Plateau taskforce begins IDPs resettlement process, visits displaced communities

The Taskforce on Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Plateau, has visited displaced communities to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the areas.

Air Commodore Chuwang Pam (Rtd), Chairman of the taskforce said that the visit was to confirm the data that was presented to the task force by crisis-ravaged communities.

Pam assured that the taskforce would do its best to return people who left their domains or ancestral homes as a result of the crisis that ravaged those places.

The Chairman stated that they had been mandated by Gov. Caleb Mutfwang to go around, get data, identify the communities, and then see how they could bring the people back.

He said that the committee would work with only committed community leaders in the affected places.

“We have representations from both sides to confirm that these communities have either been displaced, occupied, or the IDP were taking refuge elsewhere.”

The committee divided itself into three groups: some went to Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA), others are in Barkin Ladi, and we are here in Mangu.

“In Mangu, we have Putshit, Panyam, Mangu town, Mangu Halle, Sabon Kasuwa and Bwai districts.

“There are communities in these districts where we want to confirm what happened there.

“We want to know if we have houses standing, if there are demolished houses, or any that are partially demolished,” he said.

Mangu LGA Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Mr Markus Artu, said that the people were happy because they looked forward to receiving the committee.

Artu pledged his support to the taskforce to help in the process that would lead to the safe return of the people that had been displaced by the unfortunate incidences that took place  last year.

“That for us is very important, particularly with the rains around and the need for people to go back to their ancestral homes to engage in their source of livelihood, which is farming.

“We will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to support the committe to ensure that this task is undertaken seamlessly.

“This is sacrosanct because we are holding this office in trust for the people, and the people matter in whatever we do,” he said.

Mutfwang inaugurated the task force on March 25, to facilitate the safe return of IDPs to their ancestral homes.

The taskforce was to establish the necessary requirements that would help in resettling the returnees and to ensure security measures were put in place.

According to the terms of reference, the communities to be resettled were in Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Riyom, Mangu, and Bassa LGAs.

The committee was given eight weeks to complete the assignment.