By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Journalists have been urged to go further in finding answers to issues relating to the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria.
Speakers at a one day consultative media parley on advancing IDP issues by the Journalists for Christ International outreach in Abuja, counted problems of poverty, lack of access to education, health among others are still the burning issues in the IDPs
According to a Journalist, Ene Oshaba, while sharing her personal experiences in the camp, there is a huge change in the roles of women who now fend for their families but have little or no access to funding and market
Mr. John Wakawah, included the basic needs of shelter, food, clothing, psychological trauma as some of the many problems confronting IDPs in Nigeria.
According to him, Boko Haram seems to be winning the fight against western education as education for IDPs is not one of government’s strong points.
Another Speaker, Bumi Atteh, there is need for healthcare initiatives in the camps as the campees have limited access to health services
One of the campees, Mr. Enoch lamented that government has denied them rights to loans and that they do not want to go back to where they will be killed
He said seven out of one hundred and twenty of them tested for COVID-19 came out positive since December but are still in the camp without isolation
Earlier the conveners including Mrs. Ugonma Cokey, Mr. Dayo Emmanuel and Mr. Sanmi Falobi among others, said IDPs issues concern all and not limited to status, age or location but becoming a national phenomenon hence the need for using the media as a means of drawing attention to them.
