Yobe State Government and WFP Support 9,222 Returnee IDPs in Gujba East

The Yobe State Government, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Centre for Community Development and Research Network (CCDRN), has successfully supported 9,222 returnee internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gujba East. This initiative is part of a broader effort to provide essential aid and support to vulnerable households affected by displacement.

As part of the support, each registered household received a monthly food voucher worth 59,000 Naira. This voucher system ensures that beneficiaries can access essential food items from WFP-accredited retailers, thereby addressing their immediate nutritional needs.

The registration and distribution process was meticulously planned and executed over a 12-day period from August 5 to August 16, 2024. The exercise covered five wards in Gujba LGA: Gotala Gotumba, Goniri, Mandunari, Dadingel, and Ngurbuwa. To maximize efficiency, the registration team was divided into two groups, stationed in Katarko and Gujba town, to better serve beneficiaries locally.

A stakeholders’ engagement meeting was held to discuss the scale-up registration, bringing together representatives from WFP, YOSEMA, community leadership, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. This meeting, held at the CCDRN conference hall on July 27, 2024, aimed to ensure the successful execution of the registration exercise.

To prevent unauthorized collection, the card collection methodology involved using mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) devices with fingerprint authentication. Out of the 7,084 cards collected, 215 were identified as duplicates, leaving 6,869 cards for distribution. As of September 6, only 41 cards were left for collection.

Beneficiaries, upon receiving their cards, proceeded to WFP-accredited retailers to redeem their entitlements, valued at a flat rate of 59,000 Naira. They were also sensitized to select their preferred food items from the WFP food basket displayed at each retailer’s shop, monitored by the CCDRN team.

Despite some technical challenges that prevented about 25 households from redeeming their entitlements, the initiative has been largely successful. Over 200 additional cards are expected to be printed to complete the initial target of 7,200 households.

This comprehensive support underscores the commitment of the Yobe State Government, WFP, and CCDRN to provide timely and effective assistance to returnee IDPs, ensuring they have access to essential resources during this critical period of resettlement and recovery.