VSF earmarks N3.2 billion to restore IDPs’ livelihoods in Borno
VSF earmarks N3.2 billion to restore IDPs’ livelihoods in Borno
From: Njadvara MUSA, Maiduguri
The Victims Support Fund (VSF) has earmarked N3.2 billion to restore the livelihoods of Internally Displaced Person (IDP) returnees in the insurgency-affected communities of Borno State.
The fund’s interventions are the provisions of cash support in two phases to restore IDP returnees’ livelihoods in communities.
Unfolding the IDPs’ return support on Thursday in Maiduguri, VSF’s Executive Director, Prof. Nana Tanko disclosed: “The package that we are disbursing today is based on the request of the Borno state government,” noting that this is not a VSF project, but belongs to the state government.
She said that VSF is to support the process of returning the displaced persons affected by the 13-year Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
According to her, the support comprises basic materials for the IDP returnees including food and non-food items.
She said the non-food materials comprise mosquito nets, blankets, mattresses, wrappers and hygiene kits.
Besides, she added that kitchen utensils and pounding materials were distributed to each of the returning IDP women to cook for the households.
Other interventions are the provisions of cash support to restore returnees’ livelihoods with Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural and livestock sectors of the economy.
She said that in the disbursements of the fund, married women are each to get N50, 000, while women heads of households are also each to be provided with N100, 000.
“The male heads of households are also each to collect the sum of N100, 000,” she said, assuring that the Managing Director of the State’s Microfinance Bank has partnered with VSF in the disbursement of funds.
She said that an implementation plan has been developed in working out to identify economic activities in the households to engage in two phases.
Nana explained that after assessing the performance of the business outfits, the other 50 per cent will be paid to the returnees in communities.
She, therefore, urged the IDP households to sustain their SMEs to restore their livelihoods.
Responding, Governor Zulum said that VSF has rehabilitated and equipped public buildings, primary schools and healthcare centres at Bama, Dikwa, Gwoza and Ngala in 2016 and 2018.
He added that the fund also destroyed public buildings including schools in six councils of the south senatorial district with the distribution of livelihood materials.
