PCNI Donates N2bn Building Materials, Medical Equipment to Borno

By Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI) and the Presidential Committee for Victims Support Fund have donated building materials valued at N2 billion to the Borno State government towards the reconstruction of communities destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents.

PCNI Vice-Chairman, Tijjani Tumsah, presented the materials in Maiduguri at the weekend to Governor Kashim Shettima, while flagging off the Housing Refurbishing Material Support Programme to provide access to improved housing for returnees and people directly affected by the insurgency. 

The presidential committee donated 298,000 pieces of timber, 59,710 ceiling boards, 20,865 bags of assorted nails, 14,100 bundles of zinc and 2,400 bags of cement to nine local government areas where reconstruction works were ongoing.

Biu, Gwoza and Monguno Local Government Areas got 50,000 pieces of timber, 2,275 bundles of zinc, 2,650 ceiling boards and 350 bags of cement each, while 48,000 pieces of timber, 2,275 bundles of zinc, 2,650 ceiling boards and 350 bags of cement were donated to Damboa Local Government Area.

Five local governments, Guzamala, Kala-Balge, Kukawa, Mafa and Ngala, received 20,000 pieces of timber, 1,000 bundles of zinc, 2,053 bags of assorted nails, 5,670 pieces of ceiling boards and 200 bags of cement each.

Also, PCNI handed over to Shettima healthcare facilities meant to furnish a hospital in Bama Local Government. The facilities include x-ray machines and 240 adult beds.

 “Rebuilding of hospital infrastructure is meant to complement our short-term interventions such as the medical outreach programs that have been going on across the north east,” Tumsah said.

 Shettima thanked PCNI for the intervention, noting that it will fast-track the ongoing reconstruction works and subsequent resettlement of the internally displaced persons.

He explained that his government was determined to resettle all displaced persons to their communities by May 29.

He called on the committee to extend similar intervention in its next tranche to other local governments of the state where reconstruction works are ongoing, including Askira Uba, Chibok, Konduga and Marte, among others.

Since its inauguration in 2016, PCNI has made several interventions across various sectors particularly in areas of reconstruction, education, healthcare and peace-building in the North-east region.

Tumsah said in an event in Adamawa in September last year, that  N6 billion was spent in various interventions programs in the six states of the region.