Buhari Asks NGOs To Support Government’s Efforts To Assist IDPs

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday urged Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and international aid agencies to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to increase humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
The president spoke at a meeting with the Greek Medical Charity organisation, also known as “Heart Doctors”, held at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
President Buhari said the Nigerian government was working hard to secure and rehabilitate communities ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents.
“It is a pathetic situation we have. There are more than two million internally displaced persons, 70 per cent of whom are women and children. Of these, 60 per cent are orphaned children.
“We are willing to work with organisations such as yours to quickly rehabilitate infrastructure, rebuild schools, medical clinics and destroyed homes,” the President said.
He further told the visiting medical charity team that the task of rehabilitating IDPs in the region was enormous, but noted that with perseverance and commensurate resources such challenges were surmountable.
The President also thanked the Greek doctors for their humanitarian activities in Nigeria and assured them that his administration would welcome other spirited individuals and organisations with similar intentions.
The leader of the Greek Medical Charity organisation, Professor Xenofan Yataganas, told the President that the organisation, which commenced humanitarian work in Nigeria since 2002, had been involved in rebuilding schools and distributing medicines and food at IDP camps.