Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the construction of first phase of 1,000 resettlement houses at Darajamal and Mayanti communities in Bama Local Government Area.
The houses and social infrastructures are to be completed within 4 months, the Governor directed.
Zulum gave the approval on Wednesday, 18 October, 2023 during an assessment visit.
Both communities are to benefit from 500 houses each.
Darajamal and Mayanti, mostly agrarian communities were displaced by Boko Haram insurgents in 2014 and most of the residents are currently taking refuge in Bama and Banki towns.
“We are here to implement a policy statement I made about one year ago to resettle some of our IDPs, particularly in Bama and Banki. These are two locations in Borno that have a large number of IDPs. For this, we want to construct 500 houses each here in Darajamal and Mayanti, this should be the first phase of the construction exercise”, Zulum said.
The Governor explained that in addition to the construction of the houses, Borno State government will provide social infrastructures including, primary school, health centre and water facilities among other basic needs of the community.
Zulum also announced that resettlement packages, including food and non-food items and cash will be distributed to the returnees to support them in having a means of livelihood.
Governor Zulum was also at the Banki junction where he gave assurance that the government will
work towards resettling displaced persons currently taking refuge in Bama.
Zulum stated that with the return of people at Banki junction, Borno State government intends to revive commercial activities which hitherto provided job opportunities to thousands of residents.
The Governor also noted that the state government will work with the Nigerian military to secure communities and allow people to pick up pieces of their lives.
Zulum was accompanied by the House of Assembly members representing Bama Central and Gulumba Woloji, Baba Mala Sunoma and Baba Shehu Gulumba.
Others were the state Commissioners of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Engr. Ibrahim Idriss; Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe; and few senior government officials.
