Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Thursday apologised to the United Nation (UN) over alleged disservice to the state.
The governor offered the apology after he had earlier accused the UN agencies of feeding fat on the plight of victims of violence with little to show in the state.
Shettima made the apology when the Head of the UN mission in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kollon, paid him a courtesy call in Maiduguri.
The governor explained he was referring to the indigenous local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) who are only interested in posing, snapping and taking data of IDPs to claim funds from donor agencies.
“Honestly, from the bottom of my heart we are grateful to the United Nations for all it has been doing toward rehabilitation and resettlement of our displaced people.
“My anger was largely on indigenous NGOs who are based in Maiduguri, who are going to the media to provide account numbers to defraud donors.
“I know a particular NGO that went to the Dalori camp, posed with our IDPs and snap pictures, go and claim funds from an international donor agency.
“Two days, we were in Konduga with the UNHCR where building materials assistance was given to about 5,000 IDPs who returned to their librated communities.
“I made mention of NGOs like World Food Programme (WFP), UNFPA, IOM, IVRC, Danish and Norwegian Refugees Council and UNHCR, which I said were really doing well.
“Even the UNICEF, it was my Commissioner for Health, Mr Haruna Mshelia, who later enlightened me on some of the intervention the UNICEF are giving.
“I am referring to those who are exploiting our people, those who are making accommodation very high.
“I am very aware of your support to the plight of our people. During our darkest hours, the UN followed us to Bama to provide services to our displaced people.
“I therefore want to render an unreserved apology for the pain I have caused you.
“We solicit for your support especially on the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of our people.
“We also appeal to you to touch lives here in the host community of Maiduguri.
“One of the areas of our significant concern is the area of the girl child education. If it takes me to kneel down before you I will do just that,” said Shettima.
Kallon had earlier advised the governor not to allow the media to reverse the effort of the government and the United Nation.
“Your Excellency, if we allow the media to shoot us on our foot we are not going to work. If we start sending different languages and different voices we are not going to work.
“I agree with you that some of the NGOs are good, there are also trouble makers among them but we must manage them.
“And that is why I am here to make sure that everything here is transparent. Your Excellency, if you have any issue that you want to confirm, ask Peter, he will tell you what you want to know.
“We must all work together and speak with one voice in order to achieve our desired objectives.
“We still have some humanitarian challenges especially in getting access to some of the librated towns. We are eager to see how we can reach out to librated areas.
“We will continue to give our support to your administration to return all effected population to their areas with dignity,’’ he said. (NAN)