Reps demand data on citizens displaced by natural disasters

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called for data on the internally displaced persons in Nigeria as well as those in the neighbouring countries rendered homeless by natural disasters.

He made the call during a courtesy call on him by the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Tijani Ahmed, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

A statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu, quoted Kalu as attributing some of the displacements to the impact of natural disasters such as flooding and erosion.

“We are charging your commission to give us the total report on the plight of Nigerians currently all across the country.

“So, let the commission have an intervention fund dedicated to doing the proper needs analysis so that as we do the budget, we look into it. This is part of the oversight function. So, get us a report on that.

“Your mandate includes refugees and the IDPs. You can’t be internally displaced only through war or crisis. You can be internally displaced through climate-induced displacement and that’s what we are experiencing now.

“The climate is at war with us. So, the issue of mitigation and adaptation is something that, as a government, we must take seriously but in doing that, agencies like you which manage the consequences of these climate impacts need to be aware that it’s beyond what we are seeing currently.

“We heard of what happened in Maiduguri. I mentioned it even before the African Union. Beyond Maiduguri, a lot more is happening around the country,” Kalu said.

The statement further called attention to the need to increase the yearly budgetary allocation to the commission to enable it to carry out its mandate.

“How prepared are you? I checked your budget last year and was wondering if a budget of N1.6bn or thereabout will be able to handle that across the country.

“And I have not heard your agency bring it to the fore, both in the parliament and also to Nigerians, maybe through a documentary to show us the volume of the needs analysis, showcasing the plight of Nigerians.

“There are so many people suffering due to climate change. The parliament needs to hear from you on the total national needs analysis of internally displaced persons. And the impact of climate-induced displacement. We need to get a document on that.

“We are giving you two weeks to bring the report because we want it to guide us as we make our budget.

“Also a copy of that will be sent to the Budget Office of the Federation so they will understand the enormous nature of your mandate,” he added.

Ahmed expressed gratitude to the Deputy Speaker and pledged to make the report available to the parliament within the deadline even as he appealed for more funding from the commission.

“We thank you for giving us this audience today and I have listened carefully. We will ensure that these individuals who are our own are returned.

“We will put the reports together, both the refugees and displaced persons, to show the parliament and for you to also see the plight of the commission in the area of funding,” he said.