Ahead of the farming season, Victims Support Fund (VSF) under the leadership of Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) has donated food items worth over N250 million to the survivors of the crisis in Plateau State to alleviate their suffering.
The items presented to the state government included assorted bags of rice, cartons of vegetable oil, cartons of maggi cubes, exercise books and teaching and building materials among others.
The special adviser on programmes and operations to the chairman of Victims Support Fund (VSF) Mrs. Toyin Akerele-Ogunsiyi made this known in Jos, the state capital during the inauguration of the distribution of food items and educational materials to the beneficiaries.
She said the distribution of the items to over 100,000 households was aimed at improving the lives of the people in the affected communities in Mangu, Bokkos, Barki Ladi, Riyom and Bassa LGAs as an immediate and direct response from the VSF.
She further said they are in the state in the instance of their chairman Gen TY Danjuma (retd) to respond to the needs of the people.
“Our intervention includes food items distribution which is part of livelihood and recovery component of the programme. There is also the distribution of educational materials to pupils and students and training of teachers. We will also distribute income generating machines for the people to be able to start small businesses to drive the economy of Plateau State. The entre intervention is to the tune of N250 million,” she said.
Meanwhile, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, has commended VSF for coming to the aid of the victims of the unfortunate killings that has been taking place in the state.
The governor explained that the people of the state are happy to receive the items adding that they will not continue to remain victims, but they will certainly become victors one day.
He also stressed that it is the plan and desire of the state government that sooner than later the people will return back to their ancestral homes to continue their farming activities.
The governor directed the secretary to the state government, Samuel Jatau, to constitute an independent assessment team that will comprise of CSOs, NGOs and the media to monitor the distribution of the materials adding that they want to be accountable to their donors, victims and the entire people of the state.
