Islamic Development Bank (IDB) PCNI Distributes Emergency Relief Materials to 6790 Borno IDPs

Islamic Development Bank, IDB in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative, (PCNI) has distributed emergency relief materials to 970 house!holds comprising 6790 persons (family members) Monday in Maiduguri.

This followed last week's similar distribution of food and non food items by PCNI in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank in Bama town to Bama IDPs comprising 3600 bags of masa flour, 700 cartons of 6/3 litres, vegetable oil, 500 bags of 20 kg salt , 3000 pieces of mats and 2500 pieces of mosquito nets .

Others include !3750 pieces of blankets, 50 cartons of washing soap , 100 cartons of bathing soap, 500 bags of rice meal , sorghum meal 500 bags and nutritional supplements 100 bags.

The food and non food items distributed Monday at the PCNI office Maiduguri to 970 households of 7 family members include 970 Bags of rice 25 kg, 970 bags of beans 10 kg, and 970 bags of semovita 10 kg,.

Other items include 970 gallons of vegetable oil 4 liters, 970 bags of salt 10kg, 970 pieces of powdered milk 900 gm, 2900 pieces of sanitary pads and 970 pieces and 970 pieces of washing and bathing soap.

While presenting the items, the President of the Islamic Development Bank, IDB, Dr. Ahned Ali Al-Madaini who was represented by the Regional Manager, Engineer Ali Adam said as part of the clarion call by the government of Nigeria and other institutions, the bank has approved an Emergency Technical Assistance Grant of about N83 million to respond to the appeal by the federal government for interventions to the regional crisis

He added that the grant will also support the recovery and peace building stabilization efforts of the governments of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states while noting that the TA Grant was aimed at contributing to mortality reduction especially among families and children under the age of 5 years.

The President also said that the TA Grant will be used to procure and distribute assorted types of food and non food items for the vulnerable population groups and the less vulnerable group as well as support the affected population to adopt to a system of maintaining a food security reserve for the days ahead .

According to him, Borno state in particular has a total of N55.7 million worth of food and non food items that have been procured for distribution to the internally displaced persons in Borno state and other parts as its contributions for the stabilization of the IDPs

He said the support was targeted at assisting and relieving the sufferings of the children and women affected by the insurgency while calling on the state government to ensure that the emergency food and non food items reach the right beneficiaries or target group.

Ali further appealed to wealthy individuals and organizations to assist and support the affected victims of the Boko Haram insurgency while assuring continuous support to the victims.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state who was represented by the Executive Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo noted that PCNI has been a household name in Borno state playing a critical role in the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement process of the state government.

He commended the 65 member nations of the Islamic Development Bank for their support and assistance to the IDPs in the state while stressing that the gesture will go a long way in ameliorating the sufferings and hardships of the IDPs who have been displaced from their communities as a result of the onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgents.

Governor Shettima also assured that the food and non food items will be judiciously distributed to the target groups while commending the bank for proving and committing itself assiduously to the appeal by the Northern Governors Forum and federal government.

He further solicited for continuous support to the state while appreciating the IDB and PCNI for their commitment to the humanitarian interventions in the state respectively.

The Chairman PCNI, General Theophulus Danjuma retired represented by the PCNI Head of Administration, Hajiya Amina Maibe on behalf of the Vice Chairman, PCNI, Alhaji Tijani Tumsa said PCNI as part of its mandate to. Coordinate, promote, guide, facilitate and mitigate among others interventions to the north east from both the federal state, international community, organizations, NGOs, CBOs, Individuals and other organizations in an accountable and transparent manner for the north east rebuilding and development process, will continue to partner with IDB as a lot have been achieved and more were being coordinated and facilitated by the PCNI.

He appreciated the support and assistance so far extended to the IDPs by the bank and support PCNI has been enjoying from the Borno state government and other donors as well as humanitarian partners.

The chairman however advised the beneficiaries of the food and non food items to make proper use of the relief materials to cushion their sufferings, urging them not to sale them out for money at the market as some used to do in the past.

Highlights of the event was the symbolic distribution of the relief materials to the IDPs by dignitaries.