The World Bank has earmarked $800 million to support the rebuilding of the infrastructure destroyed in the North East by the Boko Haram insurgency.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms Fatma Samoura, disclosed this yesterday in Maiduguri during a visit to Gov Kashim Shettima.
Samoura, who is also a UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, said the UN was scaling up its presence in Borno and other North Eastern states ravaged by the insurgency.
“Yesterday, we had a long discussion with the World Bank team that came from Washington to attend the workshop.
“The workshop is for validating the year findings of the recovery and peace-building assessment.
“They have promised to leverage 800 million dollars for the North East to response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management and debris processing for the North East of Nigeria,” she said.
She regretted that the UN was having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world. “We are trying our best to ensure that our advocacy and our communication strategy are up to the level where we will be receiving more attention from the donor community.
“The humanitarian response plan, as we speak, is just 10 per cent funded, meaning we have only received $24m This is out of $248m budgeted for the North East for 2016,” she said.
Responding, Gov Shettima commended the UN for standing by the government and people of Borno in identifying the root causes and also finding lasting solutions to the insurgency.
Shettima, however, described that the $800m pledge by the World Bank as grossly inadequate in view of the enormous challenges left behind by the insurgency.
“It is in the interest of humanity to rally round Nigeria over Boko Haram. The developed world gave Turkey $2bn to resettle refugees from Syria. There are about two million IDPs from Borno and 20 Local Government Areas were overrun by Boko Haram and there is food crisis now in the state,” he said.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support to victims of insurgency. (NAN)
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