PROJECT RELIANCE: Refugee Commission to Verify of Over 350, 000 IDPs in Borno
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), said it has begun verification of over 350, 000 IDPs in Borno State for the launch of its biggest empowerment programme called Project Reliance.
The commission’s federal commissioner, Basheer Garba Mohammed stated that the verification exercise will begin on Monday in Borno as a kicker for Project Reliance, a ‘comprehensive empowerment programme geared towards making refugees, migrants and displaced persons sustainably self-reliant.’
The special adviser on media and publicity to the commissioner, Sadiq Abdullateef stated in a statement he signed on Saturday in Abuja, a copy of which he sent to Nigerian Sketch, that “the launch of the project, which is a collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s continuous efforts in alleviating the sufferings of the displaced persons in the country.
“Project Reliance is tailor-made for the millions of Persons of Concern (POCs) in the country and it is designed to restore their means of livelihood by helping them with start up capitals and starter packs in various trades and businesses of their choice”, the statement reads.
“We are going to verify, profile and register over 350, 000 displaced persons in Borno before we proceed to other states like; Cross River, Zamfara, Katsina, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi and the rest. We choosed to launch the project in Maiduguri because the highest number of our displaced persons are in Borno State”, the statement added.