13,512 households benefits from Mercy Corps food support programme in Borno

By Musa Askira Maiduguri

A total of 13,512 vulnerable households comprising 94,052 individuals have benefited from the Mercy Corps food support programme funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Damboa LG of Borno.

Mr Stephen Agada, the Programme Officer of the Food For Peace programme made this known on Monday in Maiduguri in an interview with newsmen.

Agada said the programme which started in 2016 is being rounded up this month.

Agada explained that under the programme in garrison town of Damboa, 240 households were provided access to nutritious source of protein in the form of chicken and eggs, thereby improving their nutritional status and livelihood activity.

He also explained that 945 households were provided with tools skill -building training for kitchen gardening to grow locally staple vegetables and seeds they can incorporate into their meal.

“We also distributed 5,099 fuel-efficient stoves to enable households prepare staple and fresh foods safely and hygienically,” Agada said.

He noted that with the rounding up the programme known as “Reach 4”, Mercy Corps in collaboration with USAID would transit into a wider humanitarian programme known as Acute Primary Threats (ADAPT) in Damboa, Gwoza, Bama, Ngala and Dikwa LGAs.

Agada said the meeting of stakeholders held in Maiduguri on Monday was to share knowledge and lessons gained as well as challenges and achievements on Reach 4 programme as they prepare to implement ADAPT which is a more bigger one.

Some beneficiaries of the Reach 4 programme in Damboa, like Amina Adam, Fati Inuwa, Muhammed Usman, Kellu Adamu and Bulama Maina whose testimonies are presented, said the programme impacted positively on their lives and that of their families.

The lauded the international NGO, Mercy Corps, USAID and all those that participate in making the programme a huge success.

Jubilations, as YEDC restores electricity supply back to Maiduguri, after 2 months of darkness

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

Residents of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital were yesterday thrown into festive mood when the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC restored electricity supply back to the city and its environs, after about two months of total blackout as a result of the vandalization of the electricity transmission tower by the Boko Haram insurgents.

It could be recalled that members of the Boko Haram insurgents about two months ago planted Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) under the electricity tower along Maiduguri Damaturu road, and blown it off resulting into the damage of the tower and threw the city into total darkness.

Immediately after the restoration of the power supply, the streets of Maiduguri were thickened by lauded voices, of the excited residents who were shouting ‘”Up NEPA”, as they were happy with the development, because, they will be relief from the cost and hardship of fueling their generators, as well as water scarcity due the total blackout.

The situation took the interventions and combined efforts of the Borno state government, Federal ministry of power, the military and the Civilian Joint Taskforce,(CJTF) as the insurgents attacked the electricity workers and their security escorts twice and also planted IED on the way to the site that injured some of the workers when their vehicle matched the IED.

While expressing their appreciations, to the Borno state government, the federal ministry of power, military, CJTF for their efforts and supports in restoring the electricity supply, the YEDC in a statement issued on Thursday also appreciate the patience of their valued customers

The YEDC assured their valued customers that they will do everything possible in ensuring that the transmission lines are protected.

New state University Teaching Hospital: , Borno Governor approves Egypt’s medical degrees for state science students

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri

The Borno State Government is to train youths with science background in medical and medical related programmes at various universities in Cairo Egypt in preparation for take off of the state University.

The Borno state Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum yesterday at the Government House, Maiduguri directed the State’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, to
immediately identified youths with science qualifications for admissions and Government scholarship for Degrees in medicine and related programmes across Universities in Cairo, Egypt.

Zulum gave the order, when he received a report from a high powered committee tasked with developing framework for the establishment of Borno State University Teaching hospital, and a medical college, both of which would qualify the state University to offer Degree programmes in Medicine and other medical fields.

The governor inaugurated the committee in July, 2020, and in November, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire laid foundation for the hospital in Maiduguri, on Governor Zulum’s request, with work progressing at a site in Jimtilo, not far from the University’s campus.

Former Chief Medical Director of existing University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Professor Othman Kyari, chaired the committee whose mandate included recommending design, site, a construction plan and establishment of a medical college at the State owned University established in 2016 and began academics in 2019.

Kyari said, the committee had visited the best medical institutions and colleges to identify structures, equipment and manpower before coming up with recommendations, some of which were already being implemented by the Governor.

The Professor explained that construction of the new teaching hospital will be carried in two phases, with the first which is ongoing, to have phase 400 beds; and the other to 200 beds, to make a combined capacity of 600 beds.

Kyari said further, that the committee had adopted the name: “Borno State College of Health Sciences” to make it flexible for the State University, to have the latitude of training other paramedical students, in addition to medical doctors.