No fewer than 1,571 heads of households affected by various attacks in Plateau State on Monday received a total of N1.5 billion as financial support to cushion the trauma and hardship arising from the incidents.
Speaking at the disbursement ceremony held at the Government House in Jos, Governor Caleb Mutfwang disclosed that N1 billion of the fund was donated by the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while the Plateau State Government contributed an additional N500 million.
In his keynote address at the ceremony, Governor Mutfwang described the attacks on innocent citizens as a sad development, stressing that people had been subjected to violence without justification.
Mutfwang said 1,571 families had so far been identified to benefit from the intervention. The beneficiaries were drawn from five local government areas affected by recurring attacks: Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Riyom and Bassa.
The governor thanked the President’s wife for coming to the aid of survivors of the attacks, noting that no amount of money could completely erase the agony and trauma suffered by the victims.
He lamented that the violence had left some women widowed and children orphaned, while families had also lost loved ones and means of livelihood.
Mutfwang encouraged the beneficiaries not to lose hope, saying, “A setback shouldn’t be the end of a life, but a stepping stone when one persists.”
He also appealed to the heads of households to use the financial assistance judiciously for the benefit of their families.
“Let me not hear that any household here marries a second wife,” the governor said jokingly, urging beneficiaries to prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of their families.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, prayed for an end to the recurring attacks in Plateau State.
Yilwatda said he had personally experienced an attack and therefore understood the pain and difficulties being endured by the survivors.
He appreciated Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her kindness and compassion towards the affected families, while also commending Governor Mutfwang for augmenting the donation with N500 million.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Services, Dr. Kachollom Gang, described the intervention by the First Lady as a kind gesture that demonstrated solidarity with victims of the attacks.
Gang said the financial assistance was intended to support the wellbeing of the affected families and demonstrate compassion towards Plateau residents who had suffered losses.
Explaining the process used to identify the beneficiaries, the Director-General of Research and Development, Government House, Dr. Sam Godongs, said the state government was concerned about the welfare of all citizens affected by the attacks.
Godongs said a committee was constituted to identify the affected communities and families, stressing that the funds were not being distributed to communities as a whole but directly to affected households.
“The money is to be given to heads of households or their representatives who lost their loved ones,” Godongs explained, adding that some families had also lost houses, farm produce and other valuables.
It was gathered that leaders of various religious associations were also involved in the identification and verification of the affected families.
