Non-Govt Organization Commends Buhari for Empowerment of Internally Displaced Persons

Peace Reconciliation and Rehabilitation Initiative (PRRI), A Non-Governmental Organization, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the empowerment of returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast part of the country.

The commendation from the NGO which has been at the forefront of championing the rehabilitation of returning IDPs through farming in the northeast is coming on the heels of the recent distribution of seedlings to returning IDPs by the federal government.

It will be recalled that the PRRI has recently empowered over 2,000 farmers in Borno, Yobe and Gombe States with seedlings, food and cash as part of its commitment to ensuring that the returning IDPs can become self-sufficient.

According to Hon Sam Ode, Executive Secretary of PRRI, the decision of President Buhari to embrace what the Initiative has been championing is commendable and wish to call on persons that would be saddled with the responsibility of distributing the seedling to conduct themselves properly with transparency and fear of God.

He said it is very obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari is desirous of rebuilding both the human capital and infrastructures in the northeast of Nigeria and deserves the support of all stakeholders.

He further hinted that his organization after visiting Yobe State today (Monday) would be embarking on the second phase of its campaign to empower the youths and has made arrangements to train 150 youths from Borno State in certified and specialized skills acquisition programme ranging from modern welding, solar panel, painting, automobile and carpentry at the Don Bosco Technic (DBT), in far away Lebanon.

According to him, the training is another way of disconnecting the youths from insurgents and extreme views in the society. He said the trainees will be in turn empowered to start some useful ventures that will add value to the society and never be available for criminal elements to exploit.

He said , “At PRRI, we strongly believe that the fastest means of rehabilitating those who were once displaced by Boko Haram is empowering them to return to farming which was hitherto their major source of livelihood.

“with the military clearing the insurgents from these areas and with normacy beginning to be restored, therefore the smallest support given to the people in terms of seed money and farm equipments is expected to yield meaningful returns in the coming years while the Federal Government, State and other NGOs plan their strategies to assist the people in regaining what they have lost.”