UNDP Backs Benue’s Recovery Plan For Displaced Communities

The Benue State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management (MHADM), in partnership with the state office of the SDGs and supported by the UNDP, has launched a five-day capacity-building training to enhance implementation of the Durable Solutions Framework to facilitate the return of the Internally Displaced Persons.

In a welcome address at the event in Makurdi,  the commissioner, Aondowase Kunde, said the initiative aimed at addressing the challenges faced by the Internally Displacement Persons (IDPs) in the state.

It brought together key stakeholders including government officials, civil society organisations, development partners and technical experts from the UNDP, IOM and UNHCR to drive the initiative.

Kunde said the training was part of the broader Benue State Action Plan (B-SAP) launched earlier this year by Governor  Hyacinth Alia which signified a future where over 500,000 internally displaced persons could safely return to their communities and rebuild their lives.

“This gathering marks a pivotal moment in our collective journey toward restoring dignity, stability, and opportunity to the thousands of internally displaced persons across the state,” he said.

He outlined the workshop’s objectives which include strengthening institutional coordination through onboarding of MDAs and CSOs, aligning priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), establishing and validating the state task force on durable solutions, exploring financing modalities, including private sector engagement and promoting data-driven planning and evidence-based policy.

Kunde stressed that durable solutions are not one-time events but ongoing processes requiring inclusive planning, sustained commitment and adaptive leadership.

Earlier, the director-general, Sustainable Development Goals in Benue State,   John Akuse,  highlighted the workshop’s action-oriented nature and its potential to yield immediate results.

He lamented delays in returning IDPs to their communities, noting that specific criteria, especially continuous security, must be met before resettlement can occur.

“This workshop is designed to equip stakeholders with the knowledge and clarity needed to fulfill their roles in implementing durable solutions,” he said.