The Benue State government has said it disbursed N1.275 billion in donations towards the resettlement of victims of the Yelwata attack and other displaced communities, with implementation already 85 percent completed.
Chairman of the Technical Committee on the Implementation of Donations to Displaced Communities and Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Deborah Aber, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Makurdi.
Aber said the funds, donated by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, alongside contributions from other governments and institutions, were channelled into critical sectors to fast-track the rehabilitation and reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
She broke down the allocations to include N277.35 million for resettlement, N224.5 million for food and nutrition, N148.17 million for education, N127.5 million for host communities, N125.3 million for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and N112.25 million for health.
Other expenditures include N56.3 million for cash transfers, N56.1 million each for security and agriculture, N28.9 million for shelter, N24.8 million for sustainability initiatives, N21.6 million for livelihoods, and N16 million for peace and reconciliation, bringing the total to N1.275 billion.
The SSG said that 38 housing units for displaced families have reached roofing stage, while five others are at various stages of completion.
She added that 90 percent of the 1,000 beneficiaries earmarked for cash transfers have accessed their funds, with the remaining 10 percent yet to do so due to beneficiary-related issues.
Aber further disclosed that 5,893 displaced persons have been enrolled in the state health insurance scheme, while a clinic has been established and equipped at the IDP camp located at the International Market in Makurdi.
She added that boreholes and water reticulation projects have also been extended to some host communities while urging journalists to independently verify the projects in Yelwata and other benefiting communities.
Also speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, said the administration remains committed to accountability, describing the governor as transparent and willing to subject government activities to public scrutiny.
