The Public Relation Officer (PRO) and also an Internal Displaced Person (IDP) at Durumi lDP camp, FCT, Umoru Gola has explained that the essence why they sell food stuffs donated to the camp is to pay medical bills of some of the IDPs.
While recounting at the just concluded Journalists for Christ International Outreach (JFC) media round table/ public presentation of report on management internal displacement crisis in Nigeria explained that the IDPs are usually rejected for treatment at the hospitals and they sell the food stuff donated to them to pay the hospitals bills.
According to him, most of the hospitals no longer give the IDPs free treatment especially at the National hospital so “we sell the bags of food stuff given to us to treat some of our people who are very sick at the camp.
“Some of our people who have been having severe health challenges are not attended to at the National hospital and we are no longer recognized.
“If donors bring foodstuffs that are not in bags, we share it one mudu by mudu but the one donated to us in bags , we keep it in the store till when we need it to sell for medical emergency issues,” he lamented.
On security challenges, Umoru lamented there are so many dangerous areas along the Area 1, Durumi axis where drugs are sold and crimes are committed.
He further lamented they have written petitions severally to the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) ,FCTA administration and nothing has been done it till now.
“Because of lack of money , some of our youths now work for these miscreants who pay them N2,000 to N3,000 to commit crimes for them within the FCT.
“Some of our boys have also become drug addicts and the IDP camps now harbour criminals,” he said.
The Executive Director, Peace Development Project (Research Consultant ) Francis Abayomi in a brief overview: Research methodology/ process of documentation explained that the role of the media is very key in managing the IDP.
He said that there are several camps that are not recognized and captured in the Federal Government plans and there is the need to monitor how resources are disbursed and channeled to the IDP.
He said the for legislative framework ,education for the IDPs and resources donated should be monitored.
He said there are constitutional frameworks and the responsibility of Journalists in the society. “Journalists should pay attention to those displaced through crisis and how they have survived.
“We need the enabling laws, the need to strengthen the legislative and legal framework and welfare of security agency is also very important,” he said.
