Follow Us on Google
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, in collaboration with Benue Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has organised a five-day Action-Oriented Learning and Strategic Dialogue on Durable Solutions in Benue State.
The action-oriented workshop supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is aimed at the effective implementation of the State Action Plan (SAP) and to ensure alignment with the integrated durable solutions framework for the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondowase Kunde, said Benue has long borne the burden of displacement caused by conflict, climate change, and communal unrest.
The Commissioner described the meeting as a strategic dialogue and collaborative design lab that will serve as a launchpad for action to strengthen institutional coordination through the onboarding of MDAs and CSOs that will ensure that every stakeholder understands their role in implementing the Benue State Action Plan.
The Commissioner who re-echoed the determination of Governor Hyacinth Alia towards the safe return of all IDPs in the state, said part of the outcome of the training will be to establish and validate the State Task Force on Durable Solutions, with clear Terms of Reference and a robust coordination mechanism.
In a goodwill message, UNDP Country Office and Durable Solutions Officer, Adewole Oke, said the meeting represents a shift from discussion to deliberate action, from planning to implementation and from words to the quiet work of rebuilding lives.
Oke, who commended the tireless commitment of the state ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Benue State SDGs office, and other stakeholders towards the integrated framework for durable solutions for all IDPs, pledged their partnership in the project.
Other News
Oke said: “When we talk about Durable Solutions, we are talking about people, families who have endured displacement for years, communities that have carried both hospitality and hardship, and a state that has chosen not to look away, but to lead.
“Benue State has become a beacon of commitment in the national effort towards durable solutions. One of the few states that has taken this vision and said ‘This will not remain on paper. It must live in our communities’.
“That commitment deserves a recognition. And so today, we at UNDP and indeed the entire UN family extend our heartfelt kudos to the Office of the Honourable Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, whose leadership and steady coordination have turned what seemed to be an idea into a living breathing framework of hope.”
Oke who acknowledged Benue’s durable solutions as central to achieving the SDGs assured displaced communities that “Your stories, your resilience, and your ideas will continue to shape how we move from relief to recovery, and from recovery to renewal.”
He congratulated the Benue State Government and all partners for their tireless commitment, urging them to maintain the tempo to enable them to collaborate to make Benue a model for durable solutions in Nigeria and beyond.
The Director-General, Benue State SDGs, John Akuse, appreciated all participants and partners for their efforts in bringing succour to the vulnerable in the state, urging them to continue their good work until success is achieved.
