Borno Governor Visits Marte, distributes livelihood support to returnees

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

Governor, Babagana Zulum of Borno State has on Sunday visited Garade, a community in Marte Local Government Area of the state and distributed livelihood support to the recently returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), to enable them meet up their needs.

It could be recalled that the first batch of the IDP who are indigenes of Marte returned from Dikwa, Monguno and Maiduguri on the 30th of November 2020.

2,870 returnees from 500 households constitute the first batch of citizens to take shelter from the rehabilitated Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) quarters, after a request to the Managing Director by Governor Zulum during his earlier visit.

The governor personally supervised the distribution of the livelihood supports and food items where each of the household heads received a bag of rice and one bag of maize grit.

The residents, most of whom returned recently and largely farmers that have not engaged in farming activities could not meet their livelihood needs.

The governor also discussed modalities for providing support to enhance dry season farming activities in order to strengthen livelihood capabilities of the returnees.

While in Marte, Governor Zulum also took time to visit a makeshift market established by the returnees and assured them of his administration’s support to boost their economic activities.

Zulum, during the visit, held closed door meeting with the military commanders in which issues concerning security of the returnees were discussed.

The Governor had earlier addressed thousands of returnees and had charged them to cooperate with security operatives by providing credible information about unlawful activities and movements.

Marte Local Government was one of the Boko Haram insurgents strong hold liberated by the Nigerian military and the Multinational Joint Taskforce.

Zulum led delegation comprising of a Senator representing Northern Borno, Abubakar Kyari, Member of House of Representatives representing Marte, Monguno, Nganzai, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, the Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte and relevant commissioners of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement and that of the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs.

Hunger threatens 4.4 million people in Northeast, Nigeria – Kallon

By Madu Mohammed Maiduguri

Over four million people are threatened by hunger in the Northeast, Nigeria due to the 12 year long Boko Haram insurgency in the region.

Speaking at the Joint Planing Board JPB/NCDP meeting held at the Government House, Maiduguri, the United Nations Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Edward Kallon said the United Nations will commence a new cycle of humanitarian programme planning for 2022 and beyond to reduce needs, risks and vulnerabilities of the
affected people and provide durable solutions where feasible and safe to do. This is happening against a backdrop of a combination of escalating conflict, displacement and loss
of livelihoods from COVID-19, and a looming food insecurity and nutrition crisis that is putting at
high risks as many as 4.4 million people threatened to face acute hunger at the peak of the lean season and well into the rainy season.”

The commissioners of the 36 states of the Federation and their permanent Secretaries, Security and Humanitarian actors and other stakeholders in economic sector were converged on Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on Tuesday for the 2oth Joint Planing Board (JPB) and the National council for Development Planing (NCDP) to chat a way to prefer sustainable solutions to the economic challenges facing the nation.

Mr Kallon represented by the UN Humanitarian, Deputy Head of Office in Maiduguri, Mrs Esty sutyoko said “I stand here before you to deliver this goodwill message on behalf of the United Nations Resident and
Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon who could not be here with you this morning at
the opening of this august occasion due to unavoidable circumstance.”.

“It is an honor and privilege to be invited to the opening ceremony of the National Council on Development Planning meeting in Borno State and I would like to begin by acknowledging the excellent collaboration we have with the Government of Nigeria, and the cooperation with the Federal
Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the Governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. We are working together to alleviate suffering and save lives of people affected by 12 years of conflict in the three states in a comprehensive and sustainable manner.”, Kallon added

He further said “this is the worst outlook in four years. Unfortunately, humanitarian needs are increasing as funding is declining. Allow me to acknowledge the generous contributions of our donors and the Government of Nigeria that has enabled us to deliver lifesaving assistance and protection services for millions of people including women, girls and children affected by the conflict in the Northeast. “

Also in his keynote address, the Secretary to the Borno (SSG) Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa said “”I am highly pleased and profoundly honoured to deliver the keynote address at the 20th meeting of the Joint Planning Board/National Council on Development Planning, with the theme “MANAGING THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.” The theme is appropriately apt and couldn’t be more relevant, in view of the daunting economic outlook currently facing the country and the formidable challenges associated with its management. Obviously the challenges are multifaceted and varied, both in scope and depth, but equally have the same devastating effect on the socio-economic and political landscape of the country.”

