The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to appropriate a substantial amount in the 2025 Appropriation Bill for the development of the permanent site of the Nigerian Arabic Village, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion during Thursday’s plenary, sponsored by Abubakar Fulata (APC, Borno).
Giving a background to the motion, Fulata stated that the recent flood disaster that submerged Maiduguri and its environs as well as other neighbouring local government areas caused unimaginable losses of lives, livestock, and property worth billions of naira.
Fulata noted that the floodings in Maiduguri submerged the Arabic Language Village, destroying computers, information and communication technology appliances, books, journals, offices, libraries, furniture, and fittings.
He noted that the Boko Haram insurgency complicated the situation, forcing the centre to suspend its strategic roles in immersion and acculturation programmes.
He continued, “The House is disturbed that students undergoing a one-year compulsory programme in the village will be stranded, pending rehabilitation and replacement of damaged books, equipment, computers, and teaching aids for Arabic and academic activities.
“Given the paucity of funds and the fact that the Borno State government which has been assisting the village is itself in dire need of assistance; we crave financial and all forms of assistance to ameliorate the sufferings of its citizens.”
Following the motion’s adoption, the House urged the ministries of finance, budget and national planning, education, humanitarian affairs and the Director General, Budget of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation, the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Universities Commission to intervene and address the situation.
It urged the ministries and agencies to include substantial amounts for the development of the permanent site of the Arabic Language Village in the 2025 budget, as well as make provision for the maintenance and sustenance of the existing temporary site for full operation, pending the completion and handover of the permanent site.
The House also urged the ministries and agencies to approve the immediate release of funds from the service-wide votes to the Nigeria Arabic Language Village for the procurement of all the potential and essential items required for the resumption of its operations and academic activities.
The House also urged the NEMA to provide and distribute relief materials to the institution, students, and staff affected by the flood.
It mandated its Committee on University Education to investigate and report within four weeks to put the institution back into operation.