The North East Development Commission (NEDC) on Thursday donated over 120 ooerational vehicles to the military, police, para-military organizations in the North-East.
Also donated by the commission are ambulances and other medical equipments to Federal Government hospitals in North East.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, presented the vehicles and hospital equipments to the beneficiaries at a ceremony in Maiduguri.
Alkali said that the development was based on its recognition of the importance of security and the health sector in the fight against insurgency.
“It is our belief that this donation will go a long way in complementing the efforts of the armed forces in overcoming the prevailing security challenges and achieving lasting peace and stability in the North- East.
“It will also cement the good relationship existing between the commission and the armed forces operating in the North East,” Alkali said.
The NEDC boss spoke of the health intervention of the commission in the sub region, particularly in the latest fight against CONVID-19.
He reiterated the commitment of the commission to continue to join efforts with all relevant stakeholders to engender security, peace and stability,.
According to Alkali, its commitment will pave way for prosperity, recovery and long-term socio-economic development of the region.
In her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, said the restoration of peace and stability in the North East remained one of the cardinal objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Farouq observed that the recovery and development of the North East would cost over nine billion dollars.
She appealed for the collaboration of all stakeholders to totally contain the insurgency and restore the lost glory of the sub-region.
In his speech, the National Security Adviser, Maj.Gen. Babagana Monguno, thanked the NEDC on behalf of the security sector, saying that the measure by the commission would accelerate the pace for achieving peace in the region.
“The resurgence of terrorist activities in the North East after several years of relative lull has put the military and other security outfits in the region in a difficult situation for many reasons.
“And any assistance from any quarter of the Nigerian state, such as what the NEDC has embarked on today, is welcome.
“The NEDC has demonstrated concern for the plight of all the security agencies and, I understand that even tertiary health in the region has not been left behind.” Monguno said
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In his remarks, Gov. Babagana Zulum who lauded President Buhari for establishing the NEDC, said the commission remained the most important watershed in the fight against insurgency.
Zulum observed that the commission was not only strategic in contributing to the real fight against the insurgency but played a key role in meeting up humanitarian crisis from the insurgency.
While assuring the commission of worthy partnership in its assignment from North East states, the governor urged the people of North East to continue to remain calm, law abiding.
He urged them to provide necessary support for the Buhari administration, military and others involved in the fight against insurgency and rebuilding of the region.
Zulum urged the military to create the enabling environment for farmers to go back to their land, pointing out that the continuous dependence on outside support for food was unsustainable.
“The continuous dependence on international partners for food supply is not sustainable and therefore the only option that is left for us is to become more resilient.
” We need to ensure construction and rehabilitation of our destroyed communities, and resettle back communities to their homeland and allow them opportunity to carry out their normal activities.
“That’s the only solution, ” the governor stressed.
