By Silas Onuoha
Malam Nasir el Rufai, the Kaduna State Governor has commended the Management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, for initiating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, targeted at empowering Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, across the country.
Governor el Rufai said this while receiving the Agency’s Management team led by the Director General, Dr Bashir Jamoh, who were in the State to present some relief and empowerment materials from NIMASA to assist IDPs ease their resettlement process into the society.
He recognized that investment by NIMASA in the education sector through its CSR initiative is considered an investment in the future of Kaduna State.
“We in kaduna State are very glad for this intervention by NIMASA and its continuous effort to support us particularly in the education sector . We recognise its role in assisting our administration to deliver quality Governance to kaduna State. We in kaduna have a worthy ambassador. Dr jamoh has shown real commitment to the growth of Kaduna State and Nigeria at large. He is an asset to the Nigerian nation.
Speaking earlier, Dr Jamoh noted that the quest to support the efforts of Government in re-integrating Displaced Persons into the society is the driving force behind the Agency’s intervention.
“As a responsible Agency of Government, we decided to heed the call for support to State governments to re- integrate IDPs into the society. So far, 26 States have benefitted from the scheme and kaduna is the 27th. Our aim is to ensure that displaced persons in various States in Nigeria are assisted to regain normal life and attain self-reliance without being a burden on the Government”. He said.
He went on ;
“Our intervention are in three categories, income generating palliatives to facilitate means of livelihood via self-employment for direct and indirect employment, food items and education materials. We acknowledge the fact that education is key to capacity development and nation building”.
In the same vein, NIMASA also donated relief materials to displaced persons in Gombe State. The Chairman, Senate Committee on marine transport, His Excellency, Senator Danjuma Goje commended NIMASA Management while acknowledging the timeliness of the intervention.
The empowerment materials donated by NIMASA include tricycles, sewing machines, grinding machines, sugar cane extractors, vulcanizing and welding machines. Others were household and food items.