FHA Managing Director sleeps at Borno IDP camp

The Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, who visited Borno State IDP camps to mark this year’s World Habitat Day, stayed through Monday night with displaced persons at the IPD camp in the Maiduguri NYSC Orientation Camp.

Our correspondent yesterday morning saw Prof. Al-Amin in front of a tent surrounded by onlookers while the mat he slept on and a blanket were still on the ground with a small food flask, an empty plate and a spoon which he used for breakfast.

Speaking with newsmen, Prof. Al-Amin, said he slept there in order to experience firsthand what the IDPs were going through.

“Let me briefly take you to what happened at night: I interacted with people that have stayed here for more than one year, and as you can see, this place is 5/4 meter-square, and I had the privilege of sleeping in it. The average number of occupants in the tent is 10, sleeping on this floor without any bed, without electricity”, he said.

He said during his night interaction with the displaced persons, someone told him that he as a visitor was even lucky to be lodged in the tent which is regarded as a VIP accommodation.

“I was surprised, and I argued with that person. Then he said I should just walk out and see people just spreading their beds under the sheds in rain or sunshine. When I woke up in the morning, I was confronted with a five-litre container of water that was supposed to be used to wash my body, perform ablution, drinking and washing my mouth”, he said.