BY EDMOND ODOK, CALABAR – The Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has warned of looming humanitarian crisis if the United Nations (UN) and Nigeria continue to remain unperturbed and detached from the current crisis in Southern Cameroon.
This is even as the Governor disclosed that over 2430 displaced persons are currently taking refuge in Cross River as thousands of Cameroonians daily flee their country into Nigeria due to worsening crisis.
Prof Ayade said it is inexcusable that no serious issue has been made of the people’s predicament on the global stage, warning that continuous foot-dragging on the part the United Nations and the Federal Government to urgently tackle the crisis will have dire socio-cultural and economic consequences on the sub-saharan Africa.
Speaking when the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Umar Farouq and the Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS High Commission for Refugees, Antonio Canhandula, visited him in Calabar, the Governor said the obvious reactionary attitude of the UN and the Federal Government smacks of sheer neglects and insensitivity to the plights of thousands displaced from their homes and separated from their families.
According to Governor Ayade: “You cannot watch the dislocation of family structures, kids being separated from their parents, husbands separated from their wives and all you do is to rush with food to their corridors and create squatters and camp for them and you think that is United Nations? You have failed. What is united about that? There is nothing united, if we are indeed a United Nations, the issue on Cameroon should be at the forefront of UN today.”
“Any form of relocation of a people, no matter how temporary is a failure of the world to address the issues that border on humanity and I think UN must take this message very clearly that it has gotten too involved in the politics of redistribution of wealth and has forgotten its essence which was peace, unity and love”, he asserted.
Prof Ayade said the world cannot afford the luxury of staying aloof and ignoring the humanitarian challenges arising from the crisis prone area, noting that; “The young people’s lives have been cut short, young kids don’t go to school, the entire Southern part of Cameroon, the English speaking, completely shut down, hospitals not working and people’s lives are in danger.”
The Governor, who said the situation is further worsened by the alleged closure of Cameroon International borders against the Anglophones Camerounians, insisted that such act should be condemned as criminal by the UN, as well as all well-meaning world leaders and groups,
“Today, the Cameroun international borders are all sealed against the Anglophone Cameroonians and UN is watching and coming with food; that is not food. That is poison because indeed you know their real trouble and the silence in you that you have done nothing today, just note that it will hunt you one day”, the Governor warned.
He however acknowledged Cameroon’s encouraging role at the height of Boko Haram and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Crisis, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari, as a true leader of Africa, to shun the politics surrounding the crisis and urgently intervene to save the lives of all suffering Cameroonian masses and every other Blackman on earth.
Describing the over 2430 refugees in the State as an indication of grave emergency, Governor Ayade assured of the State’s readiness to collaborate with the Federal Government and the UN to bring succour to victims of the crisis and ensure safe return to their homes within the shortest possible time.
“We will join hands with UN to find a political solution and lasting peaceful option for the people of Cameroon to live in peace and have prosperity and realise their full potentials as human beings”, he said.
In her remarks, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Farouq said the team was in the state to appreciate the government and people of Cross River for hosting the refugees who mostly came into the State through Ikom and Amaga in Obudu.
She said the team also met and engaged the victims currently being given relief materials to ameliorate their sufferings.
Also speaking during the visit, Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS High Commission for Refugees, Antonio Canhandula said that; “solutions to the crisis could not be offered by one person, hence we are here to offer our partnership towards resolving these problems”.
He said his organization would readily partner with other accredited UN agencies in the state to boost humanity care to the people and victims of the Cameroon crisis.
