By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Wives of Northern Governors have
pleaded with the 19 governors of the region to ‘empower and educate’ women and
children displaced by Boko Haram crisis in the North-East,
Speaking under the auspices of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NOGWF), the
women said there is urgent need by the governors to work together towards the
empowerment and education of the women and children displaced by the decade old
insurgency.
The wife of Borno State Governor and Vice Chairperson of the Forum, Dr. Falmata Zulum made the call while distributing relief materials on Thursday at the Stadium Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri.
She said: “We are here today to discuss and brainstorm on common problems facing this region and proffer solutions.”
She said the solutions are on how best to implement measures to address poverty, unemployment and out of school children.
The Forum Vice Chairperson noted that the good people of Borno state would ever remain grateful to forum members because “you share our grief and provided a sense of belonging; when we need it most, particularly the succour of distributing food items to Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 2015.”
She however said the most disturbing issues facing the north, are increasing number of out of school children; drugs abuse and addiction; including violence against women.
She said these have led to insecurity to lives and property and other vices in the region.
She lamented that in Borno state alone, there are over two million IDPs in camps and host communities.
Zulum also noted that with gradual return of peace, the state government is gradually returning the IDPs for resettlement in earnest.
She decried that out of the 7.3 million displaced persons, there are over 200,000 widows with 59,311 children being orphaned by the decade long insurgency.
She informed her colleagues that women IDPs need to be empowered, while children need education, as many are out of school since July, 2009.
She said that the education of children, including the orphaned ones, could provide a solid foundation for their future.
Zulum said: “I want you my sisters to look at how each one of you can key in and support these IDPs with resettlement equipment and empowerment machines and materials.
“You could also construct and equip skills acquisition training centres for IDPs. These are to restore their livelihoods to become self-reliant.”
She advised that the empowerment of women IDPs could be part of forum’s pet projects in each of the 19 member states.
