Today it was a resounding victory for the Berom nation at the House Committee on Petitions, Abuja.

BECO defended its petition at the sitting of the Committee on Petitions. It’s recalled that last month, through the active involvement of our dynamic House Member, Dr Simon Mwadkwon, the BECO forwarded a petition to the House against the continuation of the on-going Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) exercise in Barkin Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency, until all displaced persons living as IDPs, are properly and securely rehabilitated in their ancestral homes.

Today we threw more light on the petition as we fielded questions from the Committee members. The National Population Commission, my former employers, responded, but unfortunately, unsuccessfully, as our petition was watertight.

To back out petition was a motion brought before the House plenary by a member from Niger state, two days back, calling for the suspension of all activities relating to the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census, pending the resolution of security related matters in the country. The motion was unanimously adopted.

Support came our way also from unexpectedly, a Hausa man and former House member, borne and bred in Kuru Jenta, who was at the session with a group to defend their petition. He spoke passionately on the plight of the displaced people of the Jos region and completely threw his weight behind our petition.

We cannot in anyway possible, thank Hon Mwadkwon enough, for the fantastic contribution to the success story of today.

• Da Chollom Gyang, BECO Secretary