ECOWAS Donates $1.4m to Borno IDPs

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given a donation of $1.4 million to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State.

Also, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last Sunday gave out building materials for the construction of houses destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in the troubled state.

The African regional economic body handed over the donation in two separate cheques of $1 million and $0.4million to the Borno State Government with the instructions that the fund should be used to procure relief materials for the IDPs.

Presenting the cheques to the state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shetima, the ECOWAS President, Marcel de Souza, said they were in the state to share the feelings and concerns for IDPs and refugees in Nigeria, and pledged to do everything possible to support them.

The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Sani Sidi, who brought the ECOWAS boss to the state governor, also handed over foods and building materials including 2,600 bundles of roofing sheet, 2,500 piece ceiling boards, 350 bags of 3”nails, 350 packets of zinc nails, to assist the government in the ongoing effort of reconstructing houses in Bama, Hawul and Gamboru-Ngala communities destroyed by insurgency.

Others presented by NEMA include 3,600 bag of rice, 1,400 bags of beans, 1,000 bags of millet.

Receiving the items, the governor appreciated NEMA for the continued support for the IDPs and ECOWAS for the donations and promised that the items would get to the beneficiaries.