Zulum bans relief materials distribution in resettled Borno communities
By Tada JUTHA, Maiduguri
The Borno State Government has banned the distribution of food and non-food materials in already resettled communities across the state.
The ban was to build and support people’s resilience and get out of poverty with community livelihoods.
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While banning the distribution yesterday (Thursday) in Maiduguri; in a letter to all humanitarian and development partners, including UNOCHA, Governor Babagana Zulum disclosed: “To this end, the State Government has committed to closing all official Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri by December, 2021.”
He said that the initiatives to close IDP camps is to empower people to begin to build and restore livelihoods in the resettled communities.
According to him, the resettled communities include Ajiri, Auno, Mafa, Ngoshe, Marte, Mairari, Kauwuri, Pulka, Baga and Doron Baga on the shores of Lake Chad.
“The cardinal principles of resilience building efforts,” he said; are to win people off humanitarian food distribution and replace them with empowering them with dignity.
The dignity, according to him, was to enable IDP returnees to buy their own food and determine their future in the liberated communities.
“While reiterating the relief materials ban, the state government; after consultations with communities,” he said, stating that the government has decided that no partner, national or international, shall henceforth be allowed to embark on the distribution of relief materials in any of the 10 resettled communities.
The Governor warned that relief materials distribution will only be allowed in official IDP camps and host communities for now.
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To reduce duplications, he said: “In ensuring coordination all partners wish to start distributing food and non-food items should be discussed first and cleared by the State Government.
“While we look forward to your conforming to this decision, please accept my appreciation for your partnership to support the state government and its citizens,” he said.
