By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has commended the Borno State Government over the reintroduction of monthly sanitation exercise.
The Head of the UNDP North-East Office in Maiduguri, Ms. Mizuho Yokoi, who led the team from the organisation out to clear drainages in Maiduguri on Saturday, said the reintroduction of the exercise was a welcome development.
She told journalists that: “UNDP is very proud to participate in this monthly sanitation exercise in Borno, the first in a long time.”She revealed that: “Since 2018, UNDP has been working with Borno State Government, the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) and the Ministry of Environment to restore waste management basic services, and to support capacity building, infrastructure development and service improvement. Yokoi said: “Thanks to funding by the European Union, UNDP has facilitated the hiring of 12,240 people (6,420 women and 5,820 men) from the local government area of Maiduguri.
“As of July 2019, 602 beneficiaries (289 females and 313 males) have taken part in the evacuation and disposal of 670 cubic meters of solid waste and have drained a total length of 37.77 km of drainages to prevent flooding in seven Maiduguri neighborhoods.”
She added that: “Building on this success, UNDP is proud to announce that the programme will be extended to other LGAs in Biu and Bama. “UNDP is committed to continue working with Borno State authorities to make a difference in the lives of countless men and women of Maiduguri and Borno.”
