Borno governor, Zulum bans NGOs from distributing food items to resettled communities

By Sadiq Abubakar, Maiduguri

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has banned local, National and International Non Governmental organisations (NGOs) from distributing food and non-food items to resettled communities in the State.

Zulum announced the ban Friday in a statement issued and signed by him and made available to newsmen in Maiduguri said,” Food items distribution henceforth will only be allowed in IDPs camps and host communities for now.’’

The letter which was also copied to humanitarian organisations and development partners through the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The statement also read in part,” The Borno State government wishes to acknowledge and thank you for all your support to the people and government of the state and in particular your support for people displaced internally by insurgency”.

”While we look forward to your conforming with this decision, please accept my appreciation of your partnership and support to the people and government of Borno State..

“As you are aware, Borno State government is deeply committed to supporting our people to build resilience and support themselves out of poverty,

“To this end, government has committed to closing all official IDP camps in Maiduguri by December 2021, part of this initiative is to empower people to begin to build back their lives.

“One of the cardinal principles of our resilience building effort is to wean people off humanitarian food distribution and instead replace with empowering people and giving them dignity to buy their own food and determine their future”, the Governor stated.

He further directed that development partners needed clearance from government to ensure coordination their activities in the state as well cross check duplications in all new areas they wish to render any support and assistance to the IDPs in the state.

It will be recalled that the state government had earlier closed four IDPs camps within the state capital, Maiduguri and resettled the IDPs in their respective ancestral homes or in areas of their choices in some LGAs while the remaining camps are also being resettled by a standing high powered committee in Resettlement of IDPs where presently the famous Bakassi IDPs camp Biu road is being resettled and Pompomari IDPs camp and that of Ultra Modern Stadium Tashan Kano are in progress of Resettlement.