Governor Mai Mala-Buni has commended the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for supporting Yobe’s reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery drive.

Mr Buni gave the commendation while receiving UNDP resident representative Mohamed Yahya in Damaturu.

Mr Buni said Yobe had been devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency.

“A lot of people have been killed, others maimed while those who survived are living a traumatised life as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and have lost their means of livelihood. Several public and private structures were also lost to the insurgency,” stated the Yobe governor.

The governor commended the federal government, security forces and development partners, saying most of the displaced communities had been able to return home.

Mr Buni said the Yobe government was committed to mobilising resources and providing the enabling environment to scale up collective support and interventions.

He said the state’s goals included generating applicable policies and programmes geared towards the short-, medium-, and long-term stabilisation and development of communities.

The governor added that his administration was committed to restoring basic infrastructure and economic empowerment of the local communities to address the root causes of the crisis and enhance resilience.

Mr Buni also said the Yobe government was focused on ensuring youths engaged in productive ventures through self-reliance for sustainable growth. He expressed optimism that the UNDP delegation’s visit would bring more opportunities to Yobe.

He sought the UNDP’s support in developing a comprehensive 10-year Development Plan with a clear fiscal roadmap linking the humanitarian-development nexus.

Mr Buni thanked the UNDP, the Swiss government, the North-East Development Commission and other partners for their visit and support to the Yobe government.

Mr Yahya lauded Mr Buni for developing health, education and other sectors to move the state forward. He said the UNDP would immensely want to collaborate with the state government to assist in some of the priority projects of the state government. 

(NAN)