ECOWAS Parliamentarians have urged the ECOWAS Commission and governments in the sub-region to continue to provide humanitarian assistance and enhance partnerships to save at least 17 million victims of conflicts in Lake Chad Basin.
Members of the parliament made the call in a report presented by a Joint Committee at the ongoing First Ordinary Session of the parliament in Abuja on Monday.
The joint committee comprises that of Health and Social Services; Agriculture, Environment, Water Resources and Sustainable Development; Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and Industry; and Human Rights, Child Protection and other Vulnerable Groups.
The report, which was presented by Mr Sale Poli from Cote d’Ivoire and Mr Abdoulaye Vilane from Senegal on behalf on the committee said that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates, as at March 2019, showed that at least 17 million people were affected by conflicts in the Basin.
“In the countries of the Lake Chad Basin – Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad – the humanitarian crisis remains very worrisome despite considerable efforts deployed by the states and international organisations,” the report stated.
It added that some joint fact-finding missions to Internally Displaced Persons'(IDPs’) camps in Nigeria organised by UNCHR and carried out by parliament, came up with several recommendations.
“These include the need to provide access to land for IDPs and returnees to promote sustainable agriculture; ensure regular and varied provision of food supplies; promote development in states to ensure return and reintegration.
“Also, facilitate an effective referral system for complicated medical cases; build sustainable shelters within the camps; encourage the use of clean and safe cooking fuels; and strengthen the civil protection mechanism established by UNHCR.
“In addition, it was observed the particular emphasis should be placed on the adoption and implementation of coherent, all-inclusive return and resettlement policies as a durable solution to the challenges identified,” the report said.
The report further urged the ECOWAS Commission and the Federal Government to continue to encourage and assist the authorities of the states affected by insurgency and conflicts.
The committee added that the parliament planned to organise a delocalised meeting in June on issues relating to the provision of healthcare, housing and food for displaced persons and refugees in West Africa.
It stated based on the recommendations the meeting aimed to discuss the interventions of other non-state actors towards the issues with a view to ensuring the socio-economic reintegration of affected persons.===NAN
