President of the Nigerian Senate Dr. Ahmad Lawan has appealed to Nigerians in leadership positions to always show empathy to the Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs( in the country by ensuring that their lives and dignity are protected.
Senator Lawan, who made the appeal on Thursday when he led a delegation of senators to the IDP camp in Wasa district of southern Abuja, to commemorate the 2nd year anniversary of the Ninth Assembly, said the planned visit was a conscious and collective decision of the senate.
The Senate delegation during the visit donated food items and other materials worth =N=10 million to the IDPs.
“This is an Internally Displaced Persons Camp. None of our sisters and brothers in this camp wanted to be here or wish to be here”, he said.
“All of them are forced to be in an IDP camp, and those of us especially in leadership positions are supposed to show empathy and commitment in ensuring that while our compatriots are in this camp and, indeed, any other camp, their life and dignity is protected.
“And of course, I’d like to mention here that we must ensure that these Nigerians who are in this camp and other refugee camps, who are vulnerable in so many ways, receive what is due to them from the government.
“That is to say, there must be sufficient security presence here and, indeed, across the country to protect them.
“This is a price we have to pay because of the security situation we have found ourselves in. Food alone is not enough. So, we will take particular interest in the health facilities available to this camp and, indeed, others.
“We would like to know the details of how and when they fall sick from a major sickness that would go beyond the capacity of primary health care – that requires a secondary health care intervention.
Electoral Climate
The Senate President added that the amendment to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly seeks to provide an electoral climate that would enable Nigerians to elect their leaders and representatives.
According to him, this can be realized through the provision of a legal framework that would provide for good governance at all levels of government.
Senator Lawan disclosed that the National Assembly has been working closely with the executive arm of government to provide more resources to the armed forces and security agencies in the fight against insecurity.
He gave the assurances of the National Assembly to expedite action on the request when received, so as to ensure the return of internally displaced persons to their respective communities across the country.
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