Gbajabiamila
Speaker
of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila Wednesday said
that both the Executive and the Legislative arms of government are
working assiduously to address the plight of Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs)
The
Speaker who disclosed this on Tuesday during a visit to Maiduguri to
assess the conditions of the IDPs, said the Federal Government was
more than committed to ensure that all IDPs were reunited with their
families.
Gbajabiamila
said as the Speaker of the House, President Muhammadu Buhari was
aware of his visit to Maiduguri and that as a government, they would
work together to see an end to the issue.
"If
you see me if you see the House, then you see the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria. I want you to take it away. I stand here
as the Speaker of the House, but we're one government. The president
is aware that I'm here. We're one government, and we speak with one
voice. Whatever is comes under my voice, is coming from Mr.
President.
"We
will work together as one government. We have come with principal
officers of the House. That tells you the importance that we attach
to this assignment, including the Minority Leader and opposition
leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu, is here. That tells you that the
issue of IDPs, the issue of terrorism is not an APC thing, it is a
joint task between all parties, and Insha Allah (by the grace of
God), this will become a thing of the past.
"To
all the internally displaced persons, all I can say to you is to keep
hope alive, that government is here to support you, the government
will do whatever it needs to do to make sure that whatever you're
going through now in a very not-too-distant future will be a thing of
the past.
The
Speaker, who used the visit to donate 1,200 bags of rice to the IDPs
at their camp along Gubio road in Maiduguri, said the two trucks of
rice were his "little token of support."
Accompanied
by some principal officers of the House, including House Leader
Alhassan Ado Doguwa; Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno; Minority
Leader Ndudi Elumelu, among others, Speaker Gbajabiamila assured
that the House would come up with legislation that would put IDPs in
good stead.
"We
have brought our little token of support, which is two trucks of
rice, that is 1,200 bags of rice," the Speaker said, adding
that "It's not even near enough, but they say little drops of
water makes an ocean."
"We
will continue to provide whatever we can provide to support you, most
importantly, legislation. I want to thank you again for receiving
us," Gbajabiamila added.
The
Speaker, who expressed displeasure over the condition at the IDPs'
camp, said: "Hajj camps and even refugee camps are meant to be a
stop-gap measure, not a permanent sight as it may fast be approaching
here.
"It
is our responsibility as a government to make sure that the almost
32,000 that inhabit this camp are gradually reduced and resettled
back to their families and their homes in a not-too-distant future.
We are here to give encouragement on the little succour we can as
government and to see what we can do using the instrumentality of the
law to address issues that concern internally displaced persons.
"I
believe that not just before the eyes of God, but even in law all men
are created equal, and there is equality before the law. The way we
will treat ourselves, our families, our friends and those in our
homes is the same way we should treat those who by misfortune or fate
or by the situation of their lives find themselves internally
displaced. The internally displaced should not and must not at any
point in any country become a permanent part of our lexicon.
"It
is important that we know the condition under which these young
children, mothers, and fathers are living. It is important that we
know whether the ministry of education has a role to play here,
whether their education is suffering, what is the ratio of teacher to
students here if there are any?
"If
that does not meet required standards in any developing or developed
nation, then as a National Assembly, and as a government, we must
deal with that situation.
"It
doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that there is a direct nexus
between education and what's going on in Borno State today. God
forbid, while we seek to settle people in camps, who are otherwise
victims of Boko Haram, they, because of the condition and the lack of
education, end up becoming exactly what we're trying to avoid them
from becoming.
"That's
why we're here today to make sure that all is well. All can never be
well if anybody is living in a camp; to make sure that as best as
possible, the government plays its role in making sure the welfare of
those who are in camps is taken care of. Constitutionally, the
primary purpose of government is the security and welfare of its
people. These are our people, and we must make sure that they're well
taken care of."
In
a brief remark at the camp, Borno State Governor Prof Babagana Umara
Zulum thanked the Speaker for the visit and the magnanimity shown in
donating the rice to the IDPs.
"I
wish to express my profound appreciation to the Speaker and his
entourage for the contribution they have made to the people of Borno
State and indeed to the displaced communities of Borno State. What
matters is not the quantum of what you have donated but the spirit
behind it.
"We
will remain eternally grateful to you. As I have told you this
morning, the demands of our people are 1: security, 2: reconstruction
and resettlement so that they can go back home and start means of
livelihood. On this note, once again, we remain eternally grateful to
you," Zulum said.
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