Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State, on Saturday called on leaders across the globe to increase donations to victims of conflicts and aid workers caring for them.
Obaseki made the call as the world marked World Humanitarian Day, a day set aside by the United Nations to identify with civilian victims of wars and all forms of conflicts.
This year, the United Nations is drawing attention to aid workers who are increasingly becoming targets in conflict situations.
Obaseki said: “As we mark the 2017 edition of World Humanitarian Day, today August 19, 2017, I urge the global community to scale up donations and other forms of support for victims of wars and crises across the globe as well as aid workers who are taking care of them.”
The governor explained that “Wars and crises leave in their wake, varying figures of deaths, the injured and those cut off from their homes, including women and children.
“The United Nations’ World Humanitarian Day affords all of us in the global human community to share in the sense of loss of victims of conflicts, mobilize resources for them and salute the sacrifices of aid workers who put their lives on the line while caring for these victims of war.”
According to Obaseki, “These victims include our brothers and sisters in the North East region of Nigeria, who have lost persons and property to the Boko Haram insurgency in that region, some of whom are in various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the country.”
He maintained that the increasing number of war victims would require more than the usual efforts of governments and charitable individuals.
“I respectfully call on governments to do more in protecting this class of vulnerable people. And as one global human family, we all – individuals, religious bodies, professional groups, communities amongst others, should spare a thought, some food, water, medical consumables and other forms of assistance for these victims and their care givers to enhance their wellbeing,” Obaseki said.
