Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima has lauded the Management of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) for what he described as prudent management of scarce resources used in the rebuilding of insurgency ravaged the North-East subregion.
The Vice President made the declaration on Saturday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital while officially flagging off the construction of roads and presentation of food and non-food items as palliation worth N15b provided by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC)to the Six states in the North-East subregion.
Kashim Shetima also performed the groundbreaking of the construction of a 22.5 km Mafa-Jere road project being undertaken by NEDC as part of the rebuilding process of the North-East sub-region.
The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, in Ngwom village in Mafa.
The Vice President, however, urged the Commission to consider handling some critical Federal roads linking states in the subregion in order to facilitate the fast return of socio-economic activities.
Vice President Shettima lauded the NEDC’s initiative, emphasizing that the road network will traverse the most fertile areas of Borno state and expressed hope that the NEDC would execute more road projects across the North-East sub-region.
According to him, “When completed, these roads will ease the movement of farm produce from the fields to the markets, promoting economic growth and food security”.
In his brief remarks, the NEDC Board Chairman, Maj. Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), thanked the recently reconstituted Board for the untiring efforts at delivering the mandate given to it to rebuild the North-East subregion.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director and CEO of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali said that the road is part of the 38.66km Zabarmari Area Roads Network from Ngowom-Koshebe, Galameri-Dusuman and Khaddamari-Zabarmari-Gongolong.
He also said that the road was part of the network of roads being executed by the Commission to provide access to Jere Bowl, an important agrarian locality in Borno, to enhance security and mobility of people and goods.
According to him, “Similar road projects such as the 32km Dabna-Garkida Road in Adamawa, 53km Kirfi-Gombe Abba Road in Bauchi and Gombe States, and 54km Mutai-Ngalda Road in Yobe State, among others, are ongoing.”
Goni Alkali added that “There are also other projects of the commission in other sectors such as Mass Housing, Mega Schools, Hospitals, etc.”
“These infrastructural projects are the strides the commission has been taking towards the development of the region as captured in the 11 Pillars of North-East Master Plan,” he added.
Further, the NEDC MD/CEO said that, “They are also in tandem with the Federal Government’s initiatives to address the critical infrastructural deficit and catalyse long-term socio-economic development.”
Goni Alkali, also stated that, “this road project is the initial phase of an ambitious infrastructure plan that will be replicated in the other five northeast states.”
“The NEDC is committed to improving the lives of the people in the northeast subregion, and this road project is a significant step towards that goal,” he said.
The areas are known for deep agricultural practices, particularly rice and vegetable cultivation while the road project is expected to ease the transportation of farm produce and enhance connectivity among these communities.
The NEDC will in the subsequent phases perform other road projects in the region, including the 32km Dabna-Garkida Road in Adamawa State, the 53km Kirfi-Gombe Abba Road across Bauchi and Gombe States, and the 54km Mutai-Ngalda Road in Yobe State.
Beyond road construction, the Commission is also implementing a variety of other infrastructural projects, such as mass housing, mega schools, and hospitals.
These projects align with the Federal Government’s initiatives to address the critical infrastructural deficit and catalyze long-term socio-economic development, as outlined in the 11 Pillars of the North-East Master Plan.
The rural road project symbolizes the strides the Commission has been making towards the development of the northeastern region and is a testament to the commitment of the Nigerian government to uplift the standard of living and the economy in the rural areas.
This road network, stretching for 22.5km, will link Ngwom, Koshebe, Gongulon, Zabarmari, Khaddamari, Galameri, and Dusuman towns and villages.
Some of the Items presented to the beneficiaries, included rice, cartons of spaghetti/macaroni, gallons of vegetable oil, blankets, mats, clothing materials for men, women and children, among others.
The ceremony was attended by Governors from the Six states of the North East subregion who were attending the regular meeting of the North-East Governors Forum, as well as members from both the National and State Houses of Assembly from the subregion.
Some of the local beneficiaries hailed the initiative of the NEDC and Federal Government saying that their days of suffering are gradually coming to an end.
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