USAID, UN sign $10.5m grant deal to assist IDPs

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF and WHO have signed 10.5 million-dollar grant agreement to assist Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the nation’s North East.
Mrs Ratidzal Ndhlovu, who spoke on behalf of the agencies at the event in Abuja on Thursday, said they were delighted in singing such agreement, tagged “Integrated Humanitarian Assistance for Northeast Nigeria.’’
According to her, insurgency remains the biggest security challenge in Nigeria, adding that it has affected 24.5 million people.
“Since the insurgency started we have witnessed an upsurge against civilians, schools, religious houses as well as mass abduction of women and children,’’ she said.
Ratidzal who decried the deplorable condition of insurgency survivors, said there was urgent need for their health care and psychosocial support for them.
She said the partners would do their best to ensure that Adamawa, Borno and Yobe had access to basic primary health facilities.
Ratidzal said those areas of intervention to included reproductive health, communicable and non communicable disease and nutrition.
She said other areas were immunisation, water, sanitation, psychosocial support and prevention of gender-based violence.
Also speaking, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. James Entwistle, said the insurgency in the northeast part of Nigeria had created a complex economic crisis that had affected millions of people.
Entwistle said that along with other international partners U.S. was proud to support Nigeria in its fight against insurgency and terrorism.
“The Unites State welcomes President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to taking necessary action to end insurgency,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governors Mohammed Jubrilla of Adamawa, Kashim Shetima of Borno and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe witnessed the event.