UNHCR Donates Oxygen Concentrators To Cameroonian Refugees In Benue State

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), has donated 10 Oxygen Concentrators to Cameroonian refugees taking asylum in Benue State, North Central Nigeria.

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Head of UNHCR Sub-Office, Ogoja in Cross River State, Ms. Irene Omendi announced the donation when she led a delegation to visit the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia in Makurdi.

She said, “The Oxygen Concentrators would serve as medical intervention to the refugees as well as the people within the host Communities.”

The Oxygen Concentrators are spread in three locations including Abande, the last settlement Community in Nigeria sharing immediate boundary with Cameroon as well as Ikyogen and St. Monica’s Hospital Adikpo, in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Ms. Irene Omendi thanked the Government of Benue State for allowing refugees of Cameroonian descents to settle in Ikyogen, Kwande Local Government Area of the State and for the warmth reception accorded the delegation during the visit.

She noted that the hospitality the State Government had extended to the refugees and the peaceful coexistence between the host Communities and the refugees was worthy of commendation.

Ms. Omendi also expressed delight at the efforts of the Alia led administration to return Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the state to their ancestral homes and called for more support for the IDPs as well as provision of basic amenities, especially schools, hospitals and other necessities of life.

She reaffirmed the commitment of her organization’s continued support to the state including in the area of capacity building.

According to her, “The hospitality accorded the refugees by the State Government was the major factor that motivated the UNHRC to donate the 10 Oxygen Concentrators at Abande, Ikyogen as well as at St. Monica’s Hospital Adikpo as medical intervention to the people of the area.”

Receiving the delegation, Governor Hyacinth Alia assured of his administration’s resolve to tackle internal security challenges and address other issues threatening peaceful coexistence and harmony in the state.

The Governor commended United Nations for always standing by the people to offer help, restore hope to the hopeless, respite to the traumatized, provision of shelter to the homeless and for assisting to build a better future for those that have lost their means of livelihood due to crisis.

“In short, you have not only been saving lives but have been ensuring that the rights and the human dignity of those being violated, persecuted or subjected to violence get respite. You find for them respect and safety that their own people or authorities sometimes deny them. Above all, you build for them a better future away from their original homes, thus bringing meaning and happiness into their lives again,” Governor Alia stressed.

The Governor restated the commitment of his administration to return the Internally Displaced Persons back to their ancestral homes, adding that his Government had taken genuine steps towards a robust engagement that will usher in practical pathways to solve the multiple issues hampering peace and harmony in the state.

Governor Alia thanked the UNHCR for donating the 10 Oxygen Concentrators to the state assuring that the gesture would go a long way in helping government to improve its healthcare delivery services to Benue people.