By: Gbenga Akingbule
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiaya Umar Faruk on Thursday formally handed over 1000 Housing Units constructed by the Federal Government to the Borno State Government for immediate occupation by displaced persons.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Housing project, which was carried out through the North East Development Commission ( NEDC), is situated at Ngwom, Mafa Local Government Council where the lingering Boko Haram insurgency had led to the displacement of residents and the burning down of their homes.
With the return of relative peace to Ngwom and its environs, the Minister disclosed residents will not only get keys to their new homes but will also receive food and non-food items to restart their lives.
At Ngwom town where benefiting households, some of whom are disabled had gathered, the Minister said the 1000 Mass Housing Units are part of the 10,000 Housing units approved by President Muhammadu Buhari as a special intervention for Borno for the resettlement of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs)
“These houses are equipped with modern facilities which include four industrial solar-powered boreholes, street lights and sanitation facilities. It’s meant for IDPs and those that have lost their loved ones following Boko Haram attacks,” the Minister said.
The Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali who spoke at the occasion added that additional 500 houses will be constructed in the other Northeastern states of the country.
According to him, “we are going to construct 500 Housing Units in each of the other five states of the Northeast region.”
The MD revealed that the 1000 mass housing units consist of four blocks of 2-bedroom bungalows with veranda and courtyard in a cluster arrangement
“Each block sits on 400 Square meters with a perimeter fence and ample space for other home activities.”
The Humanitarian Minister who was accompanied to Maiduguri with her counterparts in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen and that of the Ministry of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba also Flag-Off the distribution of Food & Non-food Items, Commission Burn Centre at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital ( UMTH).
The Ministers also presented certificates and stat up packs to Batch B Graduands of NEDC ICT Training, performed Ground Breaking Ceremony of 300 seater Auditorium at the Centre for the Study Violent Extremism at the University of Maiduguri.
Visibly elated Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum commended the Federal Government and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular for the laudable intervention projects in the state.
“We are grateful to Mr President for all the people-oriented projects executed in Borno state but, like olive twist, we are appealing for more projects from the NEDC. We appeal to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to facilitate the construction of Ngwom – Zabarmari – Khadamari road and the Kukawa Damasak road.
“We also want the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to increase the number of beneficiaries from Borno state in its social register, especially under its N POWER Programme and other very important laudable projects that are meant to stamp out unemployment in the state,” Prof Zulum said.
