Boko Haram: Make efforts to correct past mistakes-NPA Boss urges northeast stakeholders
The Managing Director, Nigerian Port Authority NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman has called on all stakeholders in the Northeast to constantly make efforts to correct past errors that created Boko Haram insurgency that hindered development in the region.
The Bala-Usman made the appeal at a courtesy call and presentation of IDP’s Relief material to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, Thursday, in Governor’s House, Damaturu.
The NPA boss said that the members of Boko haram were not born, but created, “So, new efforts must be ‘deliberately and constantly’ made to ensure that we correct whatever error of the past, and chart a new course for the future of Yobe State and indeed that of the Northeast to come out strong from this catastrophe.”
She noted that the Boko Haram insurgency has in many ways affected the nation’s development and economy, saying about year ago, the post-insurgency Recovery and Peace-building Assessment, an Intervention Programme involving the World Bank, European Union and the UN, carried out across the six Northeastern states, estimated the total value of damage and destruction done by the insurgents to $5.9 billion (almost N2 trillion).
“We must resolve now to never let this nature of crisis befall our people and country again,” she added.
Usman, who was represented by the General Manager, Human Resource of the NPA, Yahya Gana Bukar said, for the last few years, the NPA has distributed relief materials at several times to various IDPs camps in the region, while expressing it’s resolve to engage in more deliberate and direct interventions to help mitigate the humanitarian needs facing the millions of traumatized people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.
She said the food items donated to the state cannot eliminate the looming acute food insecurity that has been engendered by the insurgency, but help to lighten humanitarian burden of the state.
Earlier, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who was also represented by his deputy, Abubakar D. Aliyu, said the intervention came at the niche of time when it’s most needed by the affected people.
He appealed to the NPA to take further step and render more assistance in terms of building materials, and others deemed appropriate to enable the state squarely face the challenges of rehabilitation and reconstruction across the twelve 12 affected local government councils.
The ttems donated to the state by the NPA include: 750 bags of rice, 400 bags of beans, 350 bags of semovita, 160 bags of corn, 1,400 pieces of wrapper, 5,000 blankets, cooking oil, mats and rechargeable lantern among others to IDPs in Pompomari, Abari, Fuwuri, Ngabaruwa, Gujba, Damaturu, Kukareta, Gulani and Plot 13
