Special Projects team at Ministry of Education
Residents and stakeholders in Maiduguri have commended the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing over the positive impact of some Constituency Projects sited within the town and its environs.
A cross section of the residents who spoke on the projects executed by the Special Unit of the Ministry, said they were happy with the interventions in areas of education, health and water supply and electricity.
The residents said they needed more of such interventions to meet the growing demand of the town now hosting large population of displaced persons due to Boko Haram insurgency.
Fati Mohammed a nurse in Ajilari Ward said the maternity clinic sited in the area was a big relief to the women who frequented it with their children.
“This ward if full of Internally displaced persons who frequent this clinic for their health challenges and immunisation.
“It will be good if Federal would expand it and build a perimeter fence and a borehole,” Mohammed said.
Water project in Bulumkutu ward
Jidda Suleiman, a resident of 1000 Housing-Estate said the issue of water used to be a serious problem in part of the area but has been addressed to a large extent by the solar borehole provided by the Federal Government.
Umar Usman, a teacher in the estate primary school, said the provision of additional classrooms and desks to the school by federal government has addressed the problem of pupils sitting under trees for lessons in the school.
“We now have more than enough classrooms for pupils in this school,” Usman said.
Government College
Also speaking on school projects, the Principal of Government College, Maiduguri, whose school benefited from classrooms and solar borehole, Mallam Babagana Abatcha, said the classrooms and borehole have gone a long way in addressing the acute problem of water and classrooms in the school.
“In fact, we have students from eight displaced schools staying with us, a development that overstretched our facilities making these interventions timely.
“I would like to call for more classrooms including accommodation for our teachers,” Abatcha said.
Universal Basic Education Board
On his part, the Executive Chairman of Borno State Basic Education Board, Dr Shittima Kulima, said the intervention has helped in reconstruction of some of the classrooms destroyed as a result of the insurgency in the state.
“In the heat of the crisis, Borno witnessed the destruction of over 5000 classrooms and such interventions has helped in the reconstruction of many affected schools.
“We want Federal Government to also help is other aspects like fencing and provision of toilets, laboratories, libraries and ICT materials, ” Kulima said.
Kulima urged for more synergy between the Federal Ministry of Works and his board in the execution of school projects to ensure quality job.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Ali Kaka who also commended the interventions in education, said there was need in the future to involve the ministry in siting of some of the projects for equitable distribution and spread.
Kaka said members of National Assembly from the state who always decided where to site the projects needed to consult the state ministry for advice on proper locations for maximum benefit.
Speaking on the special projects, Architect Yakubu Adamawa of the Special Unit of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing who led a team to Borno to inspect about 57 of the completed projects, said the projects are part of constituency projects executed in collaboration with members of the National Assembly between 2018 and 2019 in the state.
Adamu said the team had in the course of the visits to some of the project sites met with stakeholders, particularly end users to hear their testimonies on the impact of the projects.
“We are delegated to come to Borno to look at about 57 projects that have been carried out within the state in conjunction with the National Assembly members.
“We have gone round and see the projects completed and in use. We are able to interact with end users who are direct beneficiaries of those projects.
“In most of the projects sites, the beneficiaries were excited and spoke on how those projects are impacting on their lives.
“We also listened to some of their challenges and demands for more people oriented projects,” Adamu said.
