FG Committed to Helping Victims of Terrorism Rebuild their Lives and Communities -Jonathan

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Wednesday in Abuja that he expected

members of Nigerian’s vibrant private sector and friends of the country in
the international community to donate very generously to the Victims’
Support which will be formally launched tomorrow to provide more relief
and succour for all those who have been adversely affected by terrorism
and insurgency in the country.

Speaking at separate audiences with the Secretary-General of the
Commonwealth, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma, and the Executive Director of the
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin,
President Jonathan said that he hoped that over a 12-month period, about
$500 Million would have been raised through the fund to further alleviate
the sufferings and deprivations imposed on Nigerians living in states
worst affected by terrorist attacks.

The President who reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to doing all
within its powers to help victims of insurgency and terrorism rebuild
their lives and communities, said that the fund, which will be managed by
a non-governmental organization, will also be deployed in support of the
rebuilding of destroyed schools and the creation of a safer environment
for education in affected states.

Welcoming the pledges of support from the Commonwealth and UNFPA, made by
Mr. Sharma and Prof. Osotimehin, President Jonathan said that his
administration appreciated the solidarity of the International Community
as it grapples with the challenging task of overcoming the twin scourges
of terrorism and insurgency.

“We continue to work very hard to deal with the problem. It is a major
challenge and we welcome all the assistance we can get,” the President
said.

He also assured Mr. Sharma that Nigeria remains fully committed to the
goals of the Commonwealth and will continue to support all efforts to
reform and strengthen the organization for the benefit of member-countries
and their people.

Mr. Sharma had told the President that he was in Abuja to express the
Commonwealth’s full solidarity with Nigeria as it contends with the very
difficult task of overcoming insurgency and terrorism, and to also explore
ways in which the Commonwealth could assist Nigeria in that regard.

Prof. Osotimehin said that UNFPA was already working with the National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its civil society partners in
Nigeria to provide a measure of support to families and girls in some
affected states.

He expressed the hope that the United Nations will evolve a comprehensive
programme in support of efforts to deal with the humanitarian crisis
caused by terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.