Irish government allocates N5bn to FAO for IDPs in the Northeast 

The government of Ireland has allocated 1mn Euro (N5bn) to the Food and Agricultural Organisation for the emergency food distribution programme for the Internally Displaced Persons in the Northeast.

Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sean Hoy, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said the aim of the donation was to provide farm input for farmers to enable the IDPs return to farm and increase food production in the state.

Hoy said as the communities are liberated, they intend providing means of livelihood for the people so they can resume their normal living, adding that when the youths are unemployed, they become vulnerable to radicalisation.

He said: “If we can get young people into agriculture, as much as possible, those wanting to radicalise them, won’t be able to get them. We hope the Federal Government would be able to mobilise the state’s Ministry of agriculture, as well as at the local government level to support us in this worthy cause”.

In his response, Ogbeh commended the government of Ireland or the donation, saying the Boko Haram crisis in the Northeast was a painful experience, but that the country is grateful to God that it is being brought under control.