Abuja IDPs lament government’s failure, seek land for farming

• ICPC boss tasks youths on anti-corruption fight, nation’s future
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja have lamented Federal Government failure to provide good welfare packages for its, especially the internally displaced populace.

Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Abuja IDPs camp, Umoru Gola, who made the assertion, urged the government to wake up to its responsibility and complement the effort of private organisations in providing better welfare for IDPs.He disclosed this yesterday at Durumi IDPs camp in Abuja during this year’s Children’s Day celebration with 500 children organised by the Golden Little Light Organisation.

“For somebody to organise children’s day party for the less privileged, that should send a message directly or indirectly to the government that they are not doing enough,” he said.He revealed that out of 100 per cent of the people that are displaced in the North East, 85 per cent depend on farming, and, therefore, appealed to government to provide a land where IDPs could farm and earn some income.

“If government can locate a place for us around Nasarawa to farm temporarily I think we won’t border government again. We would need nobody to assist us, our only prayer is that government should relocate us to where we can farm because we are Nigerians,” he added.

Co-Founders of Golden Little Light Organisation, Adedoyin Fabikun and Sharon Ashinze explained that the organisation was using the Children’s Day programme to celebrate and educate underprivileged kids.

The group explained that it had to reach out the destitute, displaced, disabled children, orphans and children of extremely poor parents on their rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child on Children’s Day.“This year, we are celebrating Children’s Day with 500 children between the ages of 2-12 at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Durumi, Abuja,” they said

They also noted that the body focuses on poverty alleviation, improving education, health and general welfare of the less privileged and low-income citizens in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, has said that youths and children have higher stake in Nigeria’s future.He added that the youths play vital role of change agents, thereby transforming the world for the better.

Owasanoye, who stated this during the Children’s Day celebration, disclosed that the commission decided to mark the day the ‘anti-corruption way’ because it wanted to make a strong statement on the imperative of youths’ active participation in the fight against corruption.

Represented by a board member of the commission, Olubukola Balogun, he said: “We believe the youth, representing 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population, have higher stake in the country’s future than many of us who are already in departure hall.”

An Assistant Commissioner of ICPC, Azuka Ogugua, said the watchword for students in private and public schools should be truth and honesty, adding that youths could shun corruption if they are properly taught and enlightened on the right values.