The Managing Director of North East Development Commission (NEDC), Engr. Mohammed Alkali has reiterated the commitment of the commission to collaborate with stakeholders in coming up with a 10-year effective Masterplan for the transformation of the region ravaged by insurgency.
Alkali made this known in Maiduguri on Monday while speaking at a meeting of stakeholders on the North-East Stabilisation and Development Masterplan (NESDMP) Project organized by NEDC.
Alkali, said the meeting was to gather inputs from stakeholders on the various aspects of the 10-year masterplan before its final adoption as a workable blueprint for development and rehabilitation of the North East.
“The Commission is charged with the responsibility to recover, stabilize and develop the Region, among others.
“To achieve the aim of its establishment, the NEDC Act provides that the Commission shall ‘develop a Master Plan based on the needs assessment of the zone to be known as the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan’.
“The Master Plan shall contain programmes and schemes that promote and facilitate the physical and socio-economic development of the North-East Zone, as well as estimates of the time and costs of implementing the programmes and schemes,” Alkali said.
In her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq represented by Group Capt. Sadeeq Shehu (rtd) lauded the commission for its interventions in north east.
Farouq said Federal Government was impressed by the commission for hitting the ground running in addressing challenges in various sectors in north east.
Farouq whose ministry is supervising the commission lauded Borno government for its support and collaboration with the commission in the execution of its programmes in the state.
She urged stakeholders at the meeting to feel free in making thier contributions, adding that all contributions would be taken into consideration to ensure that no one is left behind.
In his speech, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno urged the NEDC to assist his administration in handling the challenges created by mass surrender of Boko Haram insurgents.
Zulum whose speech was read by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa said Borno Government would like the commission that is now working on a 10-year Master Plan for North East to also look into the challenges caused by large number of repentant insurgents now in Maiduguri.
“I would like the commission to also look into the possibility of complementing government effort in developing and implementing viable and workable strategies on how best to address the current challenges caused by the thousands of repented Boko-Haram members who are currently being camp in Maiduguri,” Zulum said.
Zulum who lauded the commission for its resolved to reach out to all stakeholders to come up with a masterplan, announced that his administration has already constituted a high powered committee to come up with the input that would capture the level of destruction and the extent of the physical and psychological trauma inflicted on the people of the state.
Other stakeholders who spoke at the occassion including the representatives of security, Civil Society Organisations, women group among others lauded the commission for the initiative and assured thier commitment to work with the commission to succeed in its mandate of rebuilding north east.