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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
In a bid to give them a sense of belonging, Governors from the Northern States especially in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), have intensified efforts to build houses for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, at the presentation of awards to winners of the inaugural Housing Design Competition tagged: ‘Home After Crisis.’
Zulum noted that the security situation in his state has abated largely, adding that there are many safe areas to build more affordable housing units for the IDPs.
He said: “The governor of Borno State and the Northern States will provide the political will needed to partner with IOM and other organizations in order to build more homes for the families of the displaced persons.
“We shall very soon enter into an agreement to see how we can partner together. Most importantly the first and second winner are from Nigeria.”
The 2023 “Home After Crisis” design competition, was funded by the Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF) produced 3 winners who carted away €5,000, € 3,000 and €2,000 respectively for the designed ‘Homing Scheme’.
Alao, the IOM Chief of Mission to Nigeria, Laurent De Boeck, explained that the initiative was support the vulnerable battered by poverty an homelessness.
“Since 2015, the northeast of Nigeria has faced escalating violence, leading to an unprecedented housing emergency. As of 2023, an estimated 3.5 million people had lost their homes or lived in precarious conditions.
“Nigeria currently experiences an acute housing deficit, estimated at around 23 million, requiring the construction of one million housing units annually for the next 20 years.
“At the IOM, we commit to support the government and the people of Nigeria to increase the current production rate of housing construction with the private sector,” he said.
