The Federal Government, through the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), has commenced construction of a 100-room accommodation facility for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Cross River State as part of efforts to improve the welfare and living conditions of residents affected by disasters.
The commencement of work on the project was supervised on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Mr. Efa Nyong, who described the intervention as an important step towards addressing the accommodation challenges confronting displaced families.
Speaking at the project site, Nyong commended the leadership of the SSDC for translating its promise to support displaced persons into action, noting that the facility would provide safer and more suitable accommodation for vulnerable residents.
He particularly appreciated the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Ms. Usoro Offiong Akpabio, for her commitment to the project, while acknowledging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support for interventions addressing developmental and humanitarian challenges in the South-South region.
The CR-SEMA Director-General also expressed appreciation to Cross River State Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, for his commitment to the welfare of disaster-affected residents, stressing the importance of sustained government support for vulnerable families.
According to him, addressing the needs of displaced persons requires continued interventions in emergency relief, safe accommodation and sustainable recovery opportunities to enable affected families rebuild their lives.
The project followed an earlier visit by the SSDC Managing Director to the Nigerian Red Cross Society facility in Calabar, where she interacted with displaced persons and expressed concern over their living conditions.
During the visit, Akpabio emphasised the need for coordinated humanitarian interventions and lasting solutions to the accommodation difficulties confronting families displaced by different emergencies.
The 100-room facility is designed to provide more secure and decent accommodation for vulnerable residents, particularly those displaced by flooding, fire outbreaks and other disasters across the state.
The project, sponsored by the SSDC, is being implemented in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the Cross River State Government, CR-SEMA and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, which provided the space for the facility.
The partnership highlights the importance of cooperation between government institutions and humanitarian organisations in strengthening disaster response mechanisms and improving support for displaced persons.
The intervention also represents a shift towards more sustainable humanitarian solutions, with emphasis on providing safer living conditions and improving the welfare of families affected by disasters in Cross River State.
By David Asu
