By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu has commended Governor Babagana Zulum’s pro-activeness and commitment in handling the issues of security, humanitarian crisis and resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Dr. Edu gave the commendation when she paid a courtesy call on Governor Zulum at the Government House, Maiduguri on Thursday.
She said: “We are going establish humanitarian hubs across the 774 local government areas in the country to identify the real poor or vulnerable of the poorest at the grassroots communities to form the social register.
“The social register is going to be dynamic because anybody that exit at poverty level should be expunged from the register and replace by others. who are below the poverty level in every community of the 774 LGAs of the country where a register will be maintained.
” We don’t want the social register to be permanent. We must always review the social register because somebody may be eligible to be on the list today but not eligible tomorrow..It will be dynamic. It will be expanded to accommodate more vulnerable persons”, Betta said.
She further said that the governors unique approach and leadership style to issues of security and peace restoration in the state and country at large has been wonderful and impressive.
The minister urged the governor to maintain the tempo untill there is total return of peace, transformation and development of the state.
Responding, Governor Zulum said: “In addressing the issue of insecurity, there is need to address the root cause of the insurgency which is poverty. The issues of IDPs camp is no longer sustainable because of cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV), among others. They need to be supported with livelihood assistance.
“There are over 200,000 Nigerian refugees in Niger republic, 60,000 in Cameroon Republic and 45,000 in Chad.. We need to repatriate them and provide them with shelter, food and livelihood supports”, Zulum said
He also assured that Borno state government will continue to partner Federal Government in addressing poverty, hunger , support to SMEs and resettlement of IDPs and refugees as well as ensure the availability and documentation of the social register in each of the 27 LGAs of the state with the return of peace in virtually all then nooks and crannies of the state.
Zulum emphasized his readiness and commitment to three major thematic areas of humanitarian and poverty alleviation support in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation as well as the National Council for the Repatriation of Nigerians from Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republics.
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