By Yemi Olakitan
As parts of efforts aimed at resettling the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency, the National Agricultural Land and Development Authority (NALDA) has launched 120 rural housing projects, agricultural training and enterprenuerial center in Dusman village of Jere local government area of Borno state for the Internally Displaced Person’s (IDPs) displaced by Boko Haram insurgency.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the housing, agricultural training and enterprenuerial centre in Dusman, village of Jere local government area of Borno state on Thursday Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum said “this project which is fully funded by NALDA will not only provide job opportunities for tomorrow’s farmers, it will provide for today’s farmers as well.
According to him, it is going to be executed in 8 local government areas of MMC, Jere, Biu, Shani Mafa Konduga among other LGAs.
Zulum said Borno communities has suffered a lot of devastation as a result of over a decade Boko Haram insurgency which displaced 3.2 million people, stressing that Borno will partner with other organizations to resettled over 2 million people.
” This project is not only very dear to my administration, it’s going to boost our resettlement drive but also provide food security and job opportunities to our people. We are going to partner with NALDA and other national and International organizations to resettle the remaining 1.2 million UDP”, Zulum added.
While commending the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne thanked the Governor for supporting the state government resettlement drive, saying that “I want to Commend you for your support but like Oliver Twist I urge you to do more in the state, as we have enough land to allocate to you.”
Earlier speaking, the Executive Secretary of the NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne said the projects is in fulfilment of the directive of President Bola Tinubu to make farming not only attractive but make farmers to earn millions of Naira and own a house of their own through rural housing agricultural training and enterprenuerial schemes.
NALDA is a Federal Government Agency under the Presidency with the mandate of clearing, preparing and cultivating land to boost food production and develop agriculture.