Gov Buni seeks global support to resettle 1.2 million IDPs in Yobe
According to him, the State government needed housing and other infrastructural facilities, as most of them were destroyed in the over a decade Boko Haram insurgency,
Buni solicited the resettlement support, on Thursday in Damaturu, while receiving the World Bank team to overcome the challenges of resettling IDPs into communities.
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He noted that the global support with government efforts could expedite actions in resettling the displaced persons with livelihoods recovery projects.
The Governor, also lamented that the State is the second most hit by terrorism, after the neighbouring state of Borno.
Besides, he added that there were massive influx of IDPs from other states affected by the over a decade insurgency in the Northeast.
“The influx of displaced persons has put more pressures by overstretching the existing facilities in Damaturu and host communities,” he said.
Buni, therefore, reassured the World Bank of the State government’s readiness to resettle and rehabilitate the over one million IDPs.
“We’ll support the rewarding partnership with the World Bank for the SOLID projects to be executed in the State,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said that a focal point and coordinator for SOLID projects has been appointed by the State government.
He, therefore, urged that bank to collaborate with the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on data generation and strategic policy implementation on resettlement and rehabilitation of IDPs.
He also directed the MDAs to identify areas of intervention for the World Bank.
“I will personally monitor the implementation of the SOLID project to ensure its success in the state,” he said.
While thanking the World Bank, he assured of government support and partnership in the execution of resettlement projects in the state.
The bank’s task team leader, Ford Malkawi, said that they were in the State to work on projects through the Multi-Sectorial Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP).
“The Bank is to identify challenges of the host communities, and chart ways of improving livelihoods through support to agriculture,” he said, noting that this will ensure the success stories of resettlements and rehabilitation.