“The most prominent and, by far, the most daunting of these challenges, is the issue of insecurity, largely characterized by the seemingly unending Boko Haram insurgency and the emergent criminal activities of banditry and kidnapping as well as socio-economic threats, such as mass unemployment, youth restiveness and deep rooted poverty”, he added.

Alhaji Shuwa said “the negative effect of insecurity is widespread and all encompassing and has not only adversely affected economic growth at the macro level but has also compellingly devastated the economic live wire of our people at the local level such as farming, petty trading and inter- state commercial activities, among others. Added to these is the excruciating phenomenon of Corbid-19, which has an emasculating and crippling effect on the overall global economic system. All these challenges have to be profoundly addressed and systematically overcome in order for any strategic plans to have any meaningful and tangible impact on the socioeconomic development of the country”.

He further said “this meeting of the Joint Planning Board and the National Council on Development planning provides a veritable avenue for highlighting most of the daunting challenges, the institutional inadequacies and other appalling socioeconomic and political encumbrances that have been considerably affecting the growth and development of the country, with a view to evolving a pragmatic and viable system to chart the way forward. This will also help in stimulating and sustaining public confidence and trust in the ability of governments at all levels to address the challenges of development. “

*It was the concomitant effect of the prevailing peace and security in various parts of the state that ultimately inspired and prompted His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, to launch the Borno State Twenty-Five year Development Plan and the ten-year Strategic Transformation Initiative as the bedrock for the sustainable growth and development of the state. This Development Plan serves as a beacon for the complete socioeconomic transformation and development of all sectors to their ultimate potentialities”, he further explained.

He said most of these challenges the , nation, is facing are undoubtedly daunting but not unsurmountable but what is required is collective resolve, relentless determination and total commitment to the course and talked for collective efforts.

In her opening address, the permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planing Mrs, Olusola Olauinka said this gathering is expected to provide sustainable solutions to the ailing economy of the nation and urged governors to do more in the areas of poverty reduction, especially at the rural level.

Also speaking in an interview with newsmen, the Borno state Commissioner for Finance, budget and Economic Planing, Alhaji Adamu Lawan said ” Borno state has always been on the news for negative reasons, the holding of this meeting here in Maiduguri is an indication that peace has return the state and will afford us the opportunity to showcase to the world the business opportunities we have, which will attract more investors to the state.”.

COVID-19: UMTH inaugurates newly equipped isolation centre

By Musa Askira, Maiduguri

The Chairman Board of Management of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Alhaj Hadi Ukasha, has inaugurated the hospital’s newly equipped COVID-19 Isolation Intensive Care Unit.

Speaking at inauguration ceremony on Friday, Ukasha landed Federal Government for the intervention which he described as timely in preparation for any eventually based on the much talked about third wave of the pandemic.

Ukasha who observed that for the past six months there was no admitted case of COVID-19 in the hospital, urged the public to adhere strictly to COVID-19 protocols as the best way to contain the pandemic.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Ahmed Ahijo, said the 36-bed capacity isolation unit comprising 10-bedded Intensive Care Unit was part of Federal Government COVID-19 intervention programme in all Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres.

Ahijo said with this development, the hospital now has a complete centre with more equipped isolation ward, personal protection equipments and others consumables.

Ahijo said that the hospital has also gotten two new additional testing machines.

“We have ventilators and virtually everything that you need in managing severe COVID-19 cases.

“There is also supportive facilities like the radiology and dialysis section in case of renal failure which is one of the challenges of COVID-19 patients,” Ahijo said.

Also inaugurated by the Chairman board of the Teaching Hospital is a Molecular laboratory.