Senator Bukola Saraki has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to give account of the Terror Victims Support Fund (TVSF) raised last year to cushion the agony of the victims of Boko Haram attacks.

Saraki expressed worries that thousands of displaced persons were yet to gain access to the support fund.

In a comment posted on his twitter handle, @Bukolasaraki, the former governor insisted that the President had not lived up to his promise of ending insurgency. He called on his twitter followers to rate Jonathan’s performance.

He tweeted: “On Nov 11, 2014, GEJ said that he ‘will do everything humanly possible to end this violence.’ Rate his performance. What happened to N80billion Terror Victims Support Fund raised in 2014? Or is it N60 billion since they keep changing figures?”

In a related statement issued by his spokesman, Bamikole Omishore, Saraki, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, insisted that it is sad that months after the inauguration of the committee, thousands of displaced victims of terror are yet to gain access to the funds.

He said, “The terms of reference for the committee included to identify sources and ways of raising sustainable funding to support victims of Boko Haram terror activities; to develop appropriate strategies for the fund raising and to ascertain the persons, communities, facilities and economic assets affected by Boko Haram terror activities.

“The committee was also mandated to assess and determine the appropriate support required in each case, manage, disburse or administer support to the victims as appropriate; to address related challenges as may be appropriate; and to advise government on other matter(s) necessary or incidental to support victims of Boko Haram terror activities among others.

“While inaugurating the committee, Jonathan had told the members to mobilise collective efforts and resources in support of terror victims and urged Nigerians and non-Nigerians, individuals and corporate bodies, to give generously to the fund.

“Donors to the funds so far included banks and captains of blue chip industries in the country.”

But the Federal Government on August 1, last year, told Nigerians that N58.7 billion was raised through the Terror Victims Support Fund (TVSF), to assist victims of terrorist attacks, who most times are left to fend for themselves.

Excerpted from THE NATION

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