Borno To Provide Psycho-Social Support And Protection To Boko Haram Victims
The Borno state ministry of Women Affairs and social Development in collaboration with United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF), Human Rights, NEMA and other stakeholders are to provide psycho-social support and protection services for vulnerable groups in the state.
Speaking during a one Day sensitization workshop organized by the ministry of women Affairs and social development at the Women Development centre Maiduguri on Saturday, the commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Inna Galadima said the services will be provided to vulnerable groups (women, Children and disable persons) in 12 selected local governments of the state.
She said the local government areas of Bama, Biu, Konduga, Kaga, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Gwoza, Damboa, Chibok, Mafa, Ngala, Hawul and Jare were carefully selected considering the fact that they are most affected by the ongoing insurgency.
'It is our believe that they have suffered the adverse experiences of emergency situation more than the remaining local government areas of the state'. Galadima stated.
The commissioner therefore appreciated the promt attention of UNICEF in the area of trauma support through the Psycho-social Support and Protection services in the the selected local government areas which the insurgency affected most.
In his Goodwill message at the occasion, the state commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai who was represented by the Director Chieftaincy Affairs, Zanna Hassan Boguma said, though, men and boys are affected by the crisis, women and girls suffers more, as they are being turned as wives, sex slaves and servants by their abductors.
He said the Boko Haram terrorists have held the entire country of 170 Million people at ransom by kidnapping children and scaring others from pursuing their education at their settlements. 'it is time for the Federal Government to act, as it is its responsibility to protect lives and property'.
In his presentation, the UNICEF representative Dr. Alfred Mutiti from Uganda said, UNICEF has trained 55 volunteer workers in Psycho-social Support and Protection to be deployed to the 27 communities of the 12 selected local government areas to carry out the psycho-social services to the victims of the insurgency.
Dr. Alfred said displaced persons, especially women and children needs the Psycho-social support services in order to rebuild their traumatized lives, adding that the insurgency has led to the destruction of social institutions responsible for the development of children.
Responding on behalf of the local government chairmen, the representative of the chairman Hawul local government area, Alhaji Idris Lawan said that the local government areas are ready to partner with the state government, UNICEF and other stakeholders in providing Psycho-social services to the insurgency victims in the state.