By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, yesterday donated selected sanitary items and materials to six Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Benue state to ensure cleanliness and hygiene in the benefiting camps.

The items donated to the camps were detergents, disinfectants, scrubbing brushes, hand gloves and brooms.

Speaking at the flag off of the distribution of the said materials at the Uikpam IDPs camp in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of the state, the UNICEF WASH Specialist, UNICEF Field Office, Enugu, Mr. Doutimiye Kiakubu told the IDPs that it was being done in fulfillment of an earlier promise made to them by UNICEF.

Mr. Kiakubu who recalled the meeting UNICEF officials held with the IDPs said “not long ago we held a meeting with you and we agreed on what the camps should look like in terms of cleanliness and hygiene; and you told us the type of toilets you want and where it should be situated in the camp. We also agreed on where the male and female toilets should be located. Women, men and even children spoke on the issue.

“We told you that whatever we do would be within our budget. And we assured that we should start with the construction of women toilets and bathrooms which are almost completed.

“We are also working on the provision of water for you and we have directed the contractor handling the water project to ensure its timely completion so that there would be water in the bathrooms and toilets.

“Also, we have already trained the Volunteer Hygiene Promoters, VHPs, and the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Committee, WASHCO, members in the six IDPs camps located in Ortese, Gbajimba, Daudu l and lll, Abagena as well as Uikpam and they have been entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the water and sanitation facilities as well as keeping the camps clean.

“And to enable them put to practice what they were trained in, UNICEF has come to donate detergent, scrubbing brushes, brooms, hand gloves and disinfectants which should be used to keep the toilets, and the vicinity of the camp clean.

“We had to do this because you the IDPs had complained that you lacked the materials that could be used to ensure the clean up of the camps, that is why we have brought all these to ensure that the camp including water tap areas, toilets and bathrooms are always neat and completely clean.

“You should also watch over all these facilities and ensure that nobody vandalizes or damages them. And whoever is caught trying to damage or misuse them should be reported to the block leader, if he refuses to listen to the leader, the matter should be reported to the camp chairman and if the individual remains headstrong he should be reported to officials of State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA. That is what is obtainable at Abagena camp and it should be replicated in others.

“The fact is that if you maintain cleanliness in the camps other groups might be moved to also render further assistance to your camps. So ensure that everything we have provided for you are handled with care and not damaged.

“I also appeal to SEMA to ensure that all the facilities are protected and maintained. And if the items we have brought is exhausted, SEMA should provide more so that the camp will remain clean always.

“The benefit is that if a camp is kept clean it will be difficult to record outbreak of sicknesses and diseases there.

“Meanwhile work on the solar powered motorized borehole is still ongoing, the tank stand would be completed soon, so please cooperate with the workers to ensure that the contractor executes his work without challenge.

“There are supervisors from Benue Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, BERWASSA, as well as UNICEF who would supervise the work being done to ensure that it is executed to specification.

“So be rest assured that we will always visit the camps to ensure that things are properly done,” he added.

Reacting, the camp manager, Mr. Matthew Asaaga
said the intervention of UNICEF was highly commendable stressing that it would go a long way to ensure proper hygiene and cleanliness as well as check the outbreak of water borne diseases and sicknesses in the benefiting camps.

“We must thank UNICEF because they are taking practical steps to ensure healthy living in Benue IDPs camps; we ask for more and urge others to emulate what they are doing in Benue state,” he said.

On her part, the WASHCOM Chairman, Mrs. Regina Abaga
who expressed joy at the various UNICEF interventions in the camp said they were poised to ensure that the camp was always clean especially with the donation of items that would aid their work.

Also speaking, the Assistant Hygiene Officer of BERWASSA, Mrs. Gloria Onuh said the donation by UNICEF was in fulfillment of the promise made to the IDPs during the training of VHPs about a week ago.

“They requested for the sanitary materials that is why this donation is being made today to encourage them to do the work of ensuring cleanliness and hygiene in the camp; we laud UNICEF for this all important intervention,” she added.