From BEATRICE GONDYI, Bauchi
The internally displaced persons from Borno state taking refuge in Bauchi have lamented the non-availability of basic amenities in their settlement at Rindiben village of Bauchi local government area to cushion their years of hardship after migration.
The head of the settlement, Malam Bulama Gujja disclosed this while responding to journalists during a tour to the settlement by a Non-Governmental Organization in the state known as ‘Fahimta Women And Youth Development Initiative’ (FAWOYDI). He said the lack of those amenities makes life unbearable for the settlers.
He explained that they were displaced by insurgents from their communities in Borno state where they had occupations, to cater to their needs and those of their families.
He said they now engage in peasant farming ‘to keep body and soul together’ calling on the state government to provide them with amenities to enable them to live more comfortably.
“We live peacefully here only that our children do not go to school due to the absence of schools and we don’t have a hospital to attend to our sick people. If we must take our sick people to the hospital, we have to go all the way to inkil in the state capital.
“You have to pay a motorcyclist N500 to take you to the hospital and many of our people cannot afford that”. He lamented.
While appreciating FAWOYDI, ActionAid for donating some items to them in recent time, the former speaker house of representatives Yakubu Dogara for providing water boreholes to them, SEMA and NEMA for providing relief materials and philanthropists Hajiya Hamra Imam and Hajiya Samira Galadima for building a mosque and wells, Gujja said the provision of hospital, school and access road are very essential.
Also responding, another internally displaced woman Hadiza Bulama revealed that pregnant women give birth in the hands of traditional birth attendants among them due to a lack of maternity clinics in the area.
Earlier, the program officer of FAWOYDI Mr. Tosin Zuberu told the internally displaced persons that the NGO is on a tour to the place to see their situation with a view to linking them up with relevant government ministries, departments and agencies that could bring succor.
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