Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has distributed N84 million as livelihood support to 2,200 returnee families in the commercial border town of Banki, Bama Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that many residents of the town had fled to neighbouring Cameroon when insurgents overran the town in 2014.
This was contained in statement on Friday by Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communications and Strategy.
NAN reports that each of the 2,200 families got N40,000 support.
“The fund is to enable the families engage in trading for their livelihoods, and to contribute towards reviving Banki’s economy,” Zulum said.
He said the support is expected to impact on over 10,000 dependants of the beneficiaries.
The livelihoods support and municipal office projects were executed by the Borno State Government through the UNDP’s Regional Stabilisation Facility.
Also speaking, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, who also graced the occasion, said she saw hope on the faces of the people to restart their lives.
Eziakonwa said: “We will support the Governor to make life better and bring back hope to this community.
“We look forward to the next stage of the stabilization programme and hope that we will really help end insurgency and bring peace to Borno State.”
Also speaking, the Director-General for Africa at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heike Thiele, said: “Interventions under the Regional Stabilisation Facility have not only contributed to the restoration of safety but have also helped strengthen the economy by enabling cross-border trade and movement.”
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