Angry IDPs reject farm inputs from international organisation

Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Adamawa have rejected farming inputs distributed to them through the United Nations Human Committee on Refugees (UNHCR) over alleged unequal treatment in the disbursement of grants. The displaced persons had in July voluntarily moved into the 454 housing units built by the United Nations agency in Labundo village in […]

Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Adamawa have rejected farming inputs distributed to them through the United Nations Human Committee on Refugees (UNHCR) over alleged unequal treatment in the disbursement of grants.

The displaced persons had in July voluntarily moved into the 454 housing units built by the United Nations agency in Labundo village in Girei Local Government Area from camps and host communities where they had lived since their displacement by Boko Haram insurgents about a decade ago.

Some of the protesting residents told Daily Trust Saturday that UNHCR officials had granted N121, 000 each to 125 persons to start businesses but failed in their promise to provide farm inputs to more than 300 others identified as farmers to engage in agriculture until after three months, saying the value and quantity of the inputs given could not support any meaningful farming.

Pastor Bulus Waida said the officials had assured them that the farm inputs would be equivalent of the N121, 000 to be given to them a day after relocating to the new settlement in the first week of July but to their surprise, only few inputs that cost less than a quarter of the value was brought to them on Thursday, at the end of the farming season.

• 9 senators, reps sacked so far as tribunals race against time
• How my trial led me to Islam – ex Kwara popular traditionalist

Another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted said the wide gap between the money given to some of them and value of the items left many people feeling unfairly treated, especially when the farming inputs came at the end of the farming season.

He said the items include a spray container, a watering can, a shovel, a small measure of ground nut, pesticide, two sachets of seedlings and a rain boot.

An attempt by our reporter to reach out to the protection officer at the UNHCR Yola office was not successful as he did not pick calls.