Borno completes 11,180 homes, schools for return of Bama IDPs

The Borno State Government yesterday said that 11,180 private homes, schools and boreholes have been completed by the state Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (MRRR) to ease the return of
Bama displaced persons this year.

Briefing the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, who was in Bama to assess the state’s resettlement projects, Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Prof Babagana Umara, disclosed that 11,000 private residents for displaced victims of Boko Haram attacks had been completed in readiness of their return.

Umara said Bama was the worse hit out of the destroyed towns and communities in the state, with 90 per cent of its houses and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents between 2013 and 2015.

“Despite challenges of funding our rehabilitation and resettlement projects, the ministry has rebuilt 170 classrooms in 11 destroyed schools for pupils and students to commence learning.

According to him, township electrification and water supply projects have also been completed, including the sinking of 10 boreholes in the affected wards of Bama.

Amina was in Bama to assess gaps in humanitarian needs of IDPs and the state government’s reconstruction efforts, so as to make accurate report to the UN in order to identify areas of intervention.