Group lauds NEDC over development in North-East Region
Chima Azubuike
North East Youths and Elders Peoples Forum, on Sunday, lauded the North East Development Commission following developmental strides achieved within the North East region.
According to the National president of the group, Alhaji Salihu Magaji, the NEDC has fulfilled more than expected by alleviating the sufferings of the people due to the close to the 12 insurgency witnessed by the region.
The group noted that the overwhelming interventions cuts across health care delivery, education, food and shelter, adding that a lot more of persons whose means of livelihood were truncated due to security challenges are bouncing back .
Magaji said, “The kind of Qualitative projects that impacted positively on the lives of people of Gombe State executed by the North East Development Commission NEDC headed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali ,which we sited across different communities excite the communities, because the projects addressed their most pressing problems
“The projects are physically for anyone to come and see and even to touch and feels it, they have been completed awaiting commissioning which includes; (I)Gombe – solar installation at Specialist Hospital , (II) Kaltungo – Snake Antivenom, (III) Billiri – Farm Service Center at Ladoungur, (IV)Akko – Farm service center at Kalshingi , Kwami – Farm service center at Dukul , (V).Dukku – Farm service center at Dukku ,(VI).Balanga – Farm service center at Gelengu, (VII).Funakaye – Renovation of PHC at Bodour, (VIII).Ashaka Gari, Abuja, (IX).Nafada – Renovation of PHC at Gadi, Shaganawo, Tashan kalgo ,(X).Yamaltu-Deba – Renovation of Junior Staff Quarters at CGSS Dadin kowa and in (XI).Shongom – Upgrade of PHC to cottage hospital.
“On the flag-off of the distribution of food and non-food items, the issue of imminent food insecurity in the region had been a matter of discourse for a long time.Alkali Handed over , bags of rice (25kg) 12,000 Gallons of vegetable oil, 10,000 bags of sugar 2,000, cartons of spaghetti, 3,000 cartons of macaroni and donated non-food items, blanket PCS 2,000 (Pcs), Mats 2,000 (Pcs), mosquito nets 2,000 (Pcs), mosquito hand band 10,000(Pcs).”
While revealing that the effects of insurgency has led to a massive influx of people into the urban areas with most of them taking shelter at any available public spaces, homes, Schools, huts, abandoned and uncompleted buildings, while many trooped to neighboring North eastern States hundreds settled in the Internally Displaced Persons IDP camps across the States.
Magaji noted that the deficit meant that the region has the lowest literacy rate and highest poverty index in the country, adding low literacy and high poverty are recognized by experts to be among the root causes of the violent insurgency that bedevilled the region for twelve years and the situation was further exacerbated by the large-scale destruction of schools and losses in the lives of youths, teachers, students.
“On MEGA Schools, with the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of education sector infrastructure to address the high deficit in classroom blocks in both primary and secondary schools throughout the northeast region.
“Alkali studied the effects of the destruction of schools, especially where they have not been rehabilitated throughout the decade of insurgency, which resulted in the truncation of the education of primary and secondary school students, and even where schools remained standing, widespread poverty coupled with insecurity rendered an estimated 600,000 young people unable to go beyond the primary or secondary school levels. As such, millions of the out of school children in the region remain uneducated, justifying the need for massive intervention in the development of school infrastructure.
“He resolved to construct three (3) Composite Mega Schools or upgrade existing ones in each state of the region, thus making eighteen, one in each of the Senatorial District. We are also going to compliment the physical structure with soft support like teachers’ training, curriculum upgrade, e.t.c.
“In the area of ICT training in the region NEDC trained 2,400 youths in 2 batches across the six states and he donated equipped infectious Diseases Laboratory for the testing of COVID – 19 and other diseases. Which was commissioned in Yobe, Bauchi and Taraba states while Adamawa and Gombe states will be done soon”.
“In Bauchi NEDC brought more developmental projects of construction of 500 mass housing units which the foundation laying ceremony will be laid by His Excellency Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir Executive Governor of Bauchi state. and Flagg of the distribution of food and non-food items to people.
“NEDC under Alkali is constructing two gigantic historic roads that defy previous administrations both military and civilians . The roads are Alkaleri – Futuk road I Alkaleri LGA and Alkaleri -Kirfi- to Gombe Abba road in Kirfi LGA,” Magaji added.
