*Praises For NGO Ucare Nigeria
By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has assured that his administration will establish a school at the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) mega camp along Makurdi-Gbajimba road, Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Speaking during the extension of free medical outreach to the camp, which was conducted by a nongovernmental organization (NGO), Ucare Nigeria with funding from ECOWAS Peace Fund, the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) Executive Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, lamented the suffering children at the mega camp were experiencing.
The BSEMA boss, who was represented by Mr. Mark Terver, said that the agency was worried by the growing population of school age, yet not-in-school, children in the camp, stressing the need for adequate measures to be put in place for the leaders of tomorrow.
According to him, the agency had organized classes for the children with over 400 of them turning up for the academic work, adding that the surge compelled BSEMA to get volunteers to assist in teaching them.
The BSEMA boss noted that the proposed school for the children was expected to take off in September (next month) when the next academic session kicks off.
According to him, Gov. Alia had already assured that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would engage the volunteers to teach at the camp.
He disclosed how some well-meaning, public-spirited NGOs had intervened in the provision of some classes that could accommodate about 24 children at a time even as others provided computers for children’s training.
The Executive Secretary appreciated Ucare Nigeria for its intervention in the health needs of the people through the provision of mosquito nets, adolescent girl-child kits as well as mama kits.
He also appreciated ECOWAS Peace Fund for providing funds for the free medical outreach, state-of-the-art toilet facilities, borehole and solar panels for electricity, among other items.
In his remarks, Communication Officer, Ucare Nigeria, Mr. Uche Aondofa Paul, expressed satisfaction with what the organisation has done for the three camps by giving succour to the vulnerable to cushion their hardships.
In their separate comments, two IDPs, Mrs. Mwuese Asan, and Miss Salome Barnabas, appreciated Ucare Nigeria for the provision of facilities for their use.
Mrs. Asan particularly expressed joy as she had gone for medical attention as an expectant mother but could not afford the drugs they asked her to buy, adding that Ucare Nigeria came to her rescue by providing the drugs for her free of cost.
PHOTO CAPTION: Some of the IDPs waiting for their turn to be attended to at the medical outreach.
