Zulum celebrates with IOM at 25, Calls on NGOs for Shift from Relief to Recovery
By our reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has called for greater investments in housing, livelihoods and infrastructure to help people displaced by conflict in Northeast Nigeria rebuild their lives.
Zulum made the call on Wednesday at the 25th anniversary celebration of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nigeria at the Abuja Continental Hotel where he joined other dignitaries to unveil the organisation’s roadmap for the next 25 years.
The Governor commended IOM for providing life-saving assistance and improving conditions for displaced families in Borno and other parts of the Northeast. He recalled how insurgency forced thousands of families to abandon their homes, farmlands and communities for internally displaced persons’ camps.
The Governor noted that the crisis also affected neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger, making cooperation among governments and international partners essential to an effective response.
Zulum stressed that emergency assistance must be followed by sustained support to address the challenges keeping families in displacement and help them become self-reliant.
He urged partners to invest in permanent and semi-permanent shelters, create livelihood opportunities and support infrastructure development and environmental restoration.
“These efforts, he said, would help affected communities recover and enable displaced people to live with dignity and independence.
The Governor reaffirmed Borno State Government’s readiness to work with IOM and other development partners to support recovery, improve livelihoods and promote stability across conflict-affected communities in the northeast.
The anniversary brought together government officials, diplomats, development partners and other stakeholders to review IOM’s work in Nigeria and discuss future cooperation on migration management, humanitarian assistance, recovery and development.
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