Benue humanitarian chief urges stronger collaboration for displaced persons’ welfare

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management/Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA), Sir James Iorpuu, has emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration among humanitarian actors to better respond to the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue State and the wider North Central region.

Sir Iorpuu made the call during a strategic engagement session with a consultant working on the National Strategy on Durable Solutions for Internal Displacement in Nigeria.

Also present at the meeting were officials from the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The visit was part of efforts to align state-level initiatives with the broader national framework, and it acknowledged Sir Iorpuu’s pivotal role in advancing humanitarian efforts within the region.

Responding to questions on Benue State’s efforts to move beyond emergency responses, the BSEMA Boss highlighted that the current administration is prioritizing agriculture and livelihood support for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

According to him, the state is empowering IDPs by supporting agricultural activities, providing cultivation inputs, and integrating them into local economies.

He further bdisclosed that the government has facilitated the formation of over 200 cooperative societies among IDPs and secured approximately 280 hectares of farmland for agricultural projects aimed at achieving sustainable empowerment among others.

In their joint remarks, Mubarak Yusuf (Consultant to NCFRMI) and Emmanuel Aisiku (UNDP Representative) praised BSEMA for its proactive humanitarian strategies.

They affirmed that the Benue State Durable Solutions Plan will be harmonized with the National Strategy to ensure comprehensive and coordinated implementation.whlie Bashir A. Yusuf, Zonal Coordinator of NCFRMI for the North Central zone, pledged there continued collaboration.