Princess Margaret Elayo, Nasarawa Commissioner for Special Duties on Humanitarian, Social Services and Non-Governmental Organisations
By Oboh Linus, Lafia
Nasarawa State Government says it committed to deepening humanitarian service to reduce the burdens on vulnerable persons who have been impacted by disasters in the state.
Princess Margaret Elayo, Commissioner for Special Duties on Humanitarian, Social Services and Non-Governmental Organisations said this in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Lafia.
Princess Margaret said the World Humanitarian Day being celebrated globally on the 19 of August, particularly in Nasarawa State brought together relevant stakeholders to share and brainstorm on how best to address the humanitarian crisis.
She explained that the day which had its theme “Act for Humanity was marked in the state with various activities like road walks, outdoor games, youth debate and sensitization campaigns on flood among others.
She said her ministry, in line with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency NiMet’s flood predictions in the state, had since embarked on sensitisation campaign to flood-prone local government areas on the need to relocate to highlands in the event of flooding.
She listed the flood-prone local government areas to include Doma, Nasarawa, Toto, Awe, and Keana, other flash points are Karu, Akwanga, and Keffi LGAs respectively.
Margaret said, ” We create awareness on open defecation, climate change, and environmental issues, people should on their form good habits like not dumping refuse in the drains.
“It is not about sharing palliatives alone, palliative is just to bring immediate succour, so after palliatives what next, that has been the priority of this ministry.
“What else can we do to make sure our people have a better living standard, the total day was a submission to humanity, and humanity is not starting today, it starts with you and I.
“In Nasarawa state the theme of this year’s celebration is ” Citizens Role in Nation Building” What are the citizens doing to complement what the government under the leadership of Gov Abdullahi Sule is doing?
“This is the first time that the humanitarian day is being celebrated in the state, the day was a huge success,”.
According to her, her ministry used the day to visit and interact with the elderly who in turn shared their challenges and experiences.
She said that aside from using the day to host Almajiri children to dinner in the best meals, over 300 of them had also been dewormed.
“It has always been my dream to take children out of the street, I have gone to where some of these children live, I have engaged their Mallam on what to do for these children and since we have supporting them,” she said.
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