President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Friday, said that accountability and oversight must be necessary components in the nation’s efforts to rehabilitate the insurgency-ravaged North East zone.
Saraki’s statement was in response to the conclusion of the four-day visit by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs), Dr. Chaloka Beyani.
The Senate President indicated that he was encouraged to learn that the international community is beginning to pay more attention to the suffering in the North East.
“We are hopeful about the increasing international attention being shown toward the North East. On our part, we need to make sure that our accountability mechanisms generate confidence in our ability to absorb and monitor the delivery of aid material and resources”, he stated.
Saraki noted that Nigeria was heading in the right direction in tackling the North East’s humanitarian crisis, however, there are still many issues in the areas of accountability, such as sexual abuse, lack of protection and the provision of basic services that need to be addressed.
He also emphasized the need to focus less on the sensational stories of corruption in the relief effort but instead focus more on transparent systems to root out corruption and profiteering. Saraki further stated that when the 8th Senate resumes sitting later in the month, the humanitarian crisis in the North East will be a high priority.
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