FG signs N5bn contract for rehabilitation centers
The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation has signed a N5 billion contract for the construction of rehabilitation centers for victims of flood disaster, communal clash and insurgency.
Chairman of the committee, Dr Sani Abubakar Burka, disclosed this yesterday when he led members of his team to visit Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, shortly after flagging off the distribution relief materials to victims of flood, insurgency and communal clashes in the state.
He said distribution of relief materials will take place in 10 states, including Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Nassarawa, Plateau and Yobe.
The chairman said the committee decided to expand the exercise to cover victims of flood disaster, insurgency and communal clashes.
“The committee held a stakeholders meeting with members of the Red Cross Society, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and National Orientation Agency (NOA) to work out modalities for the distribution of relief materials. The committee chose to flag off the distribution in Bauchi because of what he described as the state’s quick response to issues of disaster. Bauchi was also the first state that assisted the committee with a plot of land for the construction of a rehabilitation center for victims,” he said.
He lamented that some state governments, groups and individuals have yet to redeem pledges they made to the committee in 2013, adding that the committee is working round the clock to give succour to victims.
On his part, Governor Isa Yuguda said Bauchi is one of the states that was worst hit by crises across the country due to what he called the influx of internally displaced persons from neighbouring states.
Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Aminu Sagir Saleh, Yuguda said his administration established four rehabilitation centers for displaced persons in addition to eight rehabilitation centers setup by the previous administration.
Yuguda said N900 million was spent on the provision of basic facilities such as access roads, electricity, dispensaries, schools among others for the victims.