The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returnees in Yobe have said Yobe State Agency for Community and Social Development (CSDP), a World Bank funded programme had constructed 160 blocks of 2 bed room houses to victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
District Head of Kukareta Damaturu, Alhaji Lawan Babagana disclosed this to journalists, Monday during a media tour.
“Prior to mass exodus of IDPs from communities in Borno and Yobe states to settle in Kukareta, there were challenges of shelter and that was why we solicited support from CSDP.
“The agency asked us to form groups to be able to access the support, which we did. After forming eight groups of 10 each, 65 blocks of 2 bedroom houses were constructed, 15 are still ongoing apart from the first 80 constructed in phase one,” he said.
He further said the individual beneficiaries were asked to provide only 5 per cent of the total cost while the agency pays the remaining 95 per cent for them to execute the project through direct labour or a contractor.
The General Manager of the CSDP, Goni Baba Gana, who was part of the media tour, told journalists that, funds can only be accessed when the beneficiaries organised themselves into groups and come up with an intended project.
He further clarified that, the 5 per cent contribution by individual vulnerable groups and the 10 per cent community group projects could be contributed either in kind or in cash, and that the agency has a strong monitoring team before funds are released, the agency must be satisfied with the stages of previous work.
Goni, further said Yobe state government had provided free plots of land to the IDPs that made up their minds to settle in the Kukareta community.
A beneficiary, Hauwa Isa Umar who was displaced from Kala Balge in
Borno state to Kukareta, in tears said her husband was taken away by the insurgents living behind 6 children.
She thanked the agency for coming to her aid and urged them to sustain the tempo so that other returnees could benefit.
