Mohammed Thompson, a graduate of University of Lagos from Kogi State and currently serving in Cross River State House of Assembly, has donated to the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Bakassi Camp at Ikot Effiom Community of Bakassi Local Government Area in Cross River State.
The outreach programme was part of his Personal Community Development Projects.
In his opening remarks during the donation last Sunday, 26 February, Thompson said he is carrying out this project in the camp to draw the attention of government, media and well-meaning Nigerians who are currently focusing on only IDP Camps in the North East of Nigeria.
He added that most other camps are even more in pitiable conditions than the North East Camps now and therefore need urgent support too.
He added that this was his own little way of showing the returnees that they are not alone.
He prayed for them and urged them to remain peaceful, law abiding especially to their host community and never give up on Nigeria no matter their conditions.
The Corps member had previously organised Free Medical Outreach on Malaria testing and treatment, HIV testing and treatment, Blood Sugar Check, Weight and Height Check and Eye Testing and treatment for Esuko Otu Community, the host community of NYSC Cross River State Secretariat in which 186 person within and outside the community benefited from the outreach.
He also organised Startup Corpers Calabar Summit, a program attended by the Speaker, Cross River State House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government Cross River State, AIG Zone 6, Commissioner for Youth and Sport Cross River State, National President Nigeria Youth Congress, officials of CBN, Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and Sterling Bank to interact with corps members in Cross River State in pursuit of a better after NYSC Life.
Chief Ekpo E. Effiom, the community head of IkotEffionm in his reaction said: “I am very happy and grateful for what this corper has done for my people. I never expected that a corps member can carry out this kind of laudable project. May God bless him and give him better job after NYSC.
Chief Effiom added, “I want to use the medium to call on government at all levels to redeem the promises they made mostly in the area of providing basic amenities for returnees’ camp as well as empowering them to be financially independent. I want to also call on other corps members and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the good work done by Thompson.”
Representative of the women leader of the camp, Mrs Ikwo Fuaston, also added: “I want to thank this person very much for coming to assist us, for coming to give us these things, we really appreciate it. We are pleading that please it should not end here, they should talk to government so that they should not forget us here that we are IDPs, we don’t have anything to do, we only do menial jobs for a living, they should once in a while come to our aid.”
Umo Asuquo Ekpo Jnr, youth leader for Ward 7 where the camp is situated also said: “To the person that made my people to feel happy today, I say may God almighty in his infinite mercy bless him and keep him, give him the grace and zeal to continue doing what he has done here today so that at the end all glory and honour be given unto God.”
On his expectation after the donation, Jennifer Kelechi Ekwujuru, a member of Thompson team said: “Our visit to Bakassi IDPs camp was a success and distribution of the items went well. It gave me an insight of what an IDP camp looked like and what people in such situation faced, seeing them happy as they stood in a queue to pick up their own gift items.
“They voiced out what they needed and they can do if the government provided things like lands and skill acquisition for them. I am so glad Mohammed Thompson, my fellow corper, came up with this initiative to visit the IDP and donate items like sanitary pads, clothes tomatoes etc to them. Mohammed is a thoughtful corper whom apart from visiting the IDPs has done other projects like Startup Corpers Calabar and health outreach. He is indeed a corper to be emulated, I see him as a role model and motivator because he has proven to me beyond all reasonable doubts that you don’t need to have it all to make an impact”
At least, 135 children, 107 women and 16 men making a total of 258 persons participated in the program.
The donation includes 500 pieces of Sanitary pads, 10 dozens of exercise books, 4 bags of fairly used clothes (Okrika), two bales of long lasting treated mosquito nets, 2 cartons of tin tomatoes, 10 packs of pampers and 5 dozens of sachet custard power.
The project featured Roll- Back Malaria Campaign and Donations.
It was supported by Cross River State House of Assembly, Nigerian Port Authority, Oando Plc., The Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, Calabar, Eva Giant Limited; the State Controller, Nigerian Customs Service, Calabar Free Trade Zone.