Babagana Zulum

… Targets 7,000 children in first phase

… Orders more hostel, staff quarters for Fed Poly


Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, traveled to Monguno on Sunday where he led the enrollment of 4,229 school-aged children, amongst them were many orphans whose parents were killed during the Boko Haram insurgency in parts of Northern Borno. 


The exercise which led to the enrollment of 4,229 on Sunday, the first day, is targeting 7,000 children by the end Monday, under the first phase. 


The children, aged between 6 and 13 years were enrolled into primary and junior secondary schools, depending on their academic statuses before they were displaced by insurgents from communities in Monguno, Kukawa, Guzamala and Marte Local Government Areas, all in northern Borno.


After numerous attacks on communities in the aforementioned LGAs since 2014, residents including thousands of children escaped to Monguno town to live in IDP camps for years, with many children missing school as a result.


"Today we are here in Monguno for only one purpose, to enroll your wards to schools”, Zulum told guardians and parents of wards and children enrolled.


The governor applauded parents and guardians for the large turnout to present their children and wards for the mass enrollment. 


Sunday’s enrollment was the third mass admission of displaced children in Monguno town by the Zulum administration. Similar exercise took place in other parts of Borno State. 


... Orders more hostel, staff quarters for Fed Poly


Amid leading enrollment of children into basic schools, Gov Zulum took time to visit and assess ongoing construction and renovation works at a site he had approved for the Federal Polytechnic in Monguno.


Zulum inspected lecture halls, offices for principal officers and staff quarters. 


The Governor directed the construction of additional hostel, staff quarters and admin block at the Federal Polytechnic. 


Zulum had previously approved and released N100m to enable the school to take-off soon after it was approved by President Buhari in January, 2021.


Meanwhile, visiting the polytechnic, the governor rounded up Sunday’s inspection at an ongoing construction of zonal office of a newly created monitoring and evaluation unit from which some trained officials will be monitoring government establishments such as schools and hospitals.


Monguno’s zonal office which is to coordinate oversights of the 10 LGAs in northern Borno senatorial district was at 95% level of completion when Zulum visited on Sunday.


Similar zonal offices are being established in Biu for the seven LGAs in Southern Borno senatorial district and in Maiduguri for the eight LGAs Borno central senatorial district. 


Gov Zulum traveled to Monguno in company of Barrister Mohammed Tahir Monguno who is the Chief Whip of the House of Reps and APC’s senatorial candidate for northern Borno. 


Other members of the governor’s entourage included Commissioner of Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, Member Representing Marte at the Borno State House of Assembly, Commissioner Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Engr Mustapha Gubio; Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs Sugun Mai Male, the Executive Secretary, Borno State Education Trust Fund, Alh. Maina Yaumi, and members of a committee set up by the Governor on mass enrollment of out of school children from four LGAs gathered at IDP camps in Monguno.