The Federal Government has approved the National Policy on Internal Displacement.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, made this known on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister made the disclosure in a statement issued by Mrs Nneka Anibeze, her Special Assistant on Media.
According to the statement, the approval followed the policy presentation, made earlier by Farouq on Wednesday, at the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The statement said during her presentation, Farouq had noted that the policy would provide a platform for all relevant actors in the humanitarian and development space to key in and contribute towards a common goal.
It said the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, whose role on managing digital identities of IDPs in collaboration with her ministry, was also clearly captured in the draft document.
“The overall goal of the policy is to strengthen the institutional mechanism and frameworks for the realisation of the rights, dignity and wellbeing of vulnerable populations through mitigation of the impact and achievement of durable solutions to internal displacement in Nigeria.
“My ministry will coordinate the implementation of the National IDP policy, through the Civil Security Cooperation framework which is already providing a platform for the coordination of responses between the government, civilians and security apparatus in humanitarian settings.
“The coordination of the IDP policy will be one more chip that falls into place in government’s strategic methods of improving and ultimately resolving internal displacement.
“However, while state governments are responsible for the welfare of its indigenes, the Federal Government is concerned with the welfare of all Nigerian citizens,” Farouq said.
She explained further that in times of humanitarian challenges, the state government had the primary responsibility, while the Federal Government intervenes as required.
“The Federal Government will be responsible for ensuring that the framework for protection and assistance through this policy is being adhered to by all actors, across all tiers of government and across all sectors”, the minister said.
The statement explained that with the approval, a multi-sectoral structure would fully emerge to ensure that all individual actions by all actors are aligned to an overall plan, with set objectives and targets.
“These would include resolving various challenges faced by displaced persons, mitigating disasters, providing relief, conflict resolution, supporting rehabilitation efforts, social protection, preventing encampment and facilitating durable solutions.
“Since its inception in 2019, the ministry has been coordinating responses to humanitarian issues affecting the country.
“It has also been responding to disasters while building capacity of responders and actors within the disaster management sector, to adequately mitigate and prevent disasters from occurring,” Farouq said. (NAN)
