Bama Stakeholders Appeal To PCNI To Implement Bama Initiatives

The Borno State government has appealed to the Presidential Committee on the North East Initiatives (PCNI) to commence the implementation of Bama Initiative that outlined multi billion naira reconstruction and rehabilitation plans of basic infrastructural facilities and amenities.

Others include residenrial development structures of Bama town that were destroyed by the boko haram insurgents in Bama town and its environs , as about 120,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) screened are set to return back to their original communities beginning from 2nd April, 2018.

Addressing journalists in Maiduguri, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Usman Jiddah Shuwa who led other stakeholders from Bama, said facilities in Bama town and its environs, particularly the road networks within the town need to be reconnected to other areas.

According to him, Federal Ministry of Finance was said to have released some funds to that effect but uptil now the plan has not been implemented nor started.

It will be recalled hat the Chairman, PCNI , General Theophulus Yakubu Danjuma retired had in strong terms condemned the Bama Initiative to the extent that he threatened to resign his appointment as the Chairman of the PCNI if the proposed Bama Initiative was going to be implemented by the federal government.

He explained that there was no need for the Bama Initiative proposal with the PCNI on ground and in existence physically implementing it's terms of reference on rebuilding of the destroyed north east by the boko Haram insurgents where Bama Town is part and parcel of the north east and a lot of resources and capital have been pumped into the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement process of the Bama town.

He also disclosed that, the State Security Council meeting held last Thursday 15th March 2018 approved the first phase return of all IDPs from Bama.

“This is after careful and meticulous assessment of the overall security situation in Bama town and its surrounding communities, as well as the massive reconstruction efforts by the state government which resolved that the time is ripe and the atmosphere is favourable for the IDPs to go back to their homes in phases.

“It would interest you to know that Governor Kashim Shettima has committed billions of naira despite its meagre resources to the reconstruction of virtually all institutional structures and most of the private residential buildings callously destroyed by the insurgents in Bama town and other communities, so most of our IDPs are guaranteed to a decent accommodation upon their return,” Shuwa said.

“However, in the first phase as I said earlier, a special template is being designed to capture the essential personal data of prospective returnees for the purpose of easy identification and security clearance,” Usman added..

“All IDPs who have been shortlisted to return would be accompanied by their respective district and ward heads, and adequate security not only our conventional security agencies like the police, DSS and army, but also by vigilance groups and hunters", Shuwa said.