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Giving succour for victims of communal violence

The Federal Government, recently made some donations to victims of the communal clash that took place in Shasha Market, Oyo State. DEBORAH OCHENI reports

 

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk, made the donation on behalf of the Federal Government as a way of bringing succour to those who were affected by the unfortunate incident at the Shasha market, Ibadan, Oyo State.

 

The gesture saw the delivery of food items to 928 households and 5, 568 displaced persons in the Sabo, Ojoo and Akinyele areas of Oyo state. During the visit to Ibadan for the distribution of the items, Farouq expressed sympathy for persons affected by the crisis.

 

According to her, the federal government decided to activate immediate response to the incident by providing basic humanitarian relief items to the impacted communities. “I have brought with me relief food items approved based on the initial assessment for the 928 households and 5, 568 displaced persons identified to be in Sabo, Ojoo and Akinyele.

 

“The Federal Government will be guided by the detailed assessment carried out by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Oyo State Government officials to provide further support that may be necessary for rehabilitation,” Farouq said.

 

She commended the government of Oyo State and the various security agencies for their prompt intervention in bringing the situation under control.

 

The minister also expressed appreciation to traditional rulers and community leaders for the roles they played in the restoration of peace in the area. Items handed over to the state government for onward distribution to the affected persons include 928 bags of rice and garri (10kg); 928 bags of beans (25kg); 46 kegs of vegetable oil (20 liters); 46 bags of salt (20 kg); 155 packets of seasoning cubes and 71 cartons of tinned tomatoes. Earlier, the minister also flagged off Federal Government’s Special Cash Grant for Rural Women in the state.

 

A total of 5,280 beneficiaries are to benefit from the cash grant of 20,000 each to uplift the socioeconomic status of the rural women in Oyo State.

 

According to Farouq, the State had received a total sum of N992,715,000.00 (Nine Hundred and Ninety-Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Naira only) from the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer programme since it’s inception. She disclosed that the programme had impacted the lives of 14,021 poor and vulnerable households from 28 Local Government Areas in Oyo State.

 

“I must note at this point, that the social register is being expanded to cater for more poor and vulnerable households in Oyo State. The Rural Women’s Cash Grant is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural Nigeria. A grant of N20,000.00 will be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

 

The grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities,” she said.

 

Highlight of the event was the symbolic presentations of the cash grant by Farouq to some physically challenged women whom she urged to make good use of the money.

 

Governor Oluseyi Makinde, who was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Bisi Ilaka, thanked the Federal Government for the cash grant initiative and assured that the state government would remain committed to creating and improving opportunities for people to live meaningful and fulfilled lives.

 

“I advise the beneficiaries to take advantage of the current women’s emancipation initiative both globally and locally, to get involved in governance, seek political positions and take advantage of different policies of government to change the society.

 

Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare harped on the need to empower more women while the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Oyo State, Fausat Joke Sani thanked the Federal Government for consistently making efforts to empower the poor and vulnerable in the country.

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