•Shettima inspects 16 projects in Auno, Jakana, Benesheikh
By Sunny Onu
Special Correspondent, Maiduguri
Kaga Council is benefitting from the first phase of reconstruction in Borno State, involving homes, schools, hospitals, police stations, courts, council secretariats, and worship places, among others, destroyed by Boko Haram Islamic jihadists.
Work has reached hadvanced stage in different parts of the council, where Governor Kashim Shettima has inspected 16 projects being carried out by the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstructions and Resettlement.
He created the ministry in September 2015 when he appointed 21 commissioners, and directed that POPs be used instead of normal ceiling sheets and modern aluminum roofing sheets instead of zinc.
Seven hours of inspection
Shettima’s inspector tour lasted about seven hours during which he saw the progress of work in the villages of Auno and Jakana as well as in Benesheikh, headquarters of Kaga Council, all along the Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway.
He made his first stop over at Auno, located 21 kilometres from Maiduguri, to assess low cost houses being built to resettle villagers affected by the insurgency and to upgrade their standard of living.
He proceeded to a primary healthcare centre rebuilt with staff quarters for doctors, nurses, and other health workers, and also assess a rebuilt and modernised primary school as well as the residence of the district head who is expected to help mobilise residents for community policing.
Shettima inspected newly constructed boreholes and a central mosque already completed, before moving to Jakana, which is 15 kilometres from Auno.
In Jakana, he saw the reconstruction of police quarters made of units of houses and a primary school, and gave instruction for the drilling of an additional borehole in the community.
Making a point with Kaga Council
He moved to Benesheikh, an urban area, where he inspected numerous projects, including a general hospital with six units of houses as staff quarters as well as other expansion and modernisation works in the hospital.
He assessed work at the large council secretariat, a boarding primary school, a low cost primary school, Tamandara Primary School, a secondary school, and an office complex of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
He equally inspected an estate of 20 units of houses, an Upper Area Court, a Magistrate’s Court, a cooperative store, and a divisional police headquarters.
Shettima disclosed that his administration started with Kaga Council in the first phase of reconstruction to set the ball rolling and convince the federal government and organisations that the state would not fold its arms waiting for outside help.
He clarified that Kaga Council was chosen because of its immediate access to reconstruction workers, and that Bama, Gwoza, and Askira Uba Councils will form the next phases.
About 75,000 blocks are being moulded in sites located in the three councils while other construction equipment are being purchased.
Borno worst affected by insurgency
“As you can see,” Shettima explained, “we are using POPs instead of Brazilian ceiling sheets in all the class rooms, offices, hostels, dining halls, and in primary and secondary schools; all buildings in all hospitals, from wards to offices and staff quarters, housing estates; and generally, all our buildings.
“We are also using aluminum roofing sheets instead of zincs, we are using sliding windows that we use in our houses, we are using quality doors.
“All these are part of the standards we have set to take advantage of the unfortunate destruction and remodel our towns to turn them into model places that will improve the quality of living standards for our people.”
He said President Muhammadu Buhari has shown “sufficient commitment to ending this insurgency” and “equal commitment” to the reconstruction and rehabilitation process and “we are so full of appreciation to him and all stakeholders involved in supporting Borno.”
A total 21 councils are affected in Borno, he added, and “while Yobe and Adamawa have had between two and six each, Borno is the far worst affected and we are sure justice will be accorded to Borno and to all states affected.”
