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Confirms Nigerian Pilot’s story
In line with his promise to bring succour to victims of insurgents’ activities, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday constituted a 26-man Victims Support Fund Committee to raise funds and manage the money on behalf of the Federal Government to assist victims of terror attacks.
The committee is head by former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, who is to be assisted by renowned banker, Mr. Fola Adeola.
In a statement issued by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, he explained that the committee was part of efforts by the Federal Government to scale up support for victims of insurgency and terror attacks nationwide.
He said: “The Federal Government has constituted a Committee on Victims Support Fund to mobilise resources and administer appropriate support to victims of insurgency and Boko Haram terror activities all over the country.”
Other members of the committee are Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, Alhaji Abdulsamad I. Rabiu,Alhaji Sani Dauda, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, Mr. Cosmas Maduka,Mr. Jim Ovia,Mr. Wale Tinubu, Alhaji Sani Sidi, the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Air Vice Marshal Tony Omenyi (representing Defence Headquarters),CP Salisu Fagge, representing Nigeria Police Force andMr. Sayana Yusuf, representing Department of State Services.
Others are Chief Uche Secondus, PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Alhaji Tijani Tunsah, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), representative of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), representative of Jamaatul Nasril Islam (JNI),Chief (Mrs.) Nkechi Mba, representing National Council of Women Societies,Prof. Ben Angwe, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), representative of the United Nations (UN), Representative of Department for International Development (DFID) and representative of Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID).
There are also the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Alhaji Balarabe Musa for the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP),two representatives of Local Civil society/Youth Groups (male and female) and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), which will also serve as the secretariat.
According to Anyim, the committee’s terms of reference include identifying sources and ways of raising sustainable funding to support victims of Boko Haram terror activities; develop appropriate strategies for the fund raising; ascertain the persons, communities, facilities and economic assets affected by Boko Haram terror activities; assess and determine the appropriate support required in each case and to manage, disburse or administer support to the victims as appropriate.
He further said that the committee will address related challenges as may be appropriate and advise government on other matter(s) necessary or incidental to support victims of Boko Haram terror activities.
The Committee will be inaugurated by the President tomorrow at 10.00am at the Council Chamber, Aso Villa, Abuja. Guests are to be seated by 9.30am, he said.
