News
Foundation Spends N6.7bn On Infrastructure In N’East
Victims Support Fund (VSF) spent N6.7 billion in 2017 on rebuilding infrastructure in areas in the North East of Nigeria, ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency. Part of the fund was also used to empower victims of the insurgency.
VSF’s Executive Director, Prof. Sunday Ochoche told newsmen in Abuja that the bulk of the amount was spent on rebuilding schools and hospitals that were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
“Twenty four primary and secondary schools have been rebuilt by VSF’’ along with some general hospitals and local government secretariats which were razed by the insurgents, Ochoche told newsmen.
He said that the rebuilding was done through direct labour with materials bought from markets in the affected areas as part of VSF strategies to reflate the economy of the states, save cost and achieve high quality project execution.
“When we reconstruct, we try to reconstruct better structures and facilities than those destroyed,’’ the Executive Director said, adding that plans were on to fence the rebuilt schools to enhance protection for the pupils and students.
Ochoche said that about 19,000 women in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states were benefitting from the Fund’s economic empowerment programme. The programme was designed for women whose husbands were killed by Boko Haram, resulting in their becoming family breadwinners.
“We gave them grants through civil society organisations to engage in small scale ventures like cap making ,’’ he said, adding that the partnering civil organisations helped VSF to monitor the women and promote the culture of savings among them.
Some of the VSF women economic cells “now have up to one million naira in their accounts,” confirming the increasing success of the VSF savings culture promotion initiative , he told our source.
Ochoche said that the Fund was also helping to meet the medical needs of victims in the few remaining Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
He noted that the need for substantial health care support for victims as experienced in the previous years of intense insurgents attacks had reduced due to the successes recorded by the military against the insurgents.
The VSF Boss commended the Nigerian military for restoring normalcy in most part of the north east and for providing security support to VSF workers.
Victim Support Fund is a Nigerian foundation established to cater for victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the north eastern part of Nigeria. The Fund is being run by 33 personnel headed by the Executive Director Prof. Sunday Ochoche .
Ochoche has over 30 years’ experience in the UN system, government and academia.
Between 2006 and 2013, he served with the United Nations as Senior Political Affairs Officer in the UN Missions in Sierra Leone and Darfur, Sudan; Senior Policy Advisor with the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) of the UNDP, New York; and Director of Political Affairs at the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), Mogadishu.
The Fund also has a national Committee with Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), a former Minister of Defence, as Chairman and Fola Adeola, a co-founder of GT Bank as Deputy Chairman, along with several other Nigerian billionaires and prominent politicians as members.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite the prosecution of the Director of the now distressed MBA Forex Trading, Mr. Maxwell Odum, in the interest of justice.
The Rivers State NUJ made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the EFFC’s Ag. Zonal Director, ACE Hassan Saidu, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The council’s chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, said the appeal became imperative after it considered the number of Nigerians and others involved in the financial misconduct.
According to him, it has caused hardship among many households in the country and should be given the attention it deserves.
He said that investors cannot come into a country or invest in an economy or nation ridden with fraud.
This, he said, has made it more imperative to arrest, prosecute and convict alleged fraudsters like the MBA Forex Director, who is alleged to have defrauded thousands of unsuspecting Nigerians, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The chairman also requested that while the trial lasts, part of the swindled funds should be given to the victims that suffered loss and trauma as a result of the fraud.
The NUJ reiterated its resolve to change the narrative of reportage from crisis to developmental communication.
According to him, the NUJ’s main focus is blue economy and tourism.
He expressed the readiness of the Council to partner the agency in the area of information dissemination.
“We believe you have a responsibility to fight financial crimes. We also know that you need the Press to publicize your activities and NUJ can provide that,” he said.
Responding, the Zonal EFFC’s boss commended the NUJ’s vision to change the narrative of reporting from crisis to developmental communication.
According to Saidu, the Western world have since imbibed such culture, hence the negative stories about them are carefully sifted to allow only positive ones to be released to the outside world.
As for the trapped funds to be released, the EFCC Zonal Director stated that only the court can authorize such action, stressing that the primary responsibility of the Commission is to arrest and prosecute.
He pledged to partner with the NUJ now that the leadership has visited the Commission.
The Head of the Legal & Prosecution Department, DCE Odiase Stephen, corroborated the Zonal Director’s position and stressed that it was only when the matter has been determined by the court that such funds can be released.
He further stated that once a matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, it cannot be discussed outside.
By: King Onunwor
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