Displaced Benue Traditional Leaders Laud NGO Over Hygiene Initiative

Displaced traditional rulers in Gwer West local government area of Benue State have commended the leadership of Self-Help Africa (SHA) for defying security challenges in the area to educate displaced persons and communities members on hygiene practices, aimed at preventing disease outbreaks.

The representative of the Gwer-West traditional rulers, His Royal Highness Lawrence Ijir, who made this known during the Self-Help Africa’s Fragile San Close-up workshop held in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, said the hygiene training for traditional rulers and community members had helped the people in stemming the outbreak of diseases among children and the aged.

“As you all know Gwer-west is one among the Local Council that is worst affected by the insecurity occasioned by persistent herders attacked, as I speak to you now all the Council wards in the area are ransacked by the marauding herders, many NGOs are even afraid to come to us because of the crises, no road the only road to the LG has become a death trap.

“For this Organization Self Help Africa to locate us and bring sanitation to a densely populated area like Gwer-West need to be commended, every body in our LG is an IDP, all our villages have been deserted and everybody had moved to Naka which is the headquarters and this NGO took its time to move from camp to camp and communities to Communities to sensitize people on the benefits of sanitation and hygiene and as well ensure that all households are using toilets, we have accepted it no going back.

“As I speak to you now, toilets are everywhere there is no open defecation here as it used to be both in the camps and in the communities where other displaced persons are staying with their relations, we are grateful, no diarrhea, no cholera, no typhoid, although we are not happy that the programme has come to an end but we promise to keep the flag flying and we want you to visit once in a while to assess us.”

In a welcome address the board member, Self Help Africa, Dr Priscilla Achakpa applauded the organisation for bringing together key actors from government agencies, development partners, and community representatives to review the outcome and sustainability strategies of its sanitation intervention in fragile and conflict-affected communities.

She maintained, “I am appealing to all well-meaning individuals, government and organisations to partner in the ongoing fight against poor sanitation especially in conflict affected communities and camps. I also commend SHA for its role in ensuring the healthy living of the people irrespective of where they are living ‘Health is Wealth.’

“This programme has come to an end but we are appealing for its sustainability, whatever ShA does it leaves impact, this is a pilot project that has been implemented in Gwer-West LG and we are appealing to all and sundry to support its sustenance, traditional rulers should take it upon themselves to hold periodic sensitization meetings with their subjects.”

“What we want is system, behavioural and attitude change not climate change,” Achakpa added.

Earlier the project coordinator Timothy Akpusugh, informed that the organisation’s mission is to end poverty and social inequality through community-driven and enterprise-focused development.

According to him, the organisation has been reaching more than six million people annually through programmes in food security, clean water, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods”