Nigeria:Chibok Community Receives $855,000 Emergency Grant from Japan
By Staff Writer
The over 200 abducted Chibok secondary school girls and their families are to benefit from the $855,000 (N136.8 million) Japanese emergency support grant aid.
Japanese government has committed itself to assist the Chibok community in Borno State, with an emergency grant.
This financial assistance follows requests by United Nations Organization (UN) and the federal government.
According to a statement issued by the Japanese embassy in Abuja, the grant aid is expected to contribute to providing support for the psychosocial and physical care of communities of Chibok Local Government Area (LGA).
Special Adviser to the Ambassador of Japan in Nigeria on Economic Cooperation, Mariko Chiba, said in a statement that the fund would be channeled through the United Nations Children’s and Educational Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other organizations.
“On June 13, 2014, the government of Japan, upon requests by UN organizations and the Federal Government of Nigeria, decided to extend emergency grant aid of 855,000 US dollars (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 organizations,” Chiba said.
Chiba explained that the emergency aid was expected to contribute to providing support for the psychosocial and physical care of communities of Chibok in Borno State, as the community is suffering direct and indirect harm as a result of the abduction of school girls by the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram on April14 2014.
“The Summary of Support is the Protection of women from sexual and gender violence, Psychosocial support for the abducted school girls and their families” she said.
“The elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls are issues on which the international community should work together, and such acts by Boko Haram should never be tolerated,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Fumio Kishida
“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,” added Chibo.