The North East Development Commission (NEDC), has embarked on needs assessment of displaced communities in Borno to fast track rehabilitation and resettlement process in the state.
Mr Mohammed Alkali, NEDC Managing Director, told newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri, that the assessment would enable the commission fashion out interventions for persons displaced by the insurgency.
Statistics by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reveal that more than 1.8 million people in the region, have been displaced by insurgency over the last 10 years.
Alkali said that the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), was worrisome and the commission aimed to implement sound programmes such as food, shelter, education, health, protection, water and sanitation in the affected communities.
He said that a team of officials of the commission would visit the IDPs camps in Maiduguri, Monguno and Bama local government areas.
“The 10-year insurgency caused devastation and hardships to the people. As an indigene of Kukawa, it has been difficult for me to visit my home town.
“We are on assessment tour of some IDPs camps in the north east to get relevant data on the situation with a view to finding lasting solutions to the challenges,” he said.
Mrs Yabawa Kolo, Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that provision of shelter and food was the major challenge facing the agency.
Kolo said the agency was working in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide food and condiments to displaced households.
She said humanitarian organisations such as UN agencies, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) and International NGOs, were also providing food, shelter, education, among others to victims.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the team was conducted round Custom House, New Stadium and Muna IDPs camps in Maiduguri by Kolo.
(NAN)
