An odd reversal of roles

The Governor of Borno State witnessed an odd reversal of roles when he visited an IDP camp: Shovels, instead of spoons were being used to serve food to the displaced persons. There was   surprise and anger on the face of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State when he paid an unscheduled visit to Dalori camp […]

The Governor of Borno State witnessed an odd reversal of roles when he visited an IDP camp: Shovels, instead of spoons were being used to serve food to the displaced persons.

There was   surprise and anger on the face of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State when he paid an unscheduled visit to Dalori camp hosting some Internally Displaced Persons  (IDPs) and saw cooks and officials at the camp using shovels meant for mixing cement and packing sand, in  the serving  of food.
The governor who was finding it very difficult to believe what he was seeing, stood in surprise for some time, possibly trying to figure out what he was seeing. When he recovered, he queried the officials around, saying, “Can you feed your family this way? Why are you inhuman? Don’t you know that these are our fellow human beings? They are only here because they are displaced,” he said angrily.
Shettima went straight to taste the food before instantly sacking the committee on IDP welfare, and ordered that the newly appointed state Executive Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Engineer Satomi Alhaji Ahmad who was on his first outing since his appointment, should withdraw all the shovels and replace them with big spoons.
He warned that IDPs are not criminals ,but people who fell victims of insurgency that led to their being displaced from their homes and places of business, and therefore need the support of the entire society to be able to overcome their predicaments and resettle.
He assured that the state government will do everything humanly possible to ensure that all the IDPs in the state are well taken care of ,and that as soon as their towns and villages are liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents, the state government will help them to resettle them and return back to their businesses.
Governor Shettima, who took time to chat  with the IDPs in the camp as a way of consoling them, also directed the Executive Chairman of SEMA to spend the night with the IDPs as a way  of keeping them company.
Speaking with Daily Trust in his office, the SEMA boss, Engineer Satomi Alhaji Ahmad said, “Actually, the incident happened immediately I assumed duty, and I directed that big and strong aluminum spoons be produced to replace the shovels as directed by the governor, and that was immediately done for all our 482 50-size pots across the camps in the state.
“We have also sensitized them to understand that shovels are meant for mixing cement or packing sand and not for sharing food. In any case, the shovel is metal that should not be used in turning or sharing food, as that will not be good for their health. They are improving now. I do not think there is any camp you will see using shovel to turn or share food now, right from the day His Excellency visited the camp and handed down that instruction,” he said.

Also speaking on the allegation that a shortage of food is being experienced in some camps, Engineer Ahmad blamed it on some greedy IDPs who fraudulently collect more than their share, saying, “There is a committee set up and it realized that some of the IDPs are not complying with the meal ticket which we produced for them.
“Instead of using the ticket, an IDP will just come and say they are ten in their room and he needs  food for ten. Minutes later, you will see him drying the food he collected with a view of going to sell to cattle and livestock breeders. That is the reason why we introduced the use of meal tickets, and dedicated a separate kitchen for children, where they are cooking three times daily,” he said.
On the alleged use of bathing and washing buckets to serve food to IDPs instead of plates, he said, “It is not true that buckets meant for bathing and washing are used in serving food. Each of our 16 camps has their own pattern of sharing food. Some are using buckets that have covers purposely meant for that kitchen. Other camps use trays  to serve mainly children who eat in groups. For now, I am not aware of any camp that is using buckets to serve food, and at the same time using the same bucket for any other purpose,” he said.
Engineer Ahmad said when he noticed that the sanitary condition of the camps was  not too good, he introduced sanitation exercises in the camps, because the IDPs came from different backgrounds where they have never experienced such situation that they have found themselves, and so they require very good and proper sensitization on how to take care of their hygiene to avoid spread of disease.
“Should there be an outbreak of disease like cholera which is a communicable disease, it will spread fast. That was why we had to organize sanitation exercise at the camps. We even went to the extent of giving them incentives. I personally joined in cleaning their toilets to motivate them to do the same for themselves. We distributed detergents, soap and other sanitary equipment to them free,” he said.
He also said his agency has provided additional 50-size new pots to all the camps to replace the old ones, saying spoons, plates and cups used in all the camps are periodically replaced by the agency,  to ensure that befitting treatment is given to the IDPs , so long as they remain in the camps.
Speaking, one of the female cooks in the camp  who   simply identified herself as Maman Modu said all the cooks in the camps are also IDPs engaged by SEMA to be cooking for others, and that they are being paid and supported for that.
“Just recently, the Chairman of SEMA came and distributed tins of peak milk to all the cooks in the camp because of the excessive heat in the kitchen. He also distributed handsets to us and gave us his phone numbers to be using in calling him, if we have any problem of food shortage and the like.
“I do not want to speak on the use of shovel to serve the IDPs food, because the governor has ordered a final stop to it. We were ignorant of the health implication of doing that. Because we are using very big pots and the food is always too much in the pot, we were using the shovels to turn the food and also serve. It is stronger than all the spoons we had,” she said.

Some of the IDPs that spoke to this reporter, said their condition is improving in the camp especially as children are now attending schools, women are learning various trades,  while the aged have enrolled in adult literacy classes.
One of the male IDPs in the camp who ignored requests to identify himself, said, “We are praying that our places should be liberated soon so that we can return  home. I am missing my farm. I am sure my donkey is gone, but I can always get a replacement.”
At the EYN camp located at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) center, Maiduguri, IDPs were seen discussing in groups about a kitchen said to have been constructed for them with zinc privately by a Medical Doctor, Dr. Saleh Abba of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, but a federal government agency is now claiming the credit by hanging its banner on it.
When contacted for comments, Dr. Abba said, “In the month of July 2015, I was able to visit many Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Maiduguri, Borno State for health assessment and distribution of relief materials. However, on 3rd of August I visited the EYN camp Maiduguri located in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) centre; the camp was opened since March 2014. There were about 2,000 IDPs from Madagali Local Government of Adamawa state, Gwoza, Chibok and Damboa Local Governments of Borno state registered in the camp ,and over 300 are children.
“They forwarded some of their complaints to me which include broken-down borehole ,not  enough food, shelter, over flooded toilets and above all lack of kitchens. They were managing an open kitchen which they cannot use to cook whenever it rains,  and as at the time of my visit around 12pm they didn’t cook since the previous day because of the heavy showers.
“The camp caretaker told me that the adults can tolerate and withstand the hunger, but what of the children? He said they have made complaints to NEMA, SEMA and some NGOs, but all they had were promises yet to be fulfilled and they felt abandoned and marginalised because they are from Christian communities. I told them that all the camps actually have similar problems with the exception of the Kitchen issue. Although I am a Muslim, I felt as the insurgency has no barrier, so also my helping hand to the vulnerable should not have barrier.
“I assured them that I will help them build the kitchen, especially seeing the condition of the children during my visit and coupled  with the fact that it  was the raining season. One week later, I was able to get the estimate and sent money through my friend, Dr Marama Gideon who resides in Maiduguri to supervise the project which took them 2 weeks to complete. To my dismay, NEMA unveiled and displayed a banner claiming my project,” he said.
Dr. Abba said he felt so sad and discouraged that a federal government agency will wait for individuals to execute projects before they place their banners claiming the credit, saying, “I made several efforts to reach out to the NEMA Zonal Coordinator in Maiduguri to express my disappointment but could not reach him.”
Efforts by this reporter to reach the NEMA Zonal Coordinator for comments were also not successful, as he always said that he was either on an official trip to Abuja or at the IDP camps.