The United Nations (UN) has pledged to scale up its support for victims of the recent floods in Borno State, with a view to mitigating the devastating effects of the disaster.
UN Resident Country and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, made this known during a press conference in Maiduguri on Saturday.
He later paid a courtesy visit to Borno Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
Fall assured that the UN would not abandon the people of Borno in their time of need, saying: “We are committed to supporting the state government in providing aid to affected communities.”
He commended Governor Zulum for his swift response to the crisis, saying: “We have seen the impact of your leadership on the people of Borno. We will scale up our response to address the needs of those affected.”
The UN official disclosed that the organisation would work in collaboration with partners to provide critical assistance, including water, food, sanitation, shelter, health, and psychosocial services.
Fall revealed that the UNDP has commenced a post-disaster assessment and is developing a recovery plan with the World Bank to support the relocation, reintegration, and resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The UN representative reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting Borno State, saying: “We will work with stakeholders to support displaced communities and promote resilience and sustainable progress in Borno.”
Governor Zulum expressed gratitude to the United Nations for its prompt intervention and support, saying: “I am deeply thankful to the United Nations for standing with us in this difficult time.”
He noted that the floods had exacerbated the existing humanitarian challenges in the state but assured that his administration was working tirelessly to address the needs of the affected communities.
The Governor appealed to other international organisations, donor agencies, and well-meaning individuals to join hands with the state government and the UN to address the humanitarian crisis.
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