The Managing Director /CEO of North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Goni Alkali has been given the award of ‘Exemplary Leadership’ for effective and impactful exhibition of leadership of the Commission.
The award was given by the North-East Elders and Youths Peoples Forum.(NEEYPF) as part of activities to mark the end of Year 2023 activities.
The NEEYPF added that the award was in recognition of the efforts of all stakeholders in rebuilding process of the North East subregion after a devastating period of insurgency.
The announcement was made during a Press Conference held at the Chartwell Hotel, Bauchi, addressed by the Chairman of NEEYPF, Alhaji Salihu Magaj on Wednesday.
He said that the NEDC MD/CEO was recognised for his outstanding contributions in strategic and developmental peace-building process and action plans in the North-East subregion.
He also said that recognition of the NEDC boss for outstanding contributions to peace and development will encourage other leaders to perform their best in ensuring peace and development while discharging their responsibilities.
Magaji also said that it is the tradition of the group to annually recognise and honour notable key leaders in the society with the award in recognition of their “humility, accountability, transparency, active and positive efforts, contributions, support and assistance to peace and development processes as well as rehabilitation and reconstruction infrastructural facilities in North East.”
According to him, Goni Alkali was identified for the award which is critical for recognition as a catalyst for strategic and developmental peace building process and action plans.
He then listed many viable projects that have direct bearing towards improvement of the lives of people that were either executed or are on going in all the 112 local government areas in the region.
He further said that the projects included construction of 3500 mass housing in six states and construction of mega schools in 18 senatorial zones, that is three mega schools in each state, one per Senatorial District, construxtions of many roads that defied many state Governors like Gombe-Abba- Kirfi road, and Alkaleri – Futuk road.
He also said that as beneficieries of NEDC legacy projects, after assesing his performances and his effort in rebuilding North East, “Today, it is quite evident that the man is an administrator, intent on delivering self-evident democratic dividends.
“The lesson, apparently, is that it is good for a quintessential leader to have an idea of what he intends to do and, more crucially, how to do it. Now, the reality has dawned on the naysayers. Because ,the Managing Director/CEO of the NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali has proven to solve the above riddle by coordinating, harmonising, and overseeing the success of many intervention and initiative programmes for the North-eastern states through his effective, top, and outstanding managerial skills.
“His achievements are projects everywhere like, the provision of 1000 housing units in Borno State, provision of several centres and food to the people of Borno State is highly commendable.
“Let us recall that sometime in 2019, the former President, Muhammadu Buhari in all his wisdom, declared a 10,000 housing programme in order to resettle families who have been displaced due to terrorism.
“NEDC through Goni Alkali is building 500 Houses in Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba , Gombe, and Bauchi States apart from the 1000 houses built in Borno State. In addition to the housing units, other essential amenitities such as solar-powered street lights and boreholes, a police-station and a motor-park were provided in the area.
“Provisions for schooling were also made available. That wasn’t all. The beneficiaries received food and other relief items.The Commission also empowered many farmers by providing them with agricultural machinery and equipments, seeds, fertilisers, agro-chemicals and extension services logistics’ vehicles annually under a programme tagged; Integrated Agriculture Programme (IAP).
“It covers the whole 112 LGAs in the North-East. The NEDC is also into skills acquisition, training and provision of starter packs to Information Communication Technology (ICT), trainees. Goni Alkali devoted part of his time in giving entrepreneurship, and vocational skills a boost.
“Each of the 1,028 wards of the North-East subregion, the NEDC has empowered women and youths in order to divert attention from the attractions of conscription into Boko Haram.
“He is also constructing Three Mega Schools in each Senatorial Districts, that is 3 mega schools in each state, 1 per Senatorial District in the North East States, apart from roads and many other things to be candid Joy and laughter have returned to the hearts of the people of the North East.”
He stressed that the mandate handed to the NEDC by the Nigeria government might seem like an easy one superficially, but in reality, it is far from that.
He said that, “Bringing relief to a region corroded by terrorism is a herculean task. As sophisticated as the UN is, it still faces many challenges when it comes to providing relief and humanitarian aid to war-torn areas or areas plagued by terrorism.
“When you compared his achievements and the projects executed to us in the North East Akali is a man of integrity and good standing. We quite appreciate his humility? Inclusiveness, we love his exceptional leadership style, which we believe is worthy of emulation by any visionary leader, The provision of the housing units and other amenities is just a foretaste of the many achievements to be made by the NEDC. I believe that soon, the North-East will be completely restored to not just its former glory, but makes it more better.”
He then assured that the a date will be fixed when the award will be presented to him in a colourful ceremony.
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