Ortom donates 59 hectares of land to Cameroonian refugees in Benue

The governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has allocated 59 hectares of land in his state to resettlement of Cameroonian refugees at Ikyogen Cattle Ranch in Kwande LGA.

Ortom, on Saturday, while receiving the UNHCR country representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Antonio Jose Canhandula, on a courtesy visit in Makurdi said his government would continue to extend assistance to the refugees.

The governor also called on the significant organisations and individuals to extend support to the Cameroonian refugees residing in his state, especially as he directed the state Ministries of Health, Education as well as Women Affairs to partner the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNCHR, to cater for the Cameroonians.

He said the ministries were relevant in the execution of the programmes of UNHCR.

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While commending the global organisation for working hard to alleviate the sufferings of the refugees who reside in Kwande Local Government Area, LGA, of the state, Governor Ortom expressed hope that the Cameroonian crisis would soon be over to enable the displaced persons to return to their country of origin.

He enjoined the host communities to collaborate with UNHCR as it erects structures for the upkeep of the refugees stressing that such structures could still be beneficial to the communities when the refugees return to their home country.

“Our prayer is with the refugees and we hope that the crisis in that country would come to an end soon to enable them to return back home but before then I appeal to relevant agencies and individuals to extend assistance to the refugees because they are in dire need of any help they can get,” Ortom said.

Earlier, the UNHCR Country Representative who congratulated the Governor on his reelection acknowledged the support of the governor to the refugees through the provision of relief materials and relevant facilities and sued for its sustenance.

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