Boko Haram; Governor Zulum urges FG to give Special consideration to Borno youths in the 774 Special Public Projects,

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

The Borno state Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum has called on the Federal government to give Special consideration to the state by engaging more Borno youths and women in the Federal Government 774 Special Public work projects due to the insurgency that ravaged the state in the last 10 years.

The governor made the appeal when flagging off the 774 Special Public works projects on Wednesday in Maiduguri said ” here in Borno we’re facing a lot of challenges due to decade long insurgency and further aggravated by the COVID 19 , we are appealing the Federal government to give special attention to Borno state”.

The Governor Zulum represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Umar Kadafur said “the pilot projects launched in Borno state in February, 2020 was successful but however the participants are yet to be paid their two months allowances. We urge the Federal Government to pay them.”

He said “the launhing of the Extended Public Works Project is timely, as the decade long insurgency has negatively affect the state. The Special public project is a strategy of creating jobs to teeming unemployed youths and women and in the fight against poverty.”

Also speaking, the Representative of the Federal Government, the State Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri said ” the Extended Special Public Works Projects is an initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari to create job to 774 ,000 youths and the pilot is taking place in Borno and 7 other states and will also be extended to to the 36 states and here in Borno 27000 youths and women are benefiting”.

” A Total of N1.62 billion has been set aside in different banks for the payment of their allowances and working tools were also provided for the youths to effectuveky carry out public work in different projects that will change their communities”, the minister added..

Hon Shehuri said ” in Borno state alone 4885 were trained various vocation skills acquisition, 596 women were trained in costimitology,, 50 people were trained in small scale enterprises and 15 were settled., 3,054 were trained micro empowerment scheme,, 500 internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were trained in various camps across the State among other programmes”.

He urged Nigerians to cooperate with beneficiaries and the officials for success of the projects across the nation.

In his welcome address, the Acting Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Abubakar Fikpo said the Extended Special Public Works Projects is very significant to the Federal Government quest to create job and fight unemployment, as well as cushioned the effect of COVID 19, adding that the projects is commencing in 8 states of Borno, Jigawa, Sokoto, Ondo, Adamawa, Eboyi among others.

The DG represented by his Special Assessment, Technical, Sumaila Mamman thanked President Bihari for entrusting the projects into the hands if NDE and promised to o justify the confidence eposed on them.

In his remarks, the chairman Borno state selection committee, Engr Bukar Talba commented President Buhari for the initiative of creating jobs to thousand of teeming unemployed youths, adding that Borno youths are hardworking and enterprising.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Liman Abba thanked the Federal government for giving them the opportunity and promised to put more efforts in discharging their duties.

1,163 IDP-children taking refuge in camps enrolled into schools in Damasak

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

A total of 1,163 children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were enrolled into primary school supervised by Governor Babagana Zulum on the 3rd day of his humanitarian trip to Damasak, in the shores of Lake Chad,.

The pupils who hailed from Guzamala and Abadam local government areas in northern Borno, had been out of school since the displacement of their parents and guardians, by Boko Haram, following attacks on communities they lived.

While speaking at the enrollment ceremony in Damasak on Monday, Governor Zulum appealed to parents to allow their children enroll in schools, adding that where functional schools are provided by government, social welfare assistance from government will eventually be restricted to parents who allow their children and wards to attend schools whether western or combined curriculum of Islamic and western education.

The governor also addressed secondary school students in Damasak and those who have written their senior schools certificate exams, in preparation for higher institution and promised all of them government support to help them actualize their dreams in live.

Zulum had traveled to Damasak Saturday morning, the day he launched the distribution of water pumps, fertilizer, seeds, chemicals and five thousand naira cash to each of 1,200 irrigation farmers embarking on food cultivation this dry season.

It could be recalled that during the visit on Sunday, the governor supervised the distribution of food combination to 10,000 internally displaced families in need of support. Each of the 10,000 families received 25kg of rice

Restoration of livelihood; Zulum in Damasak, distributes variety of inputs, cash to 1,200 dry season farmers

Distributed food items to 10,000 households

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

In it’s efforts to reduced dependence on humanitarian supports, the Borno state government has distributed variety of farm inputs to 1,200 irrigation farmers for food production this dry season.

Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno state while lauching the distribution of farm implements in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in northern Borno, yesterday urged the farmers to make good use of the implements so that they would not only feed their families but also sell the excess.

Zulum, who was accompanied by the senator representing northern Borno, who hails from the area, Senator Abubakar Kyari, distributed water pumps as key components of irrigation, fertilizer, seeds, chemicals and five thousand naira cash to each of the 1,200 farmers, all of whom will be cultivating rice and onions among other food crops.

The event was facilitated by the ministry of agriculture, under its commissioner, Engr Bukar Talba who spoke at the launch.

Damasak community members, led by Senator Kyari, thanked Zulum for his unquantifiable support, expressing their determination to increase food production in line with the governor’s vision in agriculture.

Zulum has always held the view that unless resettled communities engage in agricultural activities, there could be problems resulting unsustainable dependence on food aid from donors.

Similar in the second day in Damasak, the governor distributed food items to 10,000 internally displaced families

Damasak, a business town in northern Borno in the shores of the Lake Chad, Borno is about 200 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital

Each of the 10,000 families received 25kg of rice 25kg of beans, 25kg of maize and 5 litres of cooking oil as part of interventions before they can generate livelihoods for themselves in Damasak.

Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar local government area in northern Borno, is a former stronghold of Boko Haram insurgents before it was liberated with citizens now resettled by Zulum.

Zulum hopes that when farmers in Damasak, like others across the state, are able to cultivate food, dependence on food aid from donor partners will be largely reduced.