By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Benue philanthropist, Chief Sylvanus Ghasarah has donated food and non-food items to the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the state to help them celebrate the coming yuletide festivities.

Making the donation to the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, in Makurdi, for onward distribution to the beneficiaries, Chief Ghasarah said the intervention was his own little way of showing care and love to people displaced by the armed herdsmen attacks in the state.

According to a statement by the Information Officer of the agency, Charity Agber, the donor who was represented by Dr. Rex Aii, stated that, though he lived far from home, he deemed it very important to support the State Government’s effort to cater for the needs of the IDPs.

He noted that since the inception of the administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, he saw the need to support government to succeed “given the genuine passion of the Governor for the Persons of Concern.”

He assured that he would “continue to have the wellbeing of Benue at heart to ensure that we collectively cater for the IDPs and also move the state forward.”

While commending the Governor for setting the standard for renewed hope for Benue people and Persons of Concern who voted him into power, Chief Ghasarah called on all well-meaning Benue indigenes to support the government to ensure its success.

Receiving the items, the Acting Executive Secretary, Benue SEMA,  Sir. James Iorpuu commended Chief Ghasarah on behalf of Governor Alia for the intervention assuring that, “the Christmas package will be judiciously distributed to the Persons of Concern.”

The Executive Secretary described Chief Ghasarah as a progressive philanthropist whose support to the Governor’s administration to restore the dignity of the vulnerable group “is critical especially now that the huge humanitarian situation in Benue has overstretched the State. I therefore call on other public spirited individuals to emulate Chief Ghasarah’s gesture.”

The items donated included 45 bags of 100kg beans,100 cartons of detergents, 50 cartons of soap, 45 cartons of sanitary pad, and 20 cartons of tooth paste.

The philanthropist had last July also donated 150 bags of Rice, 55 bags of beans as well as 300 mattresses to IDPs.