Federal commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hon Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim has taken a bold step in advancing the ‘Project Educate All Project’ with the launch of a library for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Waru for the purpose of educating persons of concerns and giving them a sense of belonging.
Tagged, “Readers are Leaders”, the well-attended ceremony saw excitements on the faces of over 900 pupils of the primary school yesterday in Abuja, who relished the unique prospect of enjoying a brand-new library facility well equipped with simple and straight short stories published by the Okocha sisters.
Renee and Zara Okocha, children of the famous soccer star, Jay Jay Okocha, are the founders of the NGO called ‘I Am the Future of Nigeria Youth Initiative (IFON)’ and authors of over 56 picture books targeting first readers.
According to the commissioner, the ‘Project Educate All’, was conceived in line with the commission’s work plan to address the growing challenges and learning needs of displaced persons as well as to ensure accelerated learning in emergency setting in line with global practices.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim added that the launch of this phase of the project was in partnership with ‘I Am The Future of Nigeria’ and will complement the transitional learning centres that would further enhance the reading and fast-track learning for pupils in IDPs camps and host communities.
She applauded the resilience of IDPs, the teachers, head masters, IDPs leaders, parents of the pupils, and added that it is their job to ensure that these children become the best version of themselves by encouraging them to read in order to lead.
She thanked President Muhammadu and the minister of humanitarian affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq for their unflinching support and for strengthening humanitarian policies and interventionist response programmes and projects, in the interest of all persons of concern and the nation at large.
The board chairman of the commission, Hon Peter Biye, commended the initiative of the federal commissioner for the library projects and other schemes including building of resettlement cities across the country. He lamented the fact that the statutory allocations to the commission is too meager to accommodate the lofty programmes of the commissioner and pleaded with the Senate and House committees to vote more funds for the commission to function efficiently for the displaced people.
On his part, the chairman, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, Senator Frank Ibezim, said Sulaiman-Ibrahim is doing a fantastic job at the commission and urged her to collaborate with organisations and development partners.
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