Borno earmarks N13 billion to rebuild liberated communities

Borno State has allocated N13, 020, 133.985.00 to the newly established Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR) for massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of destroyed towns and villages, including critical infrastructures in liberated communities.

Governor Kashim Shettima disclosed this yesterday in Maiduguri, after presenting next year’s N183.84 billion budget to the House of Assembly.He said the MRRR has become the focal ministry for the post Boko Haram insurgency reconstruction efforts of his government towards returning the 1.6 million IDPs on or before May 29, 2017.

Shettima said: “We invested huge sums of money towards the completion of all on-going projects and rehabilitation of public structures and in the process provided employment for over 2, 000 youths.

“This was done through extensive collaboration with international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the state.‘’Government had specifically undertaken the reconstruction of 41 public infrastructures at Dikwa, Mainok and Mainta Kururi, Model Villages.

“We have also provided temporary shelter in collaboration with humanitarian organisations in Bama, Mafa, Damboa, Gwoza and Konduga among others,” said Shettima.

On ongoing reconstruction projects, he said: “Reconstruction efforts are on-going in eight council areas of Bama, Gwoza, Askira Uba, Chibok, Mafa, Damboa, Hawul.

He said commercial activities have begun to pick-up even in communities hitherto over-run by the insurgents.To overcome the challenges of feeding returnee IDPsgovernment will distribute rice and other food items in 27 council areas of the state by January next year.

The food distribution programme tagged: “IDPs Stomach Infrastructure;” was in addition to the N5.4 billion allocated for ‘emergency socioeconomic activities’ towards empowering them.

Governor Shetimma explained that even in ordinary times, majority of citizens do not find it easy to meet basic needs of life. He added that the government had simultaneously revamped the local economies of the affected liberated communities.He said government will establish 10 cottage industries, and invest more in the agriculture, education and social sectors of the economy.