By Alhaji Yusuf Damaturu
The Yobe State Government has activated a concrete resettlement drive, offering a 14-acre land parcel in Damaturu for the construction of 100 housing units under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) arrangement with a strict nine-month execution deadline.
Acting Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, unveiled the timeline on Monday during a high-level meeting with an EU-Swiss-UN delegation led by EU Cooperation Head, Mr. Massimo De Luca.
He explained that the project concludes the state’s resolution action plan, stressing that governance will drive lasting recovery.
“The initiative prioritizes persons with disabilities, returnees, and host communities through holistic support encompassing shelter, skills, and social unity,” said Goje.
Earlier in his remarks, the Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Massimo De Luca, who led the EU delegation, stressed that the European Union is not merely in Yobe for humanitarian aid but for a paradigm shift toward durable solutions.
He introduced the EU’s flagship Global Gateway strategy, focusing on long-term funding through public funds, private sector investments, and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
“We aren’t primarily here for aid. A lasting fix isn’t a relief effort; it’s a follow up action pinpointing long-term funding. We must carefully synchronize our work to maximize impact. There is a boundary to our commitments, but by aligning with the state’s focused goals, we guarantee maximum benefit,” Mr. De Luca asserted.
Highlighting immediate collaborative action, De Luca pointed to the LASAWAMA project, a joint effort with GIZ and AFD, which will greatly focus on water sector management and identifying critical water related investments to support displaced persons and urban integration.
De Luca congratulated the Yobe State Government for its “vigor and guidance,” thanking the executive arm for creating the conducive environment required for these ambitious efforts.