By Sadiq Abubakar Maiduguri Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, yesterday laid foundation for construction of ultra- modern secondary, nursery and primary schools to carter for thousands of orphaned children and young people who were displaced by activities of dreaded Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state.
The schools which constitute 24 block of classrooms for secondary and 12 classrooms for nursery and primary will also have boys and girls’ hostels, information and communication technology centre, administrative blocks, laboratories, staff quarters, health and skills acquisition facilities, as well as social centre that are to be financed under the banner of “Aisha Buhari Foundation (ABF).”
Laying the Foundation at a colourful ceremony on Bama Road in Maiduguri, the state capital, Aisha, who was represented by Dr. Hajjo Sani, said the project “is borne out of passion to improve the living condition of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and victims of conflicts and other humanitarian crises, particularly children in the North-east.” She said: “Recent data have shown that over one million IDPs in the North Eastern part of Nigeria are young people between 0 and 18 years of age, thousands of these are orphans who have lost their parents under circumstances of Boko Haram, and this initiatives under my Foundation is meant to provide educational facilities, shelter as well as income generating activities for the benefit of underprivileged children. “It is envisaged that this facility which is located next to Dangote Village for IDPs when completed, will provide employment and cater for close to 2,000 youths and women.”
She commended Governor Kashim Shettima and his wife, Hajiya Nana, security agencies and humanitarian workers for their unwavering commitment to the cause of the displaced persons. In her welcome address, Hajiya Nana Shettima, who was represented by the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Inna Galadima, thanked wife of the President for her commitment to the plights of IDPs and other victims of insurgents.
