Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum has announced his administration’s plan to transform communities in five local government headquarters to urban levels.
The Governor who stated this on Saturday while on a humanitarian visit to Mafa said Biu, Gubio, Kaga, Mafa and Monguno have been earmarked in the first phase of the urbanization scheme.
“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.
The Governor arrived Mafa on Friday, from Damasak where he has passed the night on Thursday.
In Mafa, where he spent another night, Zulum on Friday night, paid unscheduled visit to the general hospital during which he came across some dedicated health workers, amongst them, an Igbo woman, Mrs. Mabel Ijeoma from Anambra State that had been working there for 15 years, who, like some others, received N200,000 gift from the Governor.
On Saturday, the Governor supervised the distribution of food and cash to 9,400 internally displaced households.
Each of the 3,500 male beneficiaries received a bag of rice, a bag maize grits and cash, while each of 5,900 females beneficiaries received a wrapper, 2 packets of sugar and cash.
Governor Zulum then inspected some ongoing projects, which included a drip and sprinkler irrigation scheme, a vocational training centre, a shopping complex, and motor park with 150 market stalls.
Zulum later addressed residents urging them to take advantage of the holy month of Ramadan and pray for the return of peace to Borno and the entire nation.
“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.
The Governor also expressed gratitude to the North East Development Commission for supplementing the efforts of the State Government.
