Displaced poultry farmers in Borno, Yobe, Zamfara and Plateau are to get an augmentation of N665 million for the procurement of poultry equipment.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, disclosed this when she briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Federal Executive Council meeting, chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on Wednesday.

She said: “Today, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development presented a memo to Council on behalf of National Emergency Management Agency seeking the approval of Council for the revised estimated cost and augmentation on contracts for the procurement of poultry equipment for Borno, Plateau, Yobe  and Zamfara States that were affected by conflicts in 2019.

“This memo was earlier approved at the council meeting of Wednesday, March 20, 2019, and the contract was not executed due to price increase and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The contractors said they won’t be able to really execute the contract because of price increases and so we had to go back to the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) for variations.

“We got the approval of BPP and now we came to Council and presented the memo and the Council graciously approved the variation.’’

The minister, who fielded questions from the correspondents, regretted the incessant attacks on the camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Reacting to the attacks on the Abagana IDP camp in Benue, which led to the death of seven persons, the minister called for the beefing up of security around IDP camps across the country.

She said that her ministry was working assiduously to alleviate the suffering of the IDPs and facilitate their return to their homes.

The minister said: “Really, a very sad development and I’m sure the security agencies are on top of it. What I can say is that there should be enhanced security around these areas where we have these incessant attacks.

“For us in the ministry, we do our best to see that these displaced people are being supported and catered for while we work towards returning them back to their communities.”

(NAN)