SAN FRANCISCO, June 18, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government Wednesday assured that it would soon restore means of livelihood to the troubled residents of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States currently under emergency rule as a result of the five-year-old Boko Haram insurgency.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, gave the assurance in Maiduguri, when she visited the Borno State capital with a team of experts sent by the former British Prime Minister and United Nations Special Envoy on Special Education, Mr. Gordon Brown.
Assuring that the recently-inaugurated Save School Initiative would upgrade school facilities and restore means of livelihood of the people, the Finance Minister, who also undertook a tour of some schools in Maiduguri destroyed by Boko Haram, said the Federal Government was targeting $100 million to spend on the initiative.
“I was asked by the president to deliver the Save School Initiative plan to the people and to see the situation as it affects the people. I am happy I saw the situation and glad I visited schools, even seeing some students writing exams. I feel happy I was able to interact with the students.
“The Federal Government will collaborate with the states affected by the insurgency to upgrade infrastructure. Most schools in Borno are closed now because of this insecurity and that is not good for us,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
The Minister, who also commended the state government for its efforts in reconstruction and rehabilitation of some of the destroyed schools, said the initiative would be a wholistic programme to include community participation in the schools.
The minister who was also accompanied on the visit by the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi, distributed relief materials to over 4,000 internally displaced persons at a camp at Yerwa Practice Primary School in Maiduguri.
Also on the delegation were the representatives of the former British Prime Minister, Mr. Robert Quick and Dala Masson, who disclosed that Gordon Brown was determined to contribute immensely to ensuring that people in the area return to normal life.
Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima , in his response, expressed gratitude to Okonjo-Iweala the representatives of Gordon Brown for the visit, saying the visit has further proved that Nigerians are united in fighting the common enemies of the people, which according to him, included poverty, unemployment and insecurity.
Shettima explained that he was highly impressed by Okonjo-Iweala’s acceptance of the invitation to join the Gordon Brown team, having invited her only on Tuesday.
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