The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, has commended the services of humanitarian workers who deliver aids to victims of crisis and disasters in Nigeria.
Chief Damian Okeke, the President of the Ohaneze Ndigbo in Anambra state gave the commendation in an interview with journalists in Onitsha on Sunday while speaking on this year’s World Humanitarian Day.
The theme for this year’s commemoration was “Not a target: Protection of Civilian”.
Okeke said, “aid workers’ contribution to the society has not only pacified the sufferings of victims of Boko Haram and herdsmen attacks but has shown the spirit of being our brother’s keeper”.
The president, however, urged the Federal Government to set aside funds in the yearly budget to equip and adequately protect aid workers as they carry out the voluntary services.
He also urged the government to improve on its welfare for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in various camps across the country.
According to him, keeping them in IPDs is not enough but rehabilitating and reintegrating them into the society should be the ultimate goal.
The president also urged the governors of the South-East states to urgently come to the aid of ex-Biafran soldiers who fought the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.
“Many of them are today on clutches, many are blind while many others do not have homes but are on the streets begging yet these are the people who fought during the war.
“What stops the South East governors from paying them at least minimum wage; this is the right time to take record of them and assist those who have nothing doing,” he concluded.
and then