FG to establish fora to coordinate humanitarian activities in the North East

The Federal Government is to establish a fora to facilitate coordination of humanitarian activities to enhance accessibility to crisis victims in the North East.

Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said that the inability to access crisis victims was a source of concern.

The statement was signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Nneka Anibeze.

Farouq said that the safety of aid workers in the North East was also an issue militating against the seamless conduct of relief delivery to beneficiaries.

“The Technical Working Group is to develop a framework that we all have to key into as humanitarian actors, including security operatives, so that we have a seamless working relationship.

“Our work is augmentative because we all need each other to carry out this mandate effectively.

“To this end, the ministry is to establish a fora at National and State levels to coordinate humanitarian activities in the North East.

“It will also liaise with appropriate Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure the conduct of seamless humanitarian activities,” Farouq said.

The minister said that the ministry would also serve as a one-stop-shop that addresses operational needs of various stakeholders and conduct periodic field visits to the North East.

She further explained that the ministry would receive monthly reports of humanitarian activities through the Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Farouq, however, said that food and non-food items support would be taken to inaccessible locations when identified.

“The areas that can be reached by road will have the military support us while those inaccessible locations will have air drop-offs by the Air Force.

“So, we all have to work together with the States, military, UN, INGOs, NEMA, SEMA and others to ensure safe delivery of these humanitarian aid to beneficiaries,” Farouq said.