.”
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Faruq said, “there is a global humanitarian crisis, available statistics indicate there are 70.8 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) all over the world. In the Northeast, it is estimated that 2.2million people have been displaced, which presents a serious humanitarian challenge.
“This crisis coupled with coordination gaps in the humanitarian sector in Nigeria and clashes between security and humanitarian actors have brought about the existence of NHCC as one of the mechanisms of Civil-Security Coordination,” she said.
Other members are; Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, Ministers of Defence, Interior, Justice, Minister of State Budget and Planning, Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Inspector General of Police, Governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Permanent Secretary, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (Secretariat), Chairman, Non-Governmental Organization Forum, and any other nominated by Chairman of the Committee.
