FG hosts IDPs forum October 27

IN the face of renewed attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri, Borno State capital and its environs, the Federal Government has reiterated its determination to bring succour, restore hope and rehabilitate the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the area.

Towards this, the government is putting together a two-day engagement forum with major local and international stakeholders in Maiduguri to find answers to some of the nagging challenges facing the IDPs.

The forum, with the theme: Day “North-East Humanitarian Multi-Stakeholder Engagement,” being convened by the Presidency and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is to ensure and create synergy of purpose in the humanitarian efforts between the Federal Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

A statement from the media office of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said, the forum is expected to establish a framework for coordination by bringing key stakeholders together to produce a blueprint for best practices and ensure an articulated response to emergencies and humanitarian challenges like the present situation in the three most affected states of the North East: Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.

The engagement forum will hold next week Tuesday October 27, 2015 at the Multi-Purpose Hall in the Borno State Government House.

“This interactive forum with relevant international and local NGOs, development partners, aid and donor agencies will create an enabling platform to discuss the most efficient approaches to adopt towards complementing efforts of the federal and state governments with specialized services in the affected areas and thereby ensure a sustained and coherent system for social services delivery in the region.

“It will put in focus, the desirability for complementary, results-driven, goals-targeted collaboration of efforts among the Federal and State Governments, Non Governmental Organizations’ and other stakeholders within the framework of the Federal Government’s plan in both the short and long term.

“The forum will also strengthen stakeholders’ coordination and management efforts, in order to ensure that NGOs are provided with adequate capacity for optimal service delivery as well as services provided by these NGOs having the widest impact in target areas.”

Participating NGOs will be eligible for the grants programme of the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE), designed to run for 12 months with the goal of increasing the impact of NGO activities in the North East.
They will also benefit from a 6-month training program by PINE aimed at building their capacities in project reporting, monitoring, alternative dispute resolution and financial management.