The United Nations (UN) has commenced the first phase of providing livelihoods and early recovery support scheme to victims (700 women and youths) of Boko Haram insurgency.
UN official, Dr Daouda Toure, who disclosed this on Wednesday at a two-day Dialogue in Gombe stated that agro-processing equipment support would also be given to another 1,400 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Toure, the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative, stated the 700 beneficiaries would be drawn from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
As stated by him, the 1400 beneficiaries of agro-processing equipment support would be drawn from Adamawa and Borno through Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The event is titled’ “Dialogue on Strengthening Women’s Engagement on Peace, Security and Reconciliation in the Post-Insurgency North-East”.
He disclosed that the UN was formulating a number of “early recovery” activities aimed at rebuilding the North-East from the destructive activities of Boko Haram.
Toure, whose address was read by Mr. Matthew Alao, UNDP's Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Analyst, stated the programmes would commence in the region within the next three weeks.
“UNDP, in collaboration with other UN agencies, is formulating Early Recovery Programme for the North-East. Most of these Early Recovery Programme activities are targeted at women and youth.
“The first of these programme activities will take off within the next few weeks and include the establishment of an ICT-based Early Response System in Adamawa, Borno and Gombe States.
“This agro processing equipment support programme will assist the Gombe State Government in meeting the immediate needs of IDPs and host communities, specifically in providing farming inputs and agro-processing equipment,” he stated.
Toure stated the UN would continue to partner with the Federal Government and other development partners in rebuilding the socio-economic infrastructure destroyed by Boko Haram.
“The task of rebuilding the socio-economic infrastructure of the North-East is daunting and requires the cooperation and commitment of all.
“I assure of UNDP support to people of the North-East to continue to articulate and bolster initiatives that will help to restore sustainable peace and development to the zone.
“We will not stop to partner with the government and development partners in rebuilding the socio-economic infrastructure of the region destroyed during the long period of insurgents crisis in the area,” he stated.
The UN official noted that for Nigeria to achieve peace and sustainable development particularly in post-insurgency North-East, women's role was critical in all aspects.
Toure stated Nigeria was currently enjoying unprecedented global acceptance and goodwill following the success recorded in the last general elections.
He specifically lauded the people of North-East and the IDPs in particular for their large turnout during the polls..
He stated the people of North-East, through the elections, had sent an encouraging signal to the international community and development partners to unleash development programmes that would rebuild the zone.
The two-day dialogue was organised by the UNDP in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Guidance and Counseling Development Association, reports.