
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has made a donation of $1.4 million to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in Borno State.
ECOWAS President, Marcel de Souza, made the donation on behalf of the African regional body in two separate cheques of $1 million and $0.4million.
He handed the cheques to Governor Kashim Shetima with instructions that the fund should be used to procure relief materials for the IDPs.
De-Sousa said that the leadership of ECOWAS share the plight and concerns of the IDPs and refugees in Nigeria, promising to do everything possible to support them.
Sani Sidi, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, who accompanied the ECOWAS boss on the visit, also presented food items and building materials to the state government.
The building materials include: 2600 bundles of Roofing sheet, 2500 piece ceiling boards, 350 bags of 3″ nails and 350 packets of zinc nails, which he said will assist the government in the ongoing reconstruction works in Bama, Hawul and Gamboru-Ngala communities.
The food items include: 3600 bags of rice, 1400 bags of bean and 1000 bags of millet.
Receiving the items, Governor Shettima appreciated NEMA for its continued support to the IDPs.
He also commended ECOWAS for the donations, assuring the chairman that the items will be effectively utilized for the benefit of the IDPs.