The Federal Government on Thursday handed over 1,000 housing units to the Borno Government for distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ngwom village of Mafa Local Government Area of the state.
The newsmen report that the houses constructed through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) were part of the 10,000 Housing Scheme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Speaking at the ceremony, NEDC’s Managing Director, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, said that President Buhari in 2019 approved a mass housing project under the Special Presidential Intervention in Borno (SPIB).
SPIB is designed to provide decent accommodation to ameliorate the housing difficulties being experienced by displaced communities in Borno.
“As part of the exercise of the SPIB, the NEDC undertake the construction of the first 1,000 houses from its own resources and fund the equipping of the technical and vocational skills centres around the state at an estimated cost of N2 billion.
“The 1,000 houses consist of blocks of four units of two-bedrooms bungalows with veranda and courtyards in clusters arrangement.
“Each block sits on 400 square metres with perimeter fence and ample space for other home activities.
“The following social and economic facilities are also provided in the estate: Solar-powered street lights, four industrial solar-powered boreholes, planting of over 3,000 economic trees as well as provision for school, market, police station and motor park.
“In the spirit of building back-better, we are today delivering a Ngwom town instead of a village as it was before,” he said.
In their separate remarks, the Board Chairman of the Commission retired Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa and Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Sen. Yusuf A Yusuf, described the occasion as historic, adding that it would address the accommodation problem experienced by the displaced persons.
In her remarks, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to provide shelter and empowerment opportunities for the rural populace through various programmes.
Umar-Farouq said that apart from the housing project, the Commission would inaugurate other projects including the graduation of 218 ICT graduates and the distribution of food items.
Others were the handing over of the newly constructed Burn Centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), and the foundation lying of a 300-seat capacity auditorium at the centre for the study of Violent Extremism at the University of Maiduguri.
Also speaking, Gov. Babagana Zulum, lauded the Federal Government for its support to the state, describing the gesture as “timely.”
ThisNigeria Edition 54
Zulum said the gesture would fast track dignify resettlement of IDPs back to their ancestral homes.
The media report that event was attended by Mr Edward Kallon, UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Mrs Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, and Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
