The Borno State Government on Tuesday urged the Federal Government through the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiatives (PCNI) to without further delay commence the immediate implementation of Bama Initiatives meant for the reconstruction of social infrastructures that were destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Bama Local Government Area.
The government said, most of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were set to return to their original homes on Monday 2nd April, 2018.
Twelve thousand (12,000) IDPs have been screened at the IDPs camps housing victims of the Boko Haram insurgency from Bama local government for resettlement in the first phase of returning IDPs to their towns and villages across the local government.
Addressing Journalists on Tuesday in Maiduguri, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa, who led other stakeholders from Bama, said facilities in Bama town and its environs, particularly the road networks within the town needed to be reconnected to other areas.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Finance was said to have released some funds to that effect.
“As part of Borno state Government’s declared intention and deliberate commitment to the restoration of full normalcy in all parts of the state, the State Security Council meeting held last Thursday 15th March, 2018 approved the phased return of all IDPs from Bama.
“This is after careful and meticulous assessment of the overall security situation in Bama town and its surrounding communities, as well as the massive reconstruction efforts by the state government which resolved that the time is ripe and the atmosphere is favourable for the IDPs to go back to their homes in phases.
“It would interest you to know that Gov. Kashim Shettima has committed billions of naira despite its meagre resources to the reconstruction of virtually all institutional structures and most of the private residential buildings callously destroyed by the insurgents in Bama town and other communities, so most of our IDPs are guaranteed to a decent accommodation upon their return.
“However, in the first Phase as I said earlier, a special template is being designed to capture the essential personal data of prospective returnees for the purpose of easy identification and security clearance. All IDPs who have been shortlisted to return, would be accompanied by their respective District and Wards Heads, and adequate security by not only the conventional security agencies like the Police, DSS and Army, but also by Vigilante Groups and Hunters,” Shuwa stated.
The Chairman Transition and Relocation Committee, Alhaji Abba Jato Mohammed said so far the committee had registered and screened 12,000 IDPs at the IDPs camps for resettlement in the first phase for Saturday and that about 11,000 residential houses had been numbered and reconstructed for the owners in Bama town by the Borno state ministry of reconstruction rehabilitation and resettlement.
He added that other necessary facilities and amenities had been resuscitated and was ready for use, while state and federal government offices and establishments, including commercial areas and banks had been reconstructed and was ready for occupation.
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