The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) on Monday reassured that the Federal Government is committed to rehabilitation of displaced persons in the country.
NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, gave the assurance at a capacity building workshop for Bakasi returnees in Yenagoa.
TBI Africa com said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries, numbering over 60 were trained on soap making and fish processing and were given start-up kits and capital to start their own businesses.
She said the commission is looking beyond supporting displaced persons with relief materials to lifting them out of their challenges by rehabilitating them economically to be self reliant.
Umar-Farouq, represented by Mr Akintunde Oyesanya, South-South Zonal Coordinator of the commission noted that giving the displaced persons skills and start-up capital would make them self reliant as well as reintegrate them back to the society.
She explained that the 64 beneficiaries were provided with soap making and fish processing kits as well as take off grant as capital.
Umar-Farouq said the commission had counseled them to discourage them from selling the equipment donated to them.
According to her the training curriculum included entrepreneurship education, marketing as well as small business management skills.
She said the trainees would be mentored, monitored and given further financial support to further expand their businesses and make them employers of labour.
Mrs Esther Mike, one of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the federal government for the new approach to managing welfare of displaced persons.
“I am glad to be selected for this pilot scheme, this approach of empowering people with skills, starter kits and capital is going to change the life of people who were dependents to being self sustaining.
“I was trained for five days in soap making and the training was practical and I mastered it so much and with the kit provided and capital, I am ready to go into business, I believe I will now support my family,” she said.
