By Oluwaseun Sonde
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum who had spent Thursday and Friday nights in Monguno located in northern part of the state, coordinating humanitarian responses and rebuilding projects.
The Governor visited General Hospital in Monguno, on Saturday, announced the approval of 30% salary increase for doctors in seven Local Government areas with peculiarities.
Aside medical doctors, nurses, midwives, lab technicians, pharmacists and other health workers in the seven Local Government Areas will also benefit from 20% salary increase aimed at motivating them to deliver quality and affordable healthcare services.
The seven LGAs: Monguno, Ngala, Dikwa, Kukawa, Kala-Balge Abadam and Banki in Bama were among major strongholds destroyed by Boko Haram in 2014 and remained unoccupied for about eight years until the recent resettling of IDPs and refugees.
Zulum, in company of the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Barr. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, visited the general hospital around 1am and was there till 2am.
He was received and conducted round by the principal medical officer, Dr. Solomon Tiza.
The governor ordered the construction of additional staff quarters, the provision of a deep aquifer borehole and solar electricity to enhance services at the facility.
Zulum had, in January 2022, raised the salaries of all medical doctors in Borno to the level paid by the Federal Government to stop rampant cases of state doctors moving to federal healthcare institutions for better pay.
The governor has in the last three years approved the recruitment of a combined total of 676 medical workers made up of over 40 medical doctors and 241 nurses, midwives and other health workers.
Fishery: Zulum offers five vehicles, stimulus to Monguno dealers
In another development the Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum directed the release of five vehicles and a business grant as stimulus to fish marketers.
Zulum’s offer, issued during an interactive meeting with fish dealers in Monguno town during his visit that ended Saturday, aimed to enhance the trading of dried fish previously suspended as a result of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents.
The Governor was in Monguno to supervise the distribution of N275m alongside bags of food items and textiles to over 90,000 IDPs and vulnerable members of the host communities, which he did from Thursday to Saturday.
Economic activities in Borno were disrupted due to Boko Haram’s attacks on security forces and communities, which led to the displacement of millions of people.
Before the insurgency, which disrupted business activities in most communities in Borno, dry fish was commercially supplied to other parts of Nigeria and to the neighbouring countries.
Zulum has since 2019 directed disbursement of billions of naira aimed at supporting business owners whose sources of livelihood were crippled by over a decade conflict in the northeast.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has warned fish traders against any business deals that can support funding to Boko Haram/ISWAP.
“I warn you not to be involved with any illicit transaction that can jeopardize the security of our people. Anyone caught associating with criminal elements should blame himself” Zulum said.
The Governor urged the traders to cooperate with the security agencies by providing information about suspicious activities relating to insurgents.
Governor Zulum traveled to Monguno with Chief Mohammed Tahir Monguno, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Engr Mustapha Gubio.
Also, Commissioner for Justice, Bar. Kaka Shehu Lawan and former Commissioner of Agriculture, Engr Bukar Talba, among humanitarian and reconstruction officials.
Well-done Governor