By Sam Kayode
Director General State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Yaabawa Kolo, has reiterated commitment to continue discharging humanitarian activities in the State.
She stated this recently when she led a management team of the Agency to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Bama to evaluate progress made by partners in keeping the people alive.
Yabawa Kolo said the visit was also part of SEMA’s routine schedule to resettled communities to see the condition of returnees as well to assess the level of displaced persons returning especially women and children who had been in captivity of insurgents for many years.
While addressing newsmen in Bama the Director General noted that the visit was basically aimed” at providing more assistances to cushion the hardship of the entire camp residents and returnees.”
She added that the mandate of SEMA was to take charge of all the needs of the IDPs and other vulnerable people and to allow humanitarian partners to support them with the supervision of the Agency.
The DG promised to continue supporting the IDPs with the back up leadership of Governor Babagana Zulum who has been supporting SEMA in all its activities and working round the clock to see that permanent peace returns to Borno.
After a crucial meeting with Humanitarian partners, Hajia Kolo also emphasized on the collaboration among partners in discharging their activities in a bid to avoid duplication of duties.
Hajia Kolo also said that Bama, Gwoza and Damboa had a lot of humanitarian activities stressing that there was need for the partners to put more efforts in complementing the state Government in order to fill the obvious gaps.
She implored them to expand their activities especially on water and sanitation (WASH ) Health, Education as well as Shelters due to the influx of displaced persons that were hitherto in insurgent captivity adding that she had already discussed with the leadership of the United Nations in that regard with a promise to work closely with all the Humanitarian agencies at any time.
Responding, to her visit, some representatives of the humanitarian bodies, Abdulkadir Gambo of FHI, Fatima Abba of Intersos, and Daniel John noted that there was need for expansion of the camp due to congestion considering the large number of IDPS now resident inside.
The DG promised to look into all their needs as soon as possible even after inspecting their Kitchen to see the Quality of food being served.
Earlier Hajia Kolo paid homage to the Shehu of Bama Kyari Ibn Umar Elkanemi where she briefed him on her visit and solicited for royal blessings in carrying out her duties.
Secretary of the Emirate Council, Makinta Usman, who represented the Shehu thanked the DG SEMA and her team for the visit, adding that the visit was a clear indication of the exemplary leadership qualities of the SEMA boss especially for recognizing the traditional institution.
He appealed to her to collaborate with the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and other humanatarian bodies to provide more assistance to the displaced persons in Bama and those in host communities due to the influx of people on daily basis.
On the convoy of the SEMA DG were Director of Research planning and Statistics Ali Abdullahi Isa, and that of Operation and Relief Abdullahi Suleiman and Adamu Maina.
Bama was recently reported to be having issues with feeding of the existing IDPS coupled with the alleged influx of wives and children of repentant insurgents who throng the IDP camps on a daily basis from nearby villages in Sambisa.
