Borno SEMA repatriates 3500 refugees, resettles over 1 million IDPs

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Borno SEMA repatriates 3500 refugees, resettles over 1 million IDPs

The Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo has said that the agency under her leadership was able to repatriate 3,500 displaced persons taking refuge in Niger, Cameroun and Chad Republics, even as close to one million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs were resettled back to their liberated communities in the last five and half years.

Kolo said these modest achievements by the agency could not have been visible without the support it got from Governor Babagana Zulum, security agencies, Humanitarian actors, Directors and staff of the agency as well as the Media and other stakeholders.

The DG stated this on Sunday during the official handing/taking over of the affairs of the agency following the dissolution of State Executive Members, Chairmen and Board members of agencies and parastatals by Governor Zulum who directed all concerned to hand over government affairs to their respective Permanent Secretaries or the most senior directors before 29th May 2023.

Kolo in an emotional laden voice at the Agency’s Head Office in Maiduguri in the presence of her staff who were mostly in tears because of her exit, said, ‘in any beginning, there must be an end’, but however thanked God Almighty for sparing her life.

He appreciated the former Governor, now Vice- President Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Zulum for finding her worthy to offer her wealth of experience as DG of SEMA in the last five and half years.

When reeling out her achievements she said, “let me begin by thanking God Almighty for sparing my life. My appreciation goes to the former Governor, now Vice- President Elect, Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Zulum for finding me worthy to offer my wealth of experience as DG of SEMA in the last five and half years.

“The agency under my able leadership was able to repatriate 3,500 displaced persons taking refuge in neighbouring Niger, Cameroun and Chad, even as close to one million Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs were resettled back to their liberated communities.

“The agency with its resilient staff has gone around fragile and remote places and distributes food and non-food items to victims of insurgency.

“These modest achievements could not have been visible without the support I got especially from Governor Babagana Zulum, security agencies, Humanitarian actors, resilient Directors and staff of the agency as well as the Media and other stakeholders.

“During the years under review, we have conducted a lot of institutional strengthening, Borno SEMA has become a global name all over, as we have repositioned it to a global standard in line with humanitarian response/practices.

“Over the years, we have established a full-fledged department of Planning, Research and Statistics, Education and Mobilization due to my Media background, I have also strengthened the Media Unit which is almost becoming a directorate of its own.

“On Adminstration Department, we have recruited about 62 personnel/young and vibrant graduates who have filled the gap hitherto exist in the agency.

“We have also trained and retrained our staff to curb humanitarian challenges and respond to natural or man-made disasters in the state.

“More so, i developed a 48-page document which is called Corporate Plans of SEMA. It is a guiding document for whoever is coming to head the agency.

“On Regional Stabilization Programme, RSP, as the Lead Focal Person to the Governors’ Forum, i have represented the Governor on Peace Building and Stabilization at various meetings, especially Lake Chad Governors’ Forum, which took place in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroun and some other Sahelian regions including Sudan which has brought about Regional Security, Cooperation and Stabilization now enjoyed in the North East.

“On this note, i thank all staff for their maximum support and cooperation accorded to me in the last five and half years as DG of the agency.” Kolo stated.

In his response on behalf of the staff of SEMA after recieving the Handing Over Note, the Director Finance and Account, Ibrahim Kaumi expressed concern that the agency would surely miss the leadership qualities of the outgone DG, but promised to continue where she stopped, so that the legacy already established in the agency would not be in vein.

Kaumi therefore wished Hajiya Kolo well and God’s guidance in her future endeavours, even as he said, the management will continue to knock on her doors for advice(s) at all times in moving SEMA to a greater height. End