3 days ago
Nigeria: How NEDC's projects are rebuilding lives, infrastructure in Northeast?
For decades the Northeast of Nigeria, particularly Borno State, has come under serious threat from the activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP. This challenge led to the collapse of infrastructure, like water supply, electricity supply, as well as the destruction of houses and cities, towns and villages.
According to a resident of Maiduguri, Muntari Shariff, 'The Northeast especially Borno State is in hopeless state of infrastructural delay. Thousands of people have been displaced. To be candid, government alone can't do it alone.'
Findings by Nigerian Tribune revealed that it was based on such premise that the Federal Government established the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in 2017. Since the establishment of the commission, it has been up and doing in order to bring succour to the people of the Northeast. It was gathered that several interventions by the commission aimed at bringing relief to the six states in the Northeast have been carried out. Even though, some are of the opinion that more interventions need to be done, there are a lot of successes have been recorded.
NEDC's interventions so far
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the commission has carried out a number of interventions in the Northeast region. Findings by Nigerian Tribune showed that in Konduga and Gwom in Borno State, the NEDC has constructed modern housing estates for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). For many who fled their villages due to the insurgency, these homes are the first step towards rebuilding family life and finding peace again.
'We have been living in camps for years. But now, we have a roof of our own,' said Bukar, a father of five, resettled in Gwom.
The commission has also supported the repatriation of Nigerian refugees from Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and is working closely with local authorities to help IDPs return to their ancestral communities.
Also, healthcare infrastructure has received a major boost. For instance, at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), a new 40-room labour ward is now operational, easing the burden on maternity services. In addition, the commission has provided life-saving equipment and constructed additional blocks in UMTH, General Hospital, Eye and Dental Hospital, and the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri.
Meanwhile, hundreds of solar-powered streetlights have been installed across Maiduguri. Nightlife, once shut down by insecurity, is slowly returning. Markets now stay open for longer, and residents feel safer walking in their communities.
The commission has made education a top priority, especially for children affected by the conflict. Schools destroyed during attacks have been rebuilt, thereby reopening the doors of learning for thousands.
In Mafa, 14-year-old Amina said, 'They tried to stop us with fear, but now we are going back to school. It gives me hope.'
To further improve the quality of education, the NEDC is training 600 Tsangaya and Islamiyya school teachers across the Northeast. A broader programme is also underway to train 100,000 teachers from the six states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba.
To tackle rising youth unemployment, the NEDC has rolled out skill acquisition programmes. In partnership with the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), young people have been trained in electricity installation and line work at the National Power Training Institute in Kainji.
In Jere and Mafa, vulnerable farmers and women entrepreneurs have received over 1,000 water pumps, 400 cartons of herbicides, and 200 units each of spaghetti-making and grinding machines—giving many families a fresh start in micro-enterprise.
Minister calls for collaboration
Speaking during a visit to Borno State recently, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Maigari Ahmodu, stressed the need for close collaboration with the Northeast Governors Forum to achieve the broader Northeast Stabilisation and Development Plan (NESDP).
The minister noted that the Ministry of Regional Development will ensure adequate supervision of NEDC to achieve the goal to rebuild and stabilise the Northeast region after years of insurgency and economic disruption.
The minister's delegation during the visit comprised the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on NEDC, Hon. Usman Zannah, and other committee members; the chairman of the NEDC board, Major General Paul C. Tarfa (rtd); the MD/CEO of the commission, Mohammed Goni Alkali, and other senior management officials who were part of the strategic meeting.
Zulum's challenge to NEDC
While welcoming the entourage, the Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, called on NEDC to prioritise projects that can provide lasting benefits and boost infrastructural development across the six states in the northeast region.
The governor, was speaking at the Government House, when he received the expanded management and board of the NEDC led by Ahmodu.
Governor Zulum listed security, dry inland ports, African Intercontinental Free Trade Zone, independent electricity supply, and road networks as some of the key priorities for the northeast.
He said, 'I think the time has come for us to prioritise our projects. We have gone into more than 50 per cent of the lifespan of the NEDC. I am not saying that NEDC will collapse. What I mean by lifespan is the funding window allocated to the commission according to the act that established it. So, let's come up with what we can do to get maximum benefit from establishing the commission.
'Other commissions have come on board; we cannot afford to perform below them. This time around, we must have a yardstick. Otherwise, not only the minister, the chairman of the House committee, or the MD, but all of you are from the northeast; a time will come when we will call you out that there is nothing tangible to show within your tenure.'
Zulum, however, assured the minister and the NEDC management of the governors' commitment within the Northeast to support the commission in achieving its mandate.
Despite his demand, the governor also commended the NEDC for supporting the state with humanitarian aid, school projects, and other programmes that positively affect the lives of the people of Borno State and the region.
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