The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said it is investing additional N320m to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and youths in Benue State.
The Country representative of UNDP, Mr. Mohamed Yahya, disclosed this on Tuesday, when he paid a courtesy visit on Governor Samuel Ortom at the Benue People’s House in Makurdi.
Mr. Yahya said that the organization was investing additional N120m to scale up access to livelihood for communities affected by conflicts and IDPs.
He said the project would be undertaken alongside social protection efforts being led jointly with UNHCR and others.
Mr. Yahya further disclosed that another N200m would be invested to equip Benue youth with practical skills, technologies and knowledge across the agriculture value chain to encourage their participation in the sector for possible transformation of their lives and communities.
Mr. Yahya also said that the UNDP has initiated the procurement of critical equipment for the Peace Agency that Benue State was developing as part of their effort to compliment Benue State Government efforts on peace building.
Speaking on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Yahya regretted that humanity was going through unprecedented times as a result of the virus thereby creating a global health emergency that has disrupted the daily life of nearly all citizens worldwide.
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He said the pandemic has created challenges for Nigeria’s vulnerable population with her complex development setting which he said has called for concerted action to simultaneously mitigate the health and socio-economic implications.
He said the virus socio-economic impacts would likely unfold for years to come and threaten to not only halt but also to reverse progress on poverty eradication, food security as the country enters a new recession after four years and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Responding, Governor Ortom said his administration would continue to support all peace building programmes and resettlement of IDPs in the State.
Ortom said Benue has provided land in Agatu, Guma, Logo, Buruku and Kwande for human security development projects such as housing and livelihood support programmes for the IDPs.
He said the State needed strategic and substantive support to return the IDPs to their communities and appealed to UNDP to help facilitate the process.
He said with the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic coupled with security challenges, the State was witnessing several cases of sexual and gender based violence.