By Ali Inuwa
Bama – Borno State Government says it will partner with the Danish Refugee Council to ensure the return of all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes by May 29, 2017.
The state Governor, Kashim Shettima said this on Thursday when he received a team of officials from the Danish Refugee Council in Bama Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the move was to satisfy the yearnings of the IDPs who were eager to return home.
“Our people want to go back to their homes and pick up the pieces of their lives, especially in communities where there is semblance of peace.
“We have no intent to stampede people back home without their consent.
“Our intention as a government is to see that all our people are returned back to their communities on or before May 29, 2017.
“But our resources are limited, so we are willing to partner with you in the project,” Shettima told the delegation.
He said that the government’s plan was to rebuild Bama, the second largest town in the state.
“Our focus now is Bama. If you fix Bama and Gwoza, you have fixed half of the problems in the state.
“Because fixing the two LGAs, you might end up resettling up to one million people,” he said.
He also appealed to the council to help towards empowering the IDPs economically to enable them survive when they return home.
“We need your support towards our desire to resettle our people as most of them could not go to their farms for the current farming season.
“This is because we have to find a means of livelihood for them to survive when they return home,’’ Shettima said.
He commended the officials for traveling to Bama to meet with him.
“Your coming to Bama means a lot to us, because other organisations will have preferred to meet us either in Abuja or Maiduguri.
“But you came down to Bama with all the attendant risk. This bears testimony to your commitment to assist the people of the state and the country at large,’’ Shettima said.
Earlier, Mr Shah Litol , the Country Representative of the council, who led the team told the governor that their visit was aimed at exploring areas of collaboration towards rendering humanitarian assistance to the state.