US pledges $37m for Boko Haram victims

The United States government has announced that it will provide at least $37m in additional humanitarian assistance to people affected by Boko Haram insurgency and food insecurity in the North-East and other areas of the Lake Chad Basin.According to a statement issued and made available to our correspondent on Wednesday, the US government is providing the aid through its Agency for International Development.The statement read in part, “The savagery of Boko Haram has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and surrounding countries in the Lake Chad Basin region. Families have been driven from their homes, millions are left without enough to eat, and human rights abuses are widespread. Despite gradually improving security conditions, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Throughout the region, approximately five million people need emergency food assistance, and 2.5 million people are displaced.”The US said the aid fund given to the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organisation partners, would help tens of thousands of people to receive “critically needed humanitarian assistance,” including food, water, shelter and services to address acute hygiene, protection and nutritional needs.
Three senior USAID officials, Nigeria Mission Director, Michael Harvey, US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Director, Jeremy Konyndyk, and Office of Food for Peace Deputy Director Matt Nims, made the announcement following a trip to the North-East, where the humanitarian needs are most acute.
“With this announcement, the United States is providing more than $318m in humanitarian assistance since 2015 to the Lake Chad Basin region and continues to be the single largest humanitarian donor to the region.
“In addition to humanitarian funding, USAID provides targeted assistance that seeks to reduce extreme poverty and improve the quality of life for Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities through improved governance and civic participation at the federal, state and local levels; reduced corruption; a strengthened private sector as a source of job creation; and improved quality of social service delivery,” the statement said.

“The food assistance will be delivered to conflict-affected communities in the Diffa Region of Niger, including populations who fled their homes following the recent attacks in Bosso. This new food assistance will be coordinated with the humanitarian community in Nigeria to scale up the overall regional food response,” the statement added.

Gov. Ugwuanyi presents 100 civilians with the keys one-bedroom apartments

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Friday presented keys of 100 housing units of one bedroom apartment to 100 civil servants who won the houses through lottery.

Ugwuanyi, who presented the keys to the winners at Elim Estate, Ugwogo, in Enugu East LGA, said the gesture was part of his commitment to improve the welfare of civil servants in the state.

He said: “This is a very auspicious and historic occasion.

“We are here to celebrate the goodness of the Lord to the people of Enugu State.

“You will recall that on September 29, 2015, we took the unprecedented step of conducting open lottery for civil servants from grade levels 1-10, in respect of 100 units of one bedroom apartments at this estate.

“One hundred lucky civil servants, thereafter, emerged winners of the lottery.

“Having paid the over 30 per cent equity contribution that we promised to each of them, we are here today to formally hand over to them, the keys to their apartments.

“This event is in accordance with our promise to deploy government resources and services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen.”

While congratulating the beneficiaries, Ugwuanyi commended the leaders of organised labour in the state for cooperating with his administration in the past year, especially in the face of the current economic difficulty.

He said: “We want to reassure you that we will continue to work within our means to address issues affecting the welfare of workers and to ensure that industrial peace continues to reign in Enugu State.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Housing, Charles Asogwa, commended the governor for providing affordable housing units for civil servants in the state.

Asogwa said this was the first time the state government acquired housing units for the lowest cadre of civil servants.

Asogwa urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the gesture through hard work, dedication and commitment to duty.

One of the beneficiaries, Nwaka Ugwu, thanked Ugwuanyi for “wiping tears from my eyes” through the fulfillment of his campaign promises.

Another beneficiary, Peter Odo, a driver on grade level 3, said: “We have seen a governor who likes ordinary people from his heart; God will continue to bless him and his administration.

“He has done for us what nobody will have agreed to do for us.

“Who would have given me a house; a flat as my own in Enugu capital here?”