By Sophia Afolabi
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved N31 million in emergency financial assistance for 31 indigenes who recently returned from South Africa following reported xenophobic attacks.
Each of the returnees will receive N1 million to help them settle back home as the state government begins an assessment of their needs and plans further support for their reintegration.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, who disclosed this in a statement, noted that the intervention was approved to provide immediate assistance to the affected Abians.
The statement said the beneficiaries were selected after verification, while the government had commenced a profiling exercise to establish their personal, economic and social circumstances.
The outcome of the exercise, it said, would determine additional measures required to help the returnees rebuild their lives and regain financial stability.
Possible areas of intervention include vocational training, business support, healthcare and psychosocial assistance, depending on the needs identified during the assessment.
The state government said the latest intervention was part of Otti’s broader efforts to support vulnerable residents and ensure that Abians affected by difficult circumstances receive assistance from the government.
The returnees reportedly fled South Africa amid incidents of xenophobia, with some allegedly losing property and means of livelihood in the process.
Otti said the government’s responsibility extended to Abians wherever they might be, stressing that those returning home after experiencing hardship should not be left without support.
“Abia is home. We want our people to know that even in difficult times, their government stands with them,” the governor said.
The government said payment to the 31 beneficiaries would commence immediately, while work would continue on a broader reintegration programme.
The intervention, according to the statement, is expected to help the returnees transition from emergency assistance to sustainable livelihoods as they settle back into their communities.
