By Yemi Olakitan
In order to combat the destructive effects of land mines on victims, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, has given key stakeholders the job of supporting the Humanitarian Mine Action.
The call, according to Farouk, who was represented by Director of Humanitarian Affairs Mr. Grema Ali, also demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to building capacity in order to ensure ownership of the Humanitarian Mine Action Centre that will be formed soon.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development held a stakeholders meeting on the creation of a National Humanitarian Mine Action Centre on Wednesday in Abuja.
Nigeria, according to her, is a signatory to the UN convention on explosive ordinance and humanitarian mine action.
Being a responsible member of the international community, Nigeria and the Federal Government are subject to particular obligations under each of the agreements, according to Farouk.
The National Humanitarian Mine Action Committee has been constituted by the ministry in accordance with the Presidential directive.
“By directing and coordinating all humanitarian mine actions in Nigeria, the committee seeks to handle challenges related to mine action,” she stated.
The minister stated that in order for Nigeria to fulfil its duties under the various agreements, the committee would offer the necessary advice, proposals, plans, and projects.
As one of the major strategic responsibilities requiring the participation of all stakeholders, Farouk stated that the ministry had selected mine action as one of them.
She said this was accomplished by creating an environment that guaranteed personal security, particularly in the North-East.
For example, the use of explosive ordinance, most notably improvised explosive devices, results in fatalities and serious injuries and prevents people from engaging in essential socioeconomic activity.
Farouk added that it interferes with the safe resettling and movement of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs).
The hazards presented by explosive ordinance, particularly in the Northeast, have been documented in numerous national and international documents, according to Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu (rtd) who also spoke at the occasion as the Coordinator of Humanitarian Mine Action Committee.
Sadeeq mentioned how the Buhari administration prioritized humanitarian mine action.
By recognizing the dangers posed by explosive ordinances as one of the difficulties associated with long-term displacement and return, it was possible to pinpoint 38 local government districts that had suffered direct damage from violent destructions and were contaminated by explosive ordinances, he pointed out.
He noted that many of the communities that the Nigerian military had successfully recaptured from terrorists were booby-trapped with land mines and unexploded munitions.
In his message of goodwill, Mr. Buki Ponle, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who was represented by Dr. Razak Owolabi, told the audience that his agency was committed to effectively covering Ministry activities in the media.