Refugee Commission pledges to commence IDPs resettlement housing before end of 2020
…targets building 300 housing units in affected states
Abuja, June 18, 2020, The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) has said it would commence building 200 to 300 housing resettlement scheme for displaced persons and returnees by the end of the year.
Sen. Basheer Mohammed, Federal Commissioner (NCFRMI), made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2020 World Refugee Day, themed: “Everyone can make a difference; Every action counts”.
According to Mohammed, the housing resettlement scheme is in line with the mandates of the commission, to provide durable solution to affected persons and to make them self reliant.
He said that resettlement is top priority of the commission which is key to making sure persons of concerns are taken back to states of origin
He explained that the scheme would comprise of 200 to 300 units of two and three bedrooms houses, in all the states where there were Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees.
“We are taking the issues of reintegration and resettlement very seriously, we have gone far in this regards and we believe the best way to restore the dignity of our persons of concern is by resettling them with the aim to make them self reliant.
“We have gone far in this regards, we have approached some state governors and we have been allocated some lands, to be specific, we requested for about 50 hectares of land in every state where our persons of concern are settled.
“In this resettlement city, we intend to build between 200 to 300 units comprising of two and three bedrooms that will accommodate these persons of concerns” he said.
“The commission intend to have schools, churches and mosques, skills acquisition centres, markets and police stations, to make their lives more comfortable.
“By God’s grace, we intend to commence this project before the end of the year, because resettlement is key to making sure persons of concerns are taken back to states of origin,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed assured the displaced persons that the commission would continue to support them in taking them to places of improved dignity and prosperity.
He said that the commemoration of the 2020 World Refugee Day (WRD), inspite of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed that the world had not forgotten the plights of displaced persons.
The Federal Commissioner added that the pandemic had also not slowed down the response of the commission, as it had reached out to camps and host communities, providing them with relief items and Personal Protective Equipments (PPE).
Mohammed said that the NCFRMI offices are opened in accordance with the Federal Government’s advised protocol.
He said that the commission have also reached out to all camps and host communities, with protective supplies, such as hand sanitizers, buckets and face masks.
By Reporter