The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has pledge the Federal Government’s commitment for the vulnerable migrants and the returnees in Northern Nigeria, impacted by the covid-19 pandemic.
Farouq disclose this during the Launching of the Swiss Project titled ‘providing immediate socio-economic relief to vulnerable returnees impacted by the covid-19 in Northern Nigeria’
The project stipulates that the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to tackling the emerging issues and challenges that may confront the protection and livelihood of returnees and potential migrants.
The Minister stated that measures were put in place to contained the spread of covid-19 pandemic across- borders and domestic restriction on movement which led to the disruption in the food supply chain, adding that the vulnerable group included: the elderly, chronically ill, people with disabilities, women and child-headed households, unemployed youths, refugees and migrants who have lost access to livelihood opportunities, to mitigate the immediate impact of the pandemic, the federal government of Nigeria, through the Ministry launched and extended various financial assistance initiatives for business families and individual, e.g. rural women cash grant programme modified the NHGSFP to ensure children were able to have nutritious meal, while restricted to their homes during the lockdown.
Continuing she said the Ministry in line with the Ministry’s mandate to develop humanitarian policies and provide effective coordination of National International Humanitarian interventions, the Ministry embarked on resource mobilization to adequately address the growing humanitarian needs.
The government of Swaziland responded to support in providing immediate socio-economic relief to vulnerable migrants impacted by covid-19 in Northern Nigeria. The project is also designed to complement the actions funded under the UN covid-19 Basket Fund by focusing on the returned and potential migrants residing in Northern Nigeria with beneficiaries drawn from Yobe, Kano, Kastina, Zamfara and Jigawa. The focus on Leave No One Behind” principle of SDG’s in carrying out humanitarian interventions, is equally geared towards strengthening sustainable reintegration of returnees while discouraging irregular migrants.
The Representative of the Ambassador,Embassy of Swaziland, Ojoma Ali, has pledged its commitment in some its funding to support Nigeria government agencies in the fight against the pandemic and its consequences. It also mobilized financial resources to support the UN covid-19 basket fund, supported an initiative by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in delivering the palliatives to the vulnerable groups in covi-19 urban hotspots via World Food Progrmme.
He said the International Solidarity and Cooperation are key in tackling the challenges in covid-19
The International Organization for Migrants (IOM), Franzt Celestine, said the outbreak and spread of virus have not only created a global health crisis, but has also disrupted economic activities and everyday life, affecting mostly those already in vulnerable situations including migrants.
Complementing existing programme, including EU-IOM Joint Initiative for migrants Protection and Reintegration and the DFID funded reintegration programme, this project seeks to address the psychosocial and socio-economic needs of vulnerable returned migrants and potential migrants in the Northern states of Nigeria by providing immediate relief.
He added that the project has been designed to align with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s priorities and will ensure the needs for women, men, girls, and boys are considered throughout the project.
Adeyemo Felicia
Chief Information Officer
For: DD (Information)
