Zulum distributes food, others to 70, 000 flood victims with N255 million support
By Njadvara MUSA, Maiduguri
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has distributed food and non-food items to 70, 000 flood victims with N255 million support to restore their livelihoods.
According to him, the two-month flooding has destroyed many farmlands in Ngala and Kala/Balge Local Government Areas of the state.
Distributing the flood relief items, at the weekend (Sunday), in Gambouru, Ngala and Wulgo towns, the Governor disclosed: “We’re here to distribute food and non-food items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) including Wulgo border community with Cameroon.”
He said that the distribution of relief materials is the continuation of humanitarian support to the displaced various communities.
“There are challenges in the Gambouru-Ngala communities this year, because of flooding that affected many farmlands,” he said, noting that most of the affected communities did not have access to their farmlands.
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According to him, this necessitated the State government to continue with the distribution of food and non-food items to the displaced people and other vulnerable groups.
Besides the distribution, the Governor was however happy with the return of 90 percent of the population to agricultural activities including livestock production.
He lamented that the people could not have access to their farmlands for about six years.
On the challenges in communities, he said: “The other main challenge of the people is the invasion of their farmlands by thousands of elephants in Ngala and Kala/Balge border councils.”
Unfortunately, he said that the elephants have destroyed many farmlands in the border area communities of the two councils.
“This what informs us to continue to provide food and non-food items to the people to next rainy season of 2023,” he said.
Speaking of the inaugurated Gambouru cattle market, he said: “We have resumed the haulage of cattle from here to Maiduguri, the state capital,” noting that the transportation of cattle was banned for six years.
He attributed the haulage stoppage to the over a decade Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property.
He added that recently the State government has provided patrol vehicles to the military, Civilian JTF and other security agencies to secure the border areas with Cameroon.
Continued; “We are also strengthening the ongoing rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected people in border communities with Cameroon.”
He further disclosed that the rehabilitation include the reintegration of over 81, 000 repentant Boko Haram terrorists and their families into communities.
