An International humanitarian organisation, Mercy Corps, in collaboration with European Union (EU), has handed over 325 two-bedroom houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bama, the headquarters of Bama LGA, to the Borno government.

This is contained in a statement on Friday in Maiduguri by the Corps spokesperson, Grace Oguntade.

According to the statement, Raiz Khan, the Corps Team Leader, at the hand over event said the houses were constructed under the “European Union-funded Borno ‘Maida’ – Early Recovery Programme”.

Mr. Khan, represented Ndubisi Anyawu, the Mercy Corps Country Representative, at the ceremony and said:

“Mercy Corps Nigeria provided vital support to beneficiaries who have lost their homes as a result of the insurgency in North-East Nigeria,” Mr. Khan said. “Working closely with Community Resilience Groups (CRG), the community members were engaged and a suitable shelter prototype for their homes was agreed upon – two rooms and a veranda for 325 of the most vulnerable returnee households.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the representative of the EU, Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, said that the project was an EU-funded project which started in 2017 to support recovery of up to 200,000 returnee IDPs.

Ms. Tassin-Pelzer said that similar 325 shelters were handed over in Gwoza town of the state to the IDPs.

“The 650 permanent shelters constructed in Gwoza and Bama, equipped with solar systems will go a long way to restore hope and safety to the people whose property were destroyed by the insurgent,” Tassin-Pelzer said.

Abba Yusuf, the representative of Borno Government and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, lauded the EU and Mercy Corps for the intervention for the vulnerable.

He said that the provision was one of the critical infrastructure needed.

Mr. Yusuf called on the EU and other development partners to key into the state’s 25-year development plan and 10-year strategic transformation agenda “which is our road map and vision for a better Borno State”.