Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has announced a state contribution of $50,000 to support the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) resilience campaign, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Governor Alia made the declaration on Wednesday while hosting a high-level IOM delegation led by the Deputy Director General for Operations, Ms. Ugochi Daniels, and the Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms. Sylvia Ekra, at the Old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.
Welcoming the team, Governor Alia expressed gratitude to IOM for its interventions in Benue State, which has been struggling with the impact of farmer-herder conflicts, climate change, and prolonged displacement.
“By choosing to visit Benue, you have demonstrated that the plight of our people, especially those displaced by conflict, has not gone unnoticed,” the governor said. “This visit is a strong endorsement of the resilience of our communities and our collective commitment to rebuilding lives with dignity and hope.”
The governor commended IOM’s achievements in shelter construction, WASH facilities, protection services, and data management. He particularly lauded the introduction of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), describing it as a “game-changer” in humanitarian coordination.
Responding, Ms. Daniels expressed appreciation for the state’s solidarity, noting that the donation was timely. She also announced a new €1.1 million (₦1.7 billion) humanitarian funding package from the European Union and ECHO, to be jointly implemented by IOM, UNHCR, and UN-HABITAT.
“This engagement is more than a meeting, it is a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to those affected by crisis and a call to deepen our partnerships in pursuit of durable solutions and lasting peace,” Ms. Daniels said.
On his part, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sir James Iorpuu, hailed IOM’s interventions since it commenced operations in Benue in August 2023. He highlighted progress in biometric IDP registration, provision of emergency shelters, safe water access, psychosocial support, and camp coordination.
Later in the day, the governor accompanied the delegation to the IDP Mega Camp, where they inspected facilities and interacted with displaced persons. The visit climaxed with the presentation of the Distinguished Humanitarian Award to IOM by the Secretary to the State Government, Deaconess Serumun Deborah Aber, on behalf of the state government.
The ceremony attracted ambassadors, heads of missions, senior government officials, representatives of UNICEF, UNHCR, humanitarian partners, and leaders of displaced communities, further underlining the global and national significance of the engagement.
