From Noah Ebije
Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) on Friday flagged off distribution of relief materials for Internally Displaced Persons in Southern Kaduna.
The relief materials include 180 bags of rice, 100 bags of beans, 80 bags of Garri, 200 packs of pampers, 200 cartons of Indomie. 100 tins of vegetable oil.
Other items purchased for distribution included educational items, food and medical needs, among other needs of the displaced persons.
SOKAPU said over 148 communities have been displaced in the region by terrorists in the last few years.
Flagging off the distribution of the materials, SOKAPU President, Jonathan Asake said the relief materials were bought from the share of money it got from Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike’s N200 million donation to IDPs in Kaduna State.
Governor Wike had during his campaign tour to Kaduna State chapter of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for presidential primaries election announced a donation of the N200 million.
Asake said the donation was shared between North and Southern Kaduna for the various IDPs camps across the respective regions of the State.
However, the SOKAPU leader expressed disbelief that of all the 2023 presidential Aspirants that came to Kaduna to campaign, it was only governor Wike, “from far away Rivers State that remember the plight of IDPs in Kaduna State, particularly in Southern Kaduna”.
Worried by humanitarian crisis caused by terrorism in Southern Kaduna, Asake called for establishment of Southern Kaduna Development Commission (SKDC) by the federal government to address the plight of the affected persons in the zone.
“A template was developed with relevant stakeholders on how to share the N200 million donated by governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers to IDPs across Kaduna State. The money was shared between North and Southern parts of the State.
“Relevant stakeholders like Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), development associations, NGOs, SOKAPU as well as local government areas.
“In Southern Kaduna 148 communities have been displaced and no fewer than 200,000 persons displaced. Some of them in IDPs camps and many others squatting with their relations.
“This intervention will also get to the families of who have helped the displaced persons one way or the other.
“On this note we want to commend governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for his magnanimity. We pray to God to guide and protect him.
“It is unbelievable that of all the presidential Aspirants that came to Kaduna to campaign it was only governor Wike of Rivers that remembered to donate to the IDPs. May God continue to bless him and refund him abundantly.
“We are calling on all good spirited individuals, organisations and international bodies to come to the aid of the displaced persons in the State, especially in Southern Kaduna where we have huge humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian intervention is needed here.
“We therefore call on both the Federal and State governments to intervene by creating Southern Kaduna Development Commission to help in addressing the humanitarian crisis in the area.
“As for the relief materials, we just did a symbolic distribution, but by the time we are doing the full distribution, every party involved will be represented, and the distribution will be strictly supervised by SOKAPU”. Asake said.