Shettima sets up high-powered committee to screen NGOs operating in Borno

dailypost.ng

Mar 16, 2018 11:36 AM

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has approved the setting up a high-powered committee to conduct a “thorough and meticulous exercise” on NGOs operating in the state.

Governor Shettima who stated this at an expanded meeting of the State Security Council at the Government House in Maiduguri, yesterday, said the decision followed the concerns raised by the Theatre Commander of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and many prominent personalities in the state, regarding the operations of these NGOs.

The governor charged the committee to, among other things, look into the sources of their funding, profile of their staff, and to determine whether or not they are duly registered by the relevant federal and state authorities.

“To address the concerns expressed by the Theatre Commander and indeed many prominent personalities regarding such an aspect of the operations of the NGOs, I have approved the setting up of a high-powered committee to conduct a thorough and meticulous exercise on the NGOs with specific reference to their areas of operations, sources of fundings, profile of their staff, and whether or not they are duly registered by the relevant federal and state authorities.

“In addition, the committee will also determine the relevance and quality of the NGOs, vis-a-vis, the needs and requirements of those they serve or those they purportedly claiming to be serving, especially the IDPs.

“Furthermore, the committee will look into their modus operandi with a view to finding out whether they are in the state to exploit the security situation and derive benefits from the misery of our people or they are genuinely interested in alleviating the sufferings of our people,” Governor Shettima said.

The governor also said concerted efforts have been made to ensure the return of internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from Bama, Dikwa and Gwoza to their original homes.

“On the issue of the relocation of IDPs to their original houses, especially those from Bama, Dikwa and Gwoza, we have made considerable progress in our determined efforts to ensure that all of them are safely returned.” he said.

Earlier, Governor Shettima had commended the efforts of security forces in the state for inflicting a crushing defeat on the Boko Haram insurgents and irredeemably destroying their infrastructures.