Buhari tours ruins of Maiduguri market as FG donates relief items 

President inaugurates emergency power project
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, toured the ruins of Maiduguri Monday Market, destroyed by fire recently, and commiserated with the government and people of the state on the incident.

The President was also at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, to register his condolences to indigenes of the state who lost property and means of livelihood in the disaster. 

The President visited the market, still smouldering five days after, with Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, members of the Federal Executive Council and some eminent citizens of the state.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, told the President that assessment on the level of damage is still ongoing.

She announced that the Federal Government has provided immediate relief materials to victims of the fire incident, including 20,000 bags of rice, 20,000 bags of maize and condiments. 

The minister pledged that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Borno State government, would provide building materials to rebuild the market.

“After the assessment, the Ministry will submit a full report to Mr. President to seek special intervention,” she said. 

Zulum said the market, which was built in the 1970s, was completely destroyed by the fire.

ALSO, Buhari inaugurated the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project, describing the feat as another testament towards achieving stable, uninterrupted power supply and improving the economy and lives of Nigerians.

The gas plant was constructed by Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to supply 50 megawatts of electricity to Maiduguri and environs.

Speaking at the occasion, the President said his administration has worked hard to fulfill the promise of tackling the nation’s electricity challenges and has succeeded in laying the foundation for a strong, prosperous country through the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

He noted that a key execution priority of the ERGP is ensuring national energy sufficiency for Nigerians.

He said: ‘’The Maiduguri Emergency Power Project is part of an incremental 4,000MW of power generating assets that this administration embarked upon to improve national power supply and stimulate economic growth.

‘’The aggressive project strategy deployed to complete this project on schedule is a total reflection of Federal Government’s sensitivities in identifying and easing the plight of Nigerians, particularly those recovering from adverse impact of insurgency in the North East region.”