Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has announced a plan to build 1,000 houses in seven northern states affected by violence and displacement, according to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Shettima, who represented Tinubu at a ceremony in Borno State on Friday, said schools, clinics, veterinary clinics, and ranches would accompany the houses for the Fulani community in Kaduna and Benue states.
He said the president had also approved 50 billion naira ($121 million) to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to launch the Pulaku initiative, a non-military solution to the crisis in the northwest region.
The initiative aims to provide humanitarian assistance, livelihood support, and social cohesion activities to the communities affected by the armed groups known as bandits, who have killed thousands of people and kidnapped hundreds more in recent years.
Tinubu’s plan is part of a broader strategy to address the conflicts in the north, where the Boko Haram insurgency has also wreaked havoc since 2009.
The president has created the North-East Development Commission and endorsed the findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPBA), which estimated the recovery and resilience building needs at nearly $6.7 billion.
The World Bank has supported the RPBA with $775 million in recovery projects, including the Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP), which has rehabilitated and improved critical service delivery infrastructure in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
Shettima praised the vision and leadership of Borno State governor Babagana Zulum, who has executed several projects in the last 100 days, including schools and health centers.
He also assured that Tinubu was aware of the challenges facing Nigerians and was determined to improve the nation’s fortunes.
He said Tinubu was a person filled with empathy for the less privileged and had made some painful decisions because of the circumstances.
“Be assured that in the coming weeks and months, this government will unveil many projects and programs that will touch the lives of many,” he said.
Tinubu’s announcement comes amid growing calls for more investment and development in the north, where poverty, unemployment, and insecurity have fuelled discontent and agitation.
Some analysts have welcomed Tinubu’s plan as a positive step towards addressing the root causes of the conflicts, while others have expressed doubts about its feasibility and sustainability.
Source: People’s Gazette
