By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and The Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) have carried out an environmental sanitation exercise in some parts of the capital Maiduguri and Jere LGA host communities of Bulumkitu, Dakar and Bulabulin areas.
The sanitation exercises which included the clearing of drainage canals and evacuation of waste was part of the 2022 ICRC Cash-For-Work Project organized by ICRC in collaboration with BOSEPA.
About 700 persons participated in the project work which were identified in collaboration with community stakeholders/leaders and enrolled into the program for a period of 60 working days which commenced since from 23. May, 2022 and concluded on 29 August, 2022.
The Borno Communication Officer of ICRC, Umar Sadiq, said in a statement that the beneficiaries were directly supervised by 35 skilled personnel from the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA), bringing the total direct beneficiaries of the project to 735, with over 100,000 indirect beneficiaries across the three selected communities.
As part of the agreement, each beneficiary was to receive N2,500 daily for 60 days, making a total of N150,000 per person.
According to the statement, “The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an impartial and neutral humanitarian organization that provides assistance to most vulnerable families and displaced persons affected by armed conflict and violence.
“The ICRC has been assisting affected communities by carrying out several humanitarian assistance programs, such as livelihood intervention, improving access to healthcare services, provision of shelter and access to clean water as well as helping to reunite separated family members occasioned by conflict or violence”.
“The objective of the project is to support and create temporary employment opportunities in the communities by engaging the most vulnerable to do the sanitation work and earn an income to cater for their urgent needs.
“However, as a result of the waste evacuation activities, the dwellers in the communities have improved their living environment.
” As a result of this, flooding in their communities have reduced as the excess rainwater flows out of their neighborhoods, which leaves little or no room for stagnant water to remain which breeds mosquitoes and germs.
It further added that beneficiaries were supported with tools required for the desilting activity with the aim of continuing the maintenance of the drainage canals even after the completion of the project in their neighborhood.
At the end of the 2022 ICRC Cash for Work Project, a total of 125 kilometers of drainage network in communities of Bulumkutu, Dala, Bulabulin and beyond, was evacuated and cleared.
Community members in their reactions, commended the international Committee of the Red Cross for its efforts as it has helped reduce incidents of flooding in their neighborhoods and as well provided them with the much-needed income.
BOSEPA staff also applauded their collaboration with the International Committee of the Red saying it has had a positive impact on their work, especially to the communities in MMC and Jere, as well as improving the condition of their environment in the process.
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