By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Acting Executive Secretary Benue State Emergency Management Agency, BSEMA, James Iorpuu has expressed appreciation for the support given the Agency by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, including the facilitation of the recruitment of staff to manage both the Cameroonian refugees hosted at Ikyogen and the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, across the state.
Iorpuu who spoke , Tuesday, at BSEMA headquarters in Makurdi, during a ceremony to handover a brand new six seater Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle donated to the Agency by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, acknowledged that the vehicle would ease the Agency’s transportation problem.
The Acting BSEMA boss who used the occasion to rededicate the Agency to God to mitigate the impact of disaster and to provide rapid response to persons of concern in Benue, equally commended the international organisation for donating the operational vehicle which he described as a life-line to reach out to those that depend on BSEMA in times of crisis.
He further disclosed that the intervention of a specialized emergency response operational vehicle from the UNHCR followed a request by BSEMA for the replacement of a damaged one as a result of an accident which occurred during an official trip to Jos, the Plateau state capital, where it damaged beyond repairs.
Iorpuu who expressed optimism that the partnership could transform challenges into opportunities, foster hope and rebuild lives, described the vehicle as a tool for hope, symbol of solidarity and tangible expression of UNHCR’s dedication to enhancing the Agency’s emergency response capabilities.
The Acting BSEMA boss assured stakeholders, partners and well- wishers of sustained collaboration and called for support to assist the Agency in living up to its mandate.
In her remark, while presenting the keys of the vehicle to BSEMA boss, head of sub- office UNHCR Ogoja, Mrs Irene Omondi, expressed appreciation to the Benue State government for the humanitarian efforts and assured that the UNHCR would continue to do its best to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable population in the state.