President Buhari Declares Nigeria Int’l Humanitarian Summit Open, Unveils Humanitarian Hub, Commissions Smart Resettlement And Digital Academy In Four Cities
The President, Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has declared open the maiden edition of the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit (NIHS).
According to Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development while disclosing the news in a press release she signed stated that the President also unveiled the Model of the Nigeria Humanitarian Hub and Commissioned Smart Resettlement Cities and Digital Academy in four States.
President Buhari performed the functions during the opening ceremony of the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit held at the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja, on Friday, 26th May, 2023.
The President said the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit is the first in Nigeria and will henceforth be an Annual Event.
“This maiden edition with the theme: “Saving Lives, Alleviating Poverty and Maintaining Human Dignity in The Face of Rising Humanitarian Crises.” is apt and it resonate with the commitment and investment made by this Administration in ensuring the dignity of Nigerians is protected and the vulnerable groups are provided with the basic needs of life.
“This Summit is not only about celebrating the achievements recorded under the Humanitarian sector since the establishment of the Ministry but to also Unveil the proposed Nigeria Humanitarian Hub, Commission the Smart Resettlement Cities, and the Digital Academy all of which were initiated and executed under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development and its Agencies”.
According to the President, the Resettlement Cities Project were conceptualized under the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons. The Cities are designed to foster the Resettlement and reintegration of Persons of Concern in Nigeria and enhance their social and economic well-being while strengthening the host communities. It plays a central role in supporting the Commission in achieving its Strategic objective of providing durable solutions to Persons of Concern in Nigeria. Additionally, it promotes the Resettlement as a viable and sustainable solution for Persons of Concerns. It also aimed to effectively address the displacement challenges through self-reliance and long-term reintegration Programme”.
President Buhari added that ” the Resettlement Cities in four (4) States at Kondugo, Borno State, Dawakin Tofa, Kano State, Keffi, Nasarawa State, and Gusau, Zamfara State have been completed. Each city consists of 50 units of 2-bedroom blocks of flats and 20 units of studio apartments.
“The Resettlement Cities are equipped with a resource centre for skill acquisition, a police station to ensure security, a clinic for primary healthcare provision, a large expanse of land for farming, and a market for facilitating trade and industry to promoting economic growth in the local community”.
“The Nigeria Humanitarian Hub when completed will serve as the Central Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Activities in Nigeria. The Hub will accommodate all the Stakeholders in the Humanitarian Sector under one Central Coordinating Facility. It will enhance coordination, accommodate an Operation Centre for Humanitarian Interventions, a Policy, Research and Development Programme Office, State of the Art Data and Communication Facility and also serve as a multi-Sectoral liaison office for Humanitarian Actors in Nigeria”.
The President stated that since the establishment of the Ministry, the legal instruments aimed at protecting the interest of Nigeria’s vulnerable groups have been enacted.
These policies and legal frameworks are aimed at giving the necessary legal backing to the Humanitarian Sector to strengthen it and deliver on its mandate effectively and efficiently.
“As we bow out in the next few days, it is my strong believe that the Humanitarian sector is adequately prepared and equipped for better Service Delivery to Nigeria’s Vulnerable Groups.
“As our population continue to grow, I am convinced the Ministry is positioned to face the ever evolving and challenging humanitarian situation and prepared to find a durable solution for the vulnerable in the society.
It is on record that the empowerment programmes initiated and executed all over the country under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development have impacted positively the lives of millions of Nigerians and had lifted millions out of poverty.
He commended the Honourable Minister, the Management and Staff of the Ministry for exhibiting a high sense of leadership and dexterity in handling the affairs of Humanitarian Sector.
He also commended all the Agencies under the Ministry, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, Development partners and donors, MDAs and the National Assembly for their contributions and support towards the improvement of the Humanitarian sector in Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, in her address stated that the Ministry has effectively addressed humanitarian issues with the formulation of eight policies namely
National Policy on IDPs 2020;
National Disaster Risk Management;
Revised National Disability Policy 2020;
National Policy on Ageing 2020;
National Migration Policy 2020;
National Social Protection Policy – in Collaboration with FMBNP, almost ready for approval
Revised National Policy on Protection & assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria 2022;
National Social Investment Programme Agency, among others.
She mentioned other achievements of the Ministry through the clusters under the National Social Investment Programme.
She thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for all the support given to the Ministry to achieve its mandates of enhancing the lives of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, mni, NPOM, in a welcome address said the Summit was conceived to highlight the achievements recorded in the Humanitarian Sector since the establishment of the Ministry in August, 2019 and to mobilize Resources in the form of Technical Capacity through partnership, Financial and Human support for the Humanitarian Sector.
The Humanitarian hub was also conceived to consolidate on Mr Presidents visionary leadership in creating the Ministry that would ensure and strengthen coordination in the affairs of the Humanitarian sector. “To succeed, Your Excellency, there is the need to have a strong coordination mechanism and the Hub is one of such mechanisms that would facilitate your vision of creating the Ministry. Also, the Smart cities projects was conceived and executed to promote the concept of durable solution in addressing the challenges of Migrants and internally displaced persons and refugees in Nigeria. While the Digital Academy will provide the ICT and full automation in addressing the challenges of IDPs, Migrants and Refugees.
“All these programmes and projects Your Excellency are aimed at actualizing your dream of protecting human dignity and lifting Nigerians out of poverty” he stated.
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