By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Germany, is to restore peace and livelihoods of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) returnees in Borno State.
The Northeast stabilisation process with peace could provide hopes and the education future of children affected in the 13-year conflict.
Unveiling the peace building process, on Monday, in Mafa, Borno State, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, said: “It’s an honour that we are here in your hometown, Mafa, which was destroyed in 2015 by non-state actors.
“Coming from Europe, one can hardly imagine what it means if the whole town is not only destroyed, but people had to flee, even as lives have been lost.”
Baerbock added that parents of children were also killed in the over a decade conflict in the state.
According to her, the UNDP regional stabilisation facility can work together with the United Nations (UN) and Germany, as well as with the European Union (EU) to ensure peace and stabilisation process with people’s livelihoods.
While citing the UNDP Ngarannam village, in Mafa Council, she said: “This village will not only host the IDP returnees, it will also engage them in decision-making process.
She added that ‘security, education and healthcare’ are crucial in restoring hopes and future of the people affected in the conflict.
“Functional infrastructure facilities and police stations will be provided,” she declared, stating that this will ensure ‘trust and commitment’ among IDP returnees.
After interacting with women and school children of Ngarannam for over an hour, Baerbock urged Federal and state governments to involve women in the decision-making process.
She noted that women constitute about 50 per cent in peace building and stabilisation process of the Northeast region.
Responding, Governor Babagana Zulum attributed the over a decade conflict to abject poverty, drug abuse and environmental degradation.
https://guardian.ng/news/undp-germany-to-restore-peace-livelihoods-in-borno/
