UN donates relief materials to Benue flood victims

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has donated items worth over N18m to flood victims in Benue State.

This came as the state government began the gradual closure of the internally displaced persons camp in Makurdi, the capital.

Among items donated are lanterns, soaps, detergent, blankets, mosquito nets, drugs and mattresses.

Head of Benue UNHCR office, Mr. Samuel Agwa, said that 70 per cent of the relief materials would be distributed to those who were badly affected but could not be accommodated at the designated camps, while the remaining 30 per cent would go to victims at various camps.

He said, “We worked with the State Emergency Management Agency and non-governmental organisations before coming up with an acceptable formula on how to share the relief materials to the victims. The items are going to camp “C’’. Camp ‘’C’’ are those victims who never found themselves in any of the camps.

“We have sent text messages to those whose data we collated and within 72 hours of the closure of the camps the targeted beneficiaries will be eligible to collect what is meant for them.”

Agwa disclosed that UNHCR officials in collaboration with NGOs and SEMA officials gathered the information used in selecting beneficiaries of the donated items from areas worst affected by the flood.

The initiative, according to him, is aimed at alleviating the sufferings of persons and households affected by the disaster.

Receiving the relief items, deputy governor of the state and chairman of the committee overseeing the exercise, Benson Abounu, commended UNHCR, stating that the international agency had been one of the most dependable support groups for the state whose contribution in the area of capacity building, direct material support and other governance initiatives had been of immense help.

Abounu, however, said only the governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, had the power to order the closure of the IDPs’ camps.

He said, “All we are doing is to put in place the process of decampment but have not yet close the camps.

“The camps cannot be closed now because of those whose houses were brought down by the flood. If you close the camps now, where would these people go to? Government needs to intervene in such cases before they can go back to their houses so that life can be a little bit comfortable for them.”