North-east: Nigerian govt inaugurates committee to implement 54.5 million euros project

The federal government has inaugurated the members of Project Steering Committee for the implementation of the 54.5 million euros support project for the North-east.

The project is to be funded by the European Union, EU, and the German Economic Cooperation and Development, GIZ.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said this in a statement issued by Salisu Haiba, Assistant Director (Press) in the ministry on Thursday in Abuja.

Ms. Ahmed, who was represented by the Director International Cooperation, Samuel Eloho, at the inauguration, said the EU project would strengthen resilience in Borno and Adamawa.

The project aims at contributing to the stabilisation of the North-east Nigeria through strengthening the resilience of Internally Displaced Persons, host communities, returning refugees and the local population affected by insurgency.

The minister said that the project which would be executed for a period of 48 months had a total financial allocation of 54.5 million euros.

She said that the EU contributed 37.0 million euros, while the German Government through the Ministry of Cooperation and Development contributed 17.5 million euros.

According to her, the project has two components with the basic component having two specific objectives of reinforcing the resilience of IDPs and strengthening the capacities of host communities to continue to offer hospitality to IDPs.

She said that that the Boko Haram insurgents’ activities in the region had caused untold hardship to millions of people, destroying their means of livelihood and social infrastructure.

“Over 14 million people are affected with 1.8 million internally displaced persons to cater for in the three most affected states.

“The situation has become more dynamic with returning refugees upon the decimation of the insurgents militarily.

“The situation is such that there are millions to cater for their basic needs in terms of food, clothing, shelter and health as well as education.

“Basic social and economic infrastructure need to be put in place. Children drafted by insurgents into their folds have to be de-radicalised.

“Overall, the humanitarian needs of millions of people have to be met and the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the region have to be undertaken to restore life to normalcy,’’ the minister said.

Ms. Ahmed, however, thanked the EU for its numerous supports to address the humanitarian situation in the part of the country.

She assured that the federal government was committed to speedy return of life to normalcy in the region and would leave no stone unturned in this direction.

Members of the committee include Ministry of Budget and National Planning, which is the National Authorising Office as Chair, the Governments of Borno and Adamawa States, Federal Ministries of Health, Women Affairs and Social Development; and Youth Development.

Others are Presidential Committee on North East Initiatives, Operation Lafiya Dole, and the project team comprising GIZ, EU and ministry of budget and national planning.

(NAN)