Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

The Federal Government has approved a task force to rebuild infrastructural facilities in the North Eastern states’ ravaged by insurgency within six months, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said.

A statement signed by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Media/Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, said Adewole made the statement when he visited Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa, Deputy Governor of Borno State, over the weekend.

The statement was made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Akinola quoted the minister as saying that the task force had been mandated to focus on restoring health, nutrition, water and environmental facilities damaged in the zone.

“The task force will be coordinated by the Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and chaired by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.

“The water, health and environment component will be headed by a Minister and the Minister of Health will coordinate the health and nutrition components of the task force.

`The task force will commence work in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa with more focus in Borno State,’’ Adewole said.

The minister said that the budget for the programme had been approved and the work plan was been developed with necessary facilities provided in all the affected states.

“The Federal Ministry of Health in its capacity has provided health commodities worth about 1.2 billion naira to Borno State,

“The first consignment is for Maiduguri which is about N400, 000 million and the second batch will follow later.

The Ministry will continue to partner with Borno State in the area of healthcare delivery,’’ the minister said.

The minister said the task force would work under the supervision of the Presidential Initiative for the North-East which would be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He added that the challenges facing Borno and other north-eastern states affected not only the north- east but the whole country.

In his remarks, the deputy governor expressed appreciation for the efforts being put in place by the federal government to re-build Borno State.

While commending the Federal Ministry of Health for providing health facilities, Dukwa   assured that his government would partner federal government and development partners to rebuild the state. (NAN)