By Josep Edegbo:
Borno Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has said that with improvement on security in the State, focus would be on economic recovery and stabilisation .
The Governor stated this while recieving the United Nations Under Secretary General for humanitarian affairs, Sir Mark Andrew Lowcock, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk and the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
They were in the State to focus on addressing humanitarian issues and to enhance coordination of interventions in the area.
A closed door meeting held by the leaders, also had in attendance, some heads of security agencies involved in the fight against boko haram in the state.
At the courtesy call which took place after the closed door meeting, Governor Zulum said it was important for the roles of all humanitarian agencies operating in Borno state to be properly identified in order to avoid duplication.
“We need to understand the activities of our partners, with a view to reducing duplication. We want to understand who is working in our state, what he is doing and where he is working” the Governor charged.
Zulum while commending the effort of all the Humanitarian actors rendering different services in the northeast , said it was necessary for the state Government to lead in coordination of all interventions in Borno.
The Governor expressed his deepest appreciation to the UN under Secretary General, Lowcock and the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The Governor recalled that Borno State has suffered the worst hit epicenter of the insurgency in which case 75% of the infrastructures were destroyed while agricultural activities were suspended due to threats.
He explained further that no household in the state was spared the effects of the insurgency as both the internally displaced, those taking refuge in neighboring countries and residents had felt the burden of different levels.
Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs ,Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk informed the Governor that the visit was to discuss issues relating to humanitarian operations in Borno.
She further stated that following the blacklist of some humanitarian organizations by the military, an investigation was ongoing but before outcome , her ministry would step up with interventions by providing relief items to displaced persons.
UN’s Sir Mark Andrew Lowcock assured the Governor and the minister that all the international organizations involved in humanitarian interventions are registered with the Nigerian authorities and are operating under a frame work provided by Nigeria.
