Borno (9News Nigeria) – Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum has revealed his administration’s plan to urbanize some local communities in the state.
He made this announcement at Mafa Local Government Area, LGA, during his three days visit to different communities within the state. He disclosed that the communities they will consider at the first phase of the urbanization scheme are; Biu, Gubio, Kaga, Mafa, Monguno.
“We have started urbanization of villages and towns starting with five local government areas. In each, we are building houses that will provide accommodation to civil servants in flats and bungalows. The LGs are Gubio, Biu, Monguno, Kaga and Mafa in the first phase” Zulum said.
Urbanization of local communities is one of the backward programs, which enjoys very little attention from the federal and state governments in Nigeria. Despite massive infrastural development in some states’ capital, there are little or none to show in those local communities.
This has been worsen also by the lack of autonomy on funds by local government authorities as they squallow at the mercy of their state government. However, even with the recent revival of local government elections and autonomy of their resources, there is yet no significant changes.
The inadequacy of infrastructure, opportunities and developmental indices in rural communities is giving birth to rapid grownth in population in urban areas in the country. As a result, 51.16 percent of Nigeria’s total population lived in urban areas and cities in 2019, statistics has shown, ( https://www.statista.com/statistics/455904/urbanization-in-nigeria/ ).
Governor Zulum left Maiduguri, the state capital on Thursday to Damasak, to assess the situation of the town following an attack by terrorist group.
He moved to Mafa on Friday, and on Saturday, he spareheaded the distribution of relief materials to 9,400 internally displaced households. 3,500 male beneficiaries received a bag of rice and maize as well as cash. Each of 5,900 females beneficiaries also received a wrapper, 2 packets of sugar cube and cash.
Part of his engagements in Mafa was the inspection of some ongoing projects, including a drip and sprinkler irrigation scheme, a vocational training centre, a shopping complex and motor park with 150 market stalls.
While addressing the public, Governor Zulum urge the residents to take advantage of the Holy month of Ramadan to pray for peace and development.
“I kindly call upon all of you to intensify in your prayers this holy month of Ramadan, let all of us devote ourselves in prayers for peace to return to our state and the country” Zulum urged.
He also expressed gratitude to the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for supplementing the efforts of the state government in aiding for the people of the state.
Similarly, in his familiar unscheduled visits, Governor Zulum visit a general hospital in Mafa on Friday night. During the visit, he came across some health workers, who amongst them is an Igbo woman, Mrs. Mabel Ijeoma from Anambra State. She had been working there for 15 years and the professor governor praised and greeted her with a sum of N200,000.
By Abubakar Muhammad (9News Nigeria, Borno)
