Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Federal Government is considering taking a second look at the budget in order to provide enough funding for the rehabilitatation of the insurgency-ridden northeast.
Osinbajo spoke at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja last night while receiving a delegation of Borno State elders led by Governor Kassim Shettima on a thank-you visit for the freedom of the 82 Chibok girls.
The acting president observed that the current allocation for humanitarian services in the northeast was inadequate, saying the government did not know how much it would cost to restore what was lost.
His words,” It is a challenge before us. I believe that we cannot wait for another generation of leaders to do it for us. We must resolve to face our challenges.
“We have to take a second look at the budget. What we are providing now is not even 10 percent of the cost.
“We will take out some areas to address in the shortest possible time. It is important that people don’t die while we are planning.
“We will take some time out to outline what is the priority and determine what it will cost us.
“We must do everything that it takes to make sure that we hold ourselves to account for these children. That in my view is the whole essence of leadership.”
Acknowledging the efforts of the Swiss government and other global bodies in the negations that led to the return of the Chibok girls, the Acting President said,
“We thank God for bringing back our girls from captivity. For anyone who is a parent, it is just a very traumatic thing.
“We deserve to be excited that this is happening and we pray that the others will come back. What has happened is largely on the account of the international community.
“They believed in the integrity of the president. So many have sacrificed so much in the course of this insurgency.”
Shettima said international actors had continued to facilitate the negotiations for Chibok girls’ freedom because of President Buhari’s integrity.
“We are here principally to thank Mr. President, you and all senior aides to Mr. President, DSS DG, and the Army for bringing back our girls. President Buhari has the country at heart.
“We must as Nigerians thank God for Mr. President. Buhari succeeded in mobilizing the world for Nigeria. In no distant time, the insurgency will be a thing of the past”, he said.
Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume sought more funding for the welfare of victims of insurgency.
He said: “The humanitarian crisis is beyond anybody’s imagination. Every day, one child dies because of hunger. Children are out of school. We have millions of displaced persons.
“The whole Borno State is not up to the National Assembly budget. The feeding of the children is not something Borno State government can carry”.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Jummai Al-hassan, said that the greed girls were in stable condition.
“Thanks for having confidence in our ministry to leave the girls in our care. The girls are in good shape. We are getting the place they will stay ready. They are all happy.”
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