FG Committed To Helping Victims Of Terrorism Rebuild Their Lives & Communities- President Jonathan

State house press release;

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.