Humanitarian Partnership in Action: ECOWAS Supports Plateau Communities with Relief Items
In a continued effort to strengthen humanitarian response and peacebuilding in Plateau State, the Plateau State Peace Building Agency (PPBA), in collaboration with ECOWAS and other development partners, held an engagement to present relief materials to conflict-affected communities. The event brought together government representatives, humanitarian partners, and community leaders from Mangu, Bokkos, and Bassa Local Government Areas.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General, Dr. Julie Sanda, the Director of Administration, Mr. Elkana Izam, welcomed community representatives and appreciated ECOWAS for its sustained support through the Humanitarian and Development Nexus Project, which provided ₦56 million worth of relief materials and an additional ₦26 million education fund for children affected by conflicts. He also acknowledged partner organizations such as CEMA, CREDI, JDPC, SDG, and Child Protection for their continued collaboration since the project’s flag-off at the Grand Villa Hotel. Furthermore, he explained that the event aimed to mark a symbolic presentation of the items before distribution to affected communities.
Similarly, ECOWAS Program Officer for Disaster Risk Management, Usman Adamu, commended the impressive turnout and reaffirmed ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment to supporting victims of crises, particularly children who are out of school. He emphasized that children represent the future and must not be left behind in post-conflict recovery efforts. Adamu explained that the initiative, supported by the African Peace and Security Platform and other ECOWAS partners, aims to provide relief materials and educational assistance to affected communities. He praised the resilience and courage of representatives from Bokkos, Mangu, and Bassa, acknowledging their determination to rebuild their lives despite the hardships, and assured them of ECOWAS’s continued partnership in promoting peace, education, and sustainable recovery.
In his remarks, Mr. Mathew Malau, Coordinator of the Bokkos IDP Camp, expressed gratitude to Father Paul Watpe, PSPBA, and PLASEMA for their assistance, noting that life in the camp remains difficult, with limited access to healthcare and education. He appealed for more government intervention, while Mrs. Mercy Felix emphasized the struggles of women in the camp and pleaded for support to enable their return home. Likewise, representatives from Bassa and Mangu shared similar post-crisis experiences, lamenting the loss of lives and property and calling for sustained humanitarian aid and peacebuilding efforts to restore normalcy.
The engagement climaxed with a symbolic presentation of relief materials to representatives of the affected communities, signifying hope, compassion, and renewed partnership for recovery. The event underscored the shared commitment of ECOWAS, the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, and other stakeholders to rebuild lives, strengthen resilience, and promote lasting peace across Plateau State.
