Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima on Tuesday cancelled his Government’s earlier plan for Internally Displaced Persons,IDPs to return to their homes in Bama before commencement of the 2017 Ramadan fast by the end of May, 2017. The Governor had last year relocated to Bama where he launched aggressive reconstruction of private homes and public buildings destroyed by Boko Haram during their nearly two years occupation from 2013 to 2015 with a target of IDP’s returning before May 29, 2017 which is about th time Ramadan is to commence.
Shettima announced the change in Bama town while commissioning 12 public infrastructures rebuilt by the Borno State Government but funded with N360m provided by the Victims Support Fund. The fund was established in 2014 under the chairmanship of General T.Y Danjuma after a Presidential fund raising that generated donations from the public and private sectors.
“Our goal was for our people to be able to return to Bama before this Ramadan. Unfortunately, this is not feasible because the military is still carrying out operations in some areas around the Sambisa as part of mop up exercise in the yet to be concluded fight against Boko Haram. We will continue to work with security agencies to review situations. Our number one priority is the security and safety of our people. We will not allow any IDP return to any community that we are not has regained 100% safety. When IDP’S return to communities, they would still need to go to their farms, markets and to travel for economic and social purposes. We must be sure that farms are safe and routes are safe before we allow our people to return. But even while we do the reviews, we will continue with our aggressive reconstruction works. We will not wait till eternity. We are very optimistic that very soon, the entire Borno will be safe enough for full habitation. We look forward to Borno reclaiming peace, security and progress” the Governor said.
Shettima also explained his Government’s reasons for laying emphasis on Bama saying the explanation was to set record straight.
”For the purpose of setting records straight, I think I should use this opportunity, to once again explain, that we are focusing sharing our focus on all parts of Borno State not just on Bama. Our reconstruction works actually started in northern Borno where we rebuilt numerous public and private infrastructures in Kaga local government area. We are currently working in 14 Local Government Areas but ys, there is a special emphasis on Bama, Mobbar and Gwoza. Bama has the highest attention because going by the Post Insurgency Recovery and Peace Building Assessment Report jointly conducted on the Northeast by the World Bank, the European Union, the Presidency and State Government in the northeast, Bama has been adjudged the worst destroyed by the Boko Haram. More than 80% of public and private infrastructures were destroyed by Boko Haram during their occupation. The Boko Haram as we all know, also occupied Gwoza but they didn’t destroy Gwoza as much as they destroyed Bama. So, our idea of facing Bama is to confront the most difficult challenge in a bold manner so that our task becomes less. Next to Bama in terms of massive destruction is Mobbar. We are currently working in Mobbar. We have deployed so much resources so that we also confront the rebuilding challenge” the Governor said.
The Governor paid glowing tribute to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Armed Forces for their roles in securing Bama which paved way for ongoing reconstruction works. The Governor also paid tribute to Chairman of the Fund, General Theophilus Danjuma and members of prudent utilization of funds available to the VSF. He thanked Nigerians who redeemed pledges to the VSF.
In his remarks, General Danjuma, represented by Vice Chairman of the VSF, Tijjani Tumsah said the VSF decided to make intervention in Bama because the fund was impressed that while it provided N250m for reconstruction of 24 projects in Dikwa last year, the Borno State Government used the same funds to rebuild not only the 24 projects but added 16 others.
Executive Director of the VSF, Professor Sunday Ochoche also commended the Borno Government for what he described as “very efficient and highly productive use of resources” in all its partnership with the Government. Ochoche announced that the fund will soon begin rehabilitation of 16 schools in other parts of the State as part of its continued intervention.
The Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibrahim Umar Elkanemi who was at the commissioning thanked the Federal and Borno Government for standing by the people of Bama.
