The leaders of Daudu Camp 1 and Gbajimba Camp 2 have expressed optimism that the solar lights provided by the Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP) will go a long way in reducing gender-based violence and snake bites in the camps.
Camp managers Gbajimba Camp2, Donald Achiterna and Daudi Camp1, Iortyer Gabriel who made their views known during the commissioning and handing over of optimised toilet blocks, solar lights, and solar-powered boreholes constructed by the Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP) with funding by Catholic Relief Services said the brightness of the light will scare those visiting the camps with criminal intention, especially at night.
They said, “The toilets and water, on the other hand, will help in reducing toilet infections and waterborne diseases, adding that the brightness of the light will give protection in the camps by scaring away hoodlums whose agenda of visiting the camps at night is usually to defile teenage and young girls as well as snakes.”
Also, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, His Lordship Most Rev Wilfred Anagbe, disclosed that he had placed over 300 internally displaced children on scholarship to study free from any Catholic school across the diocese.
The Bishop, who was represented by the Vicar General Pastoral Fr. Moses Iorapuu, appealed to the Benue State Government to allocate at least 5 per cent of the State budget to the Diocese to complement the church’s contribution to the development of the State, adding that the church has been doing well in the area of education, health and humanitarian support.
He said, “The church is not competing with anybody because ours is to do the work of Jesus Christ, which is to support everyone, the vulnerable, especially those that are displaced, to give them a sense of belonging.
“The Catholic Church does not discriminate against anyone in terms of benefitting from its numerous projects executed or facilities across the diocese, education, health and community projects, whether you are a Muslim, protestants among others, the objectives of the church contributions to the development of the state us to give hope to the hopeless.”
In a welcome address, the coordinator of FJDP, Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula, commended Bishop Anagbe for his zeal for the plight of the vulnerable persons, especially the Children, he informed that all the projects constructed across the two camps were funded by Catholic Relief Services (CRF).
Fr. Ihyula also informed us that the CRS gave a cash grant of N50,000 and N30,000 to support the livelihood of some of the IDPs.
Earlier, the country representative of CRS, Akim Kikonda, commended FJDP and the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, saying he was impressed with the standard of the project and the zeal behind its execution.
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