NEMA says IDPs' living conditions have improved

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says the living conditions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno have significantly improved.

The North-East Coordinator of the agency, Malam Muhammad Kanar, stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

Kanar said this followed collaborative efforts by stakeholders.

He said unlike before, the IDPs were now living in a better environment due to such efforts.

“Actually, everything is going on well for the IDPs now, this is because of the collaboration between all stakeholders toward addressing their problems."

“We have lots of international organisations and donor agencies working with us to ensure their well being,” he said.

The coordinator said organisations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) had been providing food in some of the IDPs camps.

“WFP is taking care of IDPs in Dikwa, Bama, Banki, Gwoza and in many other satellite camps."

“It is also in charge of Dalori, one of the largest camps in Maiduguri,” he said.

He said that the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) was catering for the remaining camps in collaboration with NEMA.

“The Borno State Government is collaborating with NEMA to take care of the rest of the camps across the state providing the daily needs of the Displaced Persons," he said.

Kanar, however, said that there were some occasional complaints in the camps.

“You still get some complaints and that is what you call gaps; whenever we mentioned gap we mean something is lacking."

“This happens in case of items that expire easily like NFI, we cannot distribute the ones in our stores because they have expired,” he said.

Kanar assured that NEMA was working with SEMA to address the problem.

He said apart from addressing problems at IDPs camps, the Borno Government and the Federal Government were working toward rehabilitating communities ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.

“The Borno Government has gone far in its rehabilitation and resettlement programme."

“So many structures destroyed by the insurgents had been rebuilt, while some affected people are being rehabilitated,” he said.

He said that the Emergency Coordination Center of the Federal Government had also swung into action.

“The Emergency Coordination Center which is headed by the Minister of National Planning has mapped out plans for a multi-sectoral approach to rebuilding the North-East."

“Very soon we will begin to see the results everywhere,” the coordinator said