Mercy Corps and the European Union have handed over 325 permanent shelters to returnee families in Borno State.

The handing over, which was done last Thursday at the Gwoza Local Government Area of the troubled state, is part of the framework of the Borno ‘Maida’ – Early Recovery Programme, which target victims of the insurgency in the state.

The construction of the shelters, according to a statement by Mercy Corps, is part of efforts to provide social protection for the conflict-affected families who have returned to their communities to rebuild and restart their lives under the EU-funded Borno ‘Maida’ – Early Recovery Programme.

The project is implemented in Borno State by Mercy Corps and the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED).

According to the statement issued on Tuesday, Mercy Corps conducted an assessment in November 2018 and mapped out about 1,916 displaced families in urgent need of shelter in Gwoza.

The statement further revealed that after further assessment, 325 most-in-need families were selected for immediate assistance.

The statement quoted the Country Director, Mercy Corps Nigeria, Ndubisi Anyanwu, as saying: “Through the construction of these shelter, the MAIDA program has played its part in trying to build a sustainable construction industry in Gwoza in the medium to long term.