From Olukayode Idowu, Maiduguri
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has supervised the enrollment of 1,163 children of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into primary school in one of the insurgency affected towns in the state.
The governor as part of his visit to Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar local government which saw his boosting dry season farming with provision of equipment to farmers and distribution of relief materials to over 10,000 IDPs, on Monday personally supervised the enrollment of students in the town, along the shores of Lake Chad.
The governor who was on the third day of his visit to Mobbar local government area, enrolled the pupils who mostly hailed from Guzamala and Abadam local government areas in northern Borno.
The students had been out of school since the displacement of their parents and guardians, by Boko Haram, following attacks on communities they lived.
During the exercise, Zulum appealed to parents to allow their children enroll in schools, stressing that where functional schools are provided by government, social welfare assistance from government will eventually be restricted to parents who allow their children and wards to attend schools whether western or combined curriculum of Islamic and western education.
The governor also addressed secondary school students in Damasak and those who have written their senior schools certificate exams, in preparation for higher institution.
He promised them of government’s support to help them actualize their dreams in live.
The governor had traveled to Damasak on Saturday morning, during which he launched the distribution of water pumps, fertilizer, seeds, chemicals and N5,000 cash to each of 1,200 irrigation farmers embarking on food cultivation this dry season.
The following day, Sunday, the governor supervised the distribution of food combination to 10,000 internally displaced families in need of support. Each of the 10,000 families received 25kg of rice, 25kg of beans, 25kg of maize and 5 litres of cooking oil as part of interventions before they can generate livelihoods for themselves in Damasak.
Damasak, was a former stronghold of Boko Haram insurgents before it was liberated with citizens now resettled.
The governor traveled with Senator Abubakar Kyari, the senator representing northern Borno, who is also an indigene of Damasak. Also in the trip is state caretaker chairman of the APC, Ali Bukar Dalori, commissioner for agric, Engr Bukar Talba and some stakeholders from the area.
