MAKURDI The Feder-al Government has commenced the col-lation of the needs as-sessment of victims of the armed herdsmen attacks on Yelwata in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The collation commenced following the arrival of the Min-ister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and his team to the state and their subsequent visit to Yelwata and the camp of the displaced persons at the In-ternational Market on George Akume Way, Makurdi.
Speaking to newsmen short-ly after going round the camp and after a meeting with other stakeholders in Makurdi, the minister explained that the FG needed a comprehensive data of the victims and their communi-ties, which also include data of the humanitarian and develop-ment components for victims of the attacks in Benue, especially those in Yelwata, for effective and efficient coordination and inter-ventions.
Yilwatda, who also explained that he was in Benue on the di-rective of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to embark on the exer-cise, further observed that there-after, the ministry would come up with a blueprint, among which would be a short and long term programme on its interventions.
He explained that the commu-nity needed better and quality educational, healthcare facili-ties and other infrastructure de-stroyed during the attack.
The Minister said, “We are here on the directives of the President to get on the spot as-sessment of the impact of the attack in Yelwata.
“We are looking at the human-itarian and development compo-nent response plan. My people will be on ground, go round the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and Yelwata to get the required data.
“The President was here one week ago and made some prom-ises and commitments, this data will help us to respond to all the promises of the President.
“When it comes to interven-tions it goes beyond just govern-ment. It covers the private sector, development partners, FG, States and LGs. Now when you have data you can distribute respon-sibilities,” he said.
Furthermore, the Minister said, “We need to speak with se-curity agencies to ensure that they provide security to those carrying out the need assessment to ensure that they are protected to have the exact data for better decision making.
“There must be a need assess-ment for both humanitarian and development components. When it is done we will come up with a blueprint, a short term and long term programme on what to do.
“First, it will be for social pro-tection and also provide things that will make life more mean-ingful to victims of attacks espe-cially the people of Yelwata,” he assured.