Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State on Monday inaugurated a 10-man committee to resettle residents of Southern Kaduna that were displaced following years of crisis in the area.
The decision was hailed by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, which described the move as a welcome development.
The State Security Council on November 8, 2023, said the state government needed to constitute a committee to resettle displaced communities back to their ancestral home.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, is the head of the 10-man committee with the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, and the chairmen of Jema’a, Kaura, as well as Zangon Kataf local government areas, among others, as members.
The deputy governor, who represented the governor, while inaugurating the committee at the Government House in Kaduna on Monday, said the government needed all stakeholders to ensure that the displaced communities were resettled.
The governor stated that the plights of the displaced persons were weighing heavily on the state government, saying that the action to address their needs and facilitate their resettlement became necessary.
He enjoined the committee to approach the task with empathy, sensitivity, fairness, a sense of urgency and a commitment to inclusivity.
He said it entails also facilitating their access to basic amenities, health care, education, and livelihood opportunities.
According to the governor, “We must actively engage with the displaced communities, listening to their voices, understanding their concerns, and involving them in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.”
He asked the committee to leverage the expertise and resources available to them, both within the government and through partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, and humanitarian agencies.
He explained that the government has the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the citizens, and expressed confidence that with their collective efforts, they can achieve their objectives and bring hope and stability to those in need.
