Boko Haram: VP Osinbajo Commends Borno Govt, NEMA Over IDPs’ Welfare

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday commended Borno State Government for its efforts at ensuring welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

Osinbajo made the commendation while speaking with newsmen during a visit to the state capital Maiduguri.

He said his visit was directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The VP said: “I am here on the instruction of the President to do on-the-spot check on the physical situation at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, and to see the true situation around Borno and get to be sure of what exactly is going on.

“This I have done; of course you were with us at the IDPs camps. We were able to meet with the people and see how they lived and how they have been taken care of,” he said.

The Vice President said he was elated by the manner the state government was handling the IDPs camps.

“Clearly, the state government is doing an incredible job, NEMA is also doing an excellent job.

“The next phase is resettling the displaced persons in their communities in their homes, that is the most important thing in the next stage, and that is why I am here to understand the financial implication of that project; what are the material requirements, what the logistics will be, etc.

“That is exactly what we are trying to work out; we are trying to see for ourselves how and what needs to be done in this next phase,” he said.

Osinbajo said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the return of the IDPs to their homes.

“The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that all those displaced return to their homes and as much as possible we are able to rehabilitate them, rebuild their homes, markets, rebuild the basic infrastructure that is necessary so that they can go back home and continue with their lives.

“I have seen for myself and I have also had extensive discussions with stakeholders and I think I have a fair idea of what needs to be done.

“I am still going to come back as discussions are ongoing; we are not done yet, lots of plans are required.”

Nigeria’s debt hits $63.5bn – DMO

Nigeria’s total debt stood at N12.06tr ($63.5 billion) at the end of March this year, up from N11.2tr in December 2014, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said on Wednesday.

Nigeria, Africa’s top economy and largest oil producer, has been hammered by the 50 percent fall in global oil prices as crude sales account for more than 70 percent of government revenue.

Squeezed government revenues forced this year’s budget to be revised and federal projects scrapped or halted while state employees have gone months without being paid.

The national currency, the naira, has also come under intense pressure, losing substantial ground to the dollar on both the official and black market.

The figure announced by the DMO confirms claims by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that the country’s debt stood at some $60 billion at the end of Goodluck Jonathan’s term, after he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari in March elections.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former finance minister, had however staunchly rejected the claim, saying the debt was much lower and mostly incurred by states rather than the federal government.

Nigeria’s debt has been rising in recent years despite the country having received $18 billion in relief from the Paris Club of creditors in 2005, when its national debt stood at $30 billion.