World Bank to help Nigeria Build North East with $800 million

The World Bank is setting aside $800 million in support of the rebuilding of infrastructure devastated by years of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

The United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Fatma Samoura, who disclosed this Thursday, stated that the global body was increasing its presence in Borno State and other North East states devastated by insurgency.

Samoura, who is also the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative spoke in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital during a courtesy visit to Governor Kashim Shettima.

She, however, expressed regret that the UN was having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world, just as Shettima said the $800m was grossly inadequate.

Samoura's words: "Yesterday, we had a long discussion with the World Bank team that came from Washington to attend the workshop. The workshop is for validating the year findings of the recovery and peace-building assessment. They have promised to leverage 800 million dollars for the North East to response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management and debris processing for the North East of Nigeria," she said.

"As we all know, the Syrian crisis that is affecting Europe is also taking a heavy toll in terms of funding from our traditional donors. We are trying our best to ensure that our advocacy and our communication strategy are up to the level where we will be receiving more attention from the donor community.

"The humanitarian response plan, as we speak, is just 10 per cent funded, meaning we have only received $24 million. This is out of $248 million budgeted for the North East of Nigeria for 2016.

Samoura, however, pledged that the UN would continue to complement the World Bank and the EU supports to address the root causes of poverty and exclusion in the North East.

"The UN will be on your side in order to address the humanitarian situation. The UN will also support the Borno government in its work on recovery and rehabilitation for the safe return of the IDPs(Internally Displaced Persons) back to their areas of origin." Samoura assured.