By Dauda R Pam
Borno state Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has flagged off the distribution of food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Monguno, to mark the state’s humanitarian day.
The Governor in an interview with the media, said, ” we are here in Monguno purposely to distribute food items to the IDPS residing in Monguno who have not been benefiting from any humanitarian support”.
Prof. Zulum, who spent two days in Monguno, where he personally supervised the distribution of the food items across the 13 different camps in the town, said he was impressed with the conduct of the exercise.
”We are going to give items to 20,000 households, each household will get one 50 kg of maize flour and unprocessed maize. We are going to continue to assist them,” the governor added.
Hear him, “I wish to pay tribute to all humanitarian workers that lost their lives while discharging their duties in the state. I pray that Allah in his infinite mercy forgive their shortcomings and grant their families the fortitude to bear the loss. I also wish to appreciate the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator In Nigeria, Ambassador. Edward Karlon, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Borno. State, the Nigerian Military, Para-Military, Civilian JTF, Hunters and vigilantes.”
Zulum also used the occasion to officially lay the foundation of 1,000 housing estate in Mungono where he noted that” Government is not unmindful of the plight of IDPs and therefore, we are going to construct 1,000 houses for them through the ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement., So that our IDPs will be resettled in a dignified manner”.
He expressed profound gratitude to the Federal Government National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and appealed to other International Non-Governmental Organisations for more support, as the humanitarian crisis in the state was huge. Adding that Borno state government is ever ready to partner and collaborate with all humanitarian stakeholders in the state to bring succour to the IDPs.
Zulum also revealed that the government will provide vehicles, uniforms and logistics in addition to payment of #15,000 to each of the 267 members of the vigilantes in the area.
The Chairperson Borno state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, in her remarks said, ” the distribution is targeting 30,000 households. We have brought 28,000 bags of rice, 2000 cartoons of sugar and 1,000 of salt, 2,000 jerricans of cooking oil”, for distribution
