By Joe Adedeji, Ilorin.
A Senior Lecturer at the University of Ilorin has called on the Federal Government to engage in pro-active steps that would prevent uncontrollable spread of Coronavirus in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps across Nigeria.
Dr. Abiola Adimula of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS) said government should with immediate effect direct relevant Federal Ministries and Agencies to take steps to prevent widespread of the Coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 pandemic in the IDP camps.
She noted in a position paper she presented at the University that IDP camps are mostly characterized by overcrowded populations amidst severe infrastructure deficits.
According to her, “Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) populations in Nigeria are dominated by poorly educated, rural, farm-folk, who are hardly able to achieve meaningful livelihoods in their new, mostly urban settlements”.
She pointed out that; “they are typically impoverished and dependent on humanitarian aid for even their sustenance and have very limited access to healthcare or Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) amenities as well”.
Dr. Adimula lamented that IDPs in Nigeria were in very significant jeopardy.
Suggesting ways to curtail the spread of the disease, the scholar further advised that immediate intervention was necessary to decongest the IDP camps.
She said this could be done across the country by relocating some IDPs to school buildings, which were presently not in use because all school premises are currently empty courtesy of the pupils and students that are under the stay-at-home order.
“This can temporarily solve the problem of overcrowding in IDP camps that can fuel the COVID-19 infection”, she said adding that government aggressively needed to provide improved hygiene of clean water, soap, sanitizer and washing areas in large numbers. This would be in addition to whatever health services that exist in IDP camps, to ensure that the camps maintain good hygiene lifestyle this critical period.
Also, the university don called for the provision of food items to the IDPs which she said is key at this auspicious period.
Not only that, Dr. Adimula also appealed to the Federal Government to ensure regular and consistent supply of palliative materials to enhance good upkeep that would prevent brewing of other conflicts in the camps.
She added that most of the people in the IDP camps are not engaged in any meaningful job while the few ones engaged at all, were mostly into daily paid (menial) jobs.
“Hunger, idleness, restriction to move around and the present lockdown can instigate violence and fuel insecurity and health challenges to Nigerian’s population”, she concluded.