By Blogger
The United Nations system and the Borno state government had Thursday carried out a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of 2500 family shelter that would give new accommodation to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) currently occupying public school building.
Borno state government has till the end of November to ease out IDPs from public school premises and allow school children resume class.
It was a tripartite project being executed by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Borno state government expected to be completed in 14 days.
IDPs from nearly 20 local government areas of Borno state are currently taking refuge at public schools in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
School children locked out of their classes for over 18 months are expected to resume classes as soon as the project is completed in a fortnight.
UNHCR's field/protection officer in Borno state, Mohammed Tejan-Cole disclosed, informed a gathering at the ground breaking ceremony for the building of the new camp that toilets, boreholes, health facility and class rooms will also be built to secure the over 20, 000 IDPs that will be relocated from the various public schools camps within Maiduguri to the Bakasi IDPs camp.
"After this high powered committee of the Borno state government has completed its relocation and resettlement strategies of IDPs living in public schools, the Bakasi camp was extended for the construction of 2, 500 family shelters", Tejan-Cole.
"In the first phase, 1, 250 shelter units are to be built by local engineers on ground, while the remaining 1, 250 are to be completed during the second phase of massive relocations and re-settlements of these displaced persons currently living in some of the secondary and primary schools in Maiduguri.
"This committee has been assured that all the displaced persons taking refuge in public schools, are to be relocated and resettled in these family shelters to enable government re-open schools this month."
UNICEF's Dr Franck Ndaie also said "With the relocations of displaced persons in primary and secondary schools camps of Maiduguri, UNICEF is to build 150 toilets, sinking of boreholes, and the provision of health care centres, including the security of IDPs. Each block of the family shelter units, will also have 28 classrooms, so that children of IDPs return to school this month."
Borno state Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Musa Inuwa Kubo, who would be heading the relocation committee schools will be reopened by end of November. He thanked all that came to assist the IDPs for their kindness.
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