Borno state map, 

The Borno State Government on Sunday said that it had distributed no less than 70 block molding machines to communities liberated during the counter-insurgency operation to facilitate reconstruction there.

The Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Mr Babangida Tijjani, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of the state that the machines were installed in major towns to accelerate rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the liberated communities.
He listed some of the benefitting communities as: Bama, Banki, Damboa, Dikwa, Gwoza, Karetu, Kawuri and Malari.
The commissioner said that the gesture would enable the government to produce adequate blocks to facilitate smooth execution of the reconstruction projects.
“The state government has purchased and installed over 70 high capacity block molding machines, cement and other materials in the liberated communities.
“We plan to produce about 1.2 million pieces of blocks in each of the affected communities.
“It is a deliberate attempt to fast track rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in the state,” he said.
Tijjani also said that the state government had embarked on massive reconstruction of residential homes, schools, clinics, markets and other public buildings in the liberated areas.
He noted that the gesture would fast track the reconstitution of civil authorities in the liberated areas and the return of displaced persons to their respective communities.
“This is necessary in view of the high-scale vandalism caused by the insurgents.
“Residential homes, schools, roads and clinics were destroyed; it caused colossal damages and made the towns uninhabitable.”
NAN reports that the Federal Government had embarked on enumeration of displaced persons and assessment of liberated communities to facilitate reconstitution of civil authorities there.
Members of the Presidential Committee for North-East Initiative had so far visited Kumshe, Bama, Banki and other liberated areas.
The committee also inspected the door-to-door- emergency food distribution conducted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at Bakassi, Teachers’ House IDP camps and the host communities in Maiduguri.

(NAN)