Southern Cameroonian Refugees in Nigeria create, SCRC platform
A resolution officially announcing the creation of the Southern Cameroon Refugee for Change, SCRC, said the platform is born out of a June 29, 2022, enlarged crisis meeting held in one of the Refugee camps in Nigeria.
Southern Cameroon Refugee for Change” (SCRC) – a new, unifier, apolitical and nonpartisan, civil society refugee movement
The SCRC said the creation has the backing of several stakeholders who saw the need for the new platform so as to settle issues concerning Refugees in Nigeria,
“In attendance, all settlement stakeholders, including SEMA (State Emergency Management Agency); Department of State Security (DSS); National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and partners – on the one hand -: and the refugee Executive Bureau, Community leaders; leaders of refugee-owned CBOs; leaders of refugee businesses, cultural, social and sports associations as well as refugee opinion leaders of Adagom I refugee settlement,” a statement read.
The SCRC notes that for the crisis among the Refugees to be resolved,
“A Transition Council of twelve (12) refugee leaders of high standing: that is, uncompromising integrity, neutrality, and maturity be elected to lead the Adagom I refugee settlement through this two (2) months transition.”
Mr Angelbert NDE who signed this document at the Adagom I, Ogoja- Cross River State (CRS)on behalf of SCRC said, “the intention of this movement is not to declare war on anyone. But to bring unity, peace and harmony to the entire settlement, with everyone looking into a common future where the improving welfare of our fellow sisters and brothers refugees, is everyone’s main mantra.”
Refugees are said to have been divided over several issues affecting their livelihoods in Adagom but according to Mr. Nde, the Director of the Nigerian State Emergency Management Agency has assured Refugees that things will come back to normalcy
“Refugee Executive Bureau, Community leaders; leaders of refugee-owned CBOs; leaders of refugee businesses, cultural, social and sports associations as well as refugee opinion leaders of Adagom I refugee settlement, on the other – finally managed to reconcile themselves to the sacrosanct assurance from the Director General (DG) of SEMA (State Emergency Management Agency), Mr. Ayime Princewill, that the current Chairman be spared because, he, Mr. Ayime, is now the guarantee that the former, must step down by month end when his mandate officially rounds off.”
According to Relief Web, “Over 65,000 Cameroonian refugee men, women and children are registered in Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross River and Taraba States in Nigeria. Over 4,000 new refugee arrivals were reported in Taraba State, forced to flee violence in Cameroon. Urgent needs included food, sleeping mats, blankets, and health care.”
The Refugees fled armed conflict in the Anglophone regions in 2016.
