Attesting to its commitment to assist Nigeria with its insecurity crisis, Japan has stated that it will extend an Emergency Grant Aid of $ 855,000 (equivalent of JPY 83 million) for the main purpose of supporting the abducted schoolgirls and their families in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
Japan stated this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja,yesterday.
According to the statement, the government of Japan, upon requests by UN organisations and the government of Nigeria, decided to extend emergency grant aid of $855,000 (approximately 83 million Japanese yen), to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other organisations.
The statement reads in part, “This emergency grant aid is expected to contribute to providing support for the psychosocial and physical care of communities of Chibok LGA (Local Government Area) in Borno State, which is suffering direct and indirect harm as a result of the abduction of school girls by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram on 14 April 2014.
“This support project would be implemented with the support of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); International Labour Organization (ILO); United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); and other organisations.”
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Kishida, had earlier said that the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls are issues on which the international community should work together, saying such acts by Boko Haram should never be tolerated.
“The Government of Japan renews its determination to continue to cooperate with the people and Government of Nigeria, and the international community to eliminate acts of terrorism and to contribute to the peace and security of the region,” the statement added.
Vice President of the German Parliament, Mr Johannes Singhammer, has expressed the desire of his parliament to support members of the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign in Nigeria.
Mr Johannes lead a team of German parliamentarians to a meeting on Friday with the campaigners who have been converging on Abuja on a daily basis to press for the release of the 219 school girls abducted in Chibok on April 14.
The delegation condemned the abduction and promised to liaise with the Federal Government to speed up the rescue operations.
The support-pledge is coming on the same day the Presidential Fact Finding Committee on the Abduction of Chibok School Girls submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In the report, the committee said 219 girls are still held by the members of the Boko Haram terrorist group that abducted the girls from their school dormitory.
The report of the committee led by Brigadier-General Ibrahim Sabo laid to rest any doubt whether or not the girls were abducted, one of the reasons for setting up the committee.
According to the report, a total of 276 students were abducted, while 57 have been reunited with their families after escaping from the terrorists.
“Until The Girls Are Back”
The Bring Back Our Girls group started the campaign few weeks after the girls were taken from their dormitory in the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, is among the top individuals championing the campaign and they have pledged to continue the protest “until the girls are brought back”.
A military chief, few weeks ago, said the military, currently countering terrorism in the north east, had reliable information about where the girls were held, but stressed that the military was doing its best to ensure that there will not be casualties while trying to rescue the girls.
The abduction of the girls had triggered protest in some countries, garnering international support for the Nigerian government in the fight against the terrorist group that abducted the girls.
Canada, Egypt, France, US and some other countries pledged to provide intelligence support to the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against the insurgents.
No comments:
Post a Comment