Insurgency: Senate urges Danjuma committee to rehabilitate North-East

The Senate has urged Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma Committee on North-East Rehabilitation to expedite action on effective utilisation of funds donated by stakeholders to cater for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

This followed consideration of report of the Committee on Special Duties, in respect of the motion on establishment of Presidential Intervention Committee on Rehabilitation of the North-East.

The senate also called on National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to establish skills acquisition centres in IDP camps across the country.

It expressed commitment to amending the National Refugee Commission Act to enable the commission to function properly.

The red chamber urged the commission to coordinate all Federal Government development partners and non-governmental organisation’s initiatives on insurgency pending establishment of the North-East Development Commission.

In his presentation, Chairman, Committee on Special Duties, Abdul-Aziz Nyako, said that the need for a development commission to be in charge of rehabilitating the North-East could not be undermined.

He said that the havoc wrecked in the zone by the insurgency demanded lasting solution, adding that statistics had shown that no fewer than four million children in the zone were malnourished.

“Schools have been destroyed, while many teachers have lost their lives and this has led to anxiety about their future.’’

Nyako lamented that the Refugee Commission Act was mainly concerned with refugees from other countries and Nigerian refugees in other countries, but that there was no provision in the Act for IDPs.

He, therefore, called for amendment of the Act to include Nigerians who became refugees within the country.

He also called for improved funding for the refugee commission and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), saying that there was need to appropriate enough money to both agencies.

“Only N2.4 billion and N1.34 billion have been budgeted for the Refugee Commission and NEMA and this is only 0.06 percent of the budget,’’ he said.

In their contributions, senators expressed support for the establishment of the commission for quick rehabilitation of the North-East.

They said that some of the victims of insurgency had been displaced for over three years.

They added that beyond being displaced and ripped of their livelihood, many of the victims were going through psychological problem.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, commended the committee for the recommendations.

He expressed the chamber’s determination to expeditiously pass the bill through third reading to ensure quick implementation.

“The real issue is to pass the bill as soon as possible, while we urge the Leader of the Senate to present a proposed motion on funding for victims of insurgency.

“The situation is becoming permanent and we need to find a lasting solution to it,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Public Private Partnership Regulatory Commission Bill 2016 and five other bills passed first reading on Thursday at the Senate.

The other bills are Nigeria in Diaspora Commission Bill 2016; Public Procurement (Establishment) Act 2004(Amendment) Bill 2016; Electoral Act 2010 (amendment) Bill 2016 and FCT Borderline Communities Development Commission Bill 2016.

Also, the senate received the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.