Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara was in Gwoza for three days, in continuation of the supervision of food distribution to 16,000 indigent citizens of the state.
The governor, during his visit to Gwoza, which was the former caliphate of Boko Haram in Southern part of the state, inaugurated projects and supervised the distribution to over 16,000 displaced and vulnerable persons, 55,000 bags and cartons of food items.
Gwoza, which is located between parts of the Sambisa Forest and Mandara Mountains, fell to Boko Haram in 2014 and was for many years the headquarters of the insurgents with their vicious spiritual leader, Abubakar Shekau operating from the town before it was liberated by the military.
Umara, who had in December alone, been to Kala-Balge, Bama, Konduga and Askira-Uba LGAs, where he was directly involved in the distribution of food items to more than 30,000 displaced and vulnerable citizens, had earlier been in Monguno, Damasak, Gajiram, Gubio, Dikwa, Ngala and other areas in the northern and central parts of the state for the same task.
He had also identified community needs, fast-tracked ongoing projects and issued directives for new ones during his trips to the local governments.
The governor while in Gwoza LGA, visited Gwoza town, Pulka and Ngoshe towns, all populated by displaced and vulnerable residents.
Food items, the governor personally supervised their distribution include 10,000 bags of 25kg rice and 10,000 gallons of vegetable oil provided by the state government, as well as 15,000 bags of processed maize, 15,000 bags of beans, and 5,000 gallons of oil provided by the Northeast Development Commission, whose Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, was part of the Governor’s entourage to Gwoza.
Umara, who spent the last three days of Year 2019 in Gwoza LGA, apart from distributing food items, also distributed 20,000 pieces of wrappers and gave out the sum of N20 million to vulnerable persons as part of humanitarian support for restoration of livelihoods in area.
A signed statement by the spokesman to the governor, Mallam Isa Gusau, said Zulum had on Monday commissioned a new government lodge in Gwoza town.
