By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, on Thursday, applauded the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) for execution of viable projects through its humanitarian intervention in the state.
Mohammed made the commendation during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) organised by the commission in collaboration with the state government.
“Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the commission for embarking on the construction of 500 mass housing project in the state and the rapid intervention in provision of primary schools across the 20 local government areas of the state.
“I want to also express my sincere appreciation to NEDC for providing food and non food items for distribution to indigent people of the state.
“The provision of COVID-19 medical relief items to the state by the commission is also appreciated,” he said.
The governor, who was represented by Mr Hashimu Yakubu, Special Assistant on Special Duties, said the state government accorded premium to the stakeholders’ meeting and, therefore, gathered highly important personalities in the state to attend.
This, he said, would avail the commission the opportunity to brainstorm with critical stakeholders in the state towards formulating a master plan that would be the pride of all.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, NEDC, Mr Mohammed Alkali, said that NEDC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari as a direct response to the devastation caused by the insurgency in the the North-East.
Alkali said the commission was charged with the responsibility to recover, stabilise and develop the region, among others.
He explained that the master plan shall contain programmes and schemes that would promote and facilitate the physical and socio-economic development of the North-East, as well as estimate the time and cost of implementing the programmes and schemes.
According to him, The NEDC consultation of Critical Stakeholders in Bauchi State, was for a State-wide Consultative Meeting on the draft of the 10-year Stabilization and Master Development Plan of the NEDC.
He added that the meeting was to allow for meaningful interaction and inputs from the stakeholders on the various aspects of the plan before its final adoption as a workable blueprint for the wholesale development and rehabilitation of the North East region ravaged by insurgency.
“Today’s joint consultative meeting with all representative groups of stakeholders in the state will be followed by finalisation of a draft master plan that will eventually be presented for validation.
“The essence of having these diverse stakeholders under one roof here, therefore, is to harness their individual and collective inputs to enrich the process and align with inclusiveness and bottom-up policy of the NEDC.
“The proposed 10-year NESDMP consists of 10 Pillars, which will encompass the relevant aspects of Policies and Programmes of Bauchi State Government and those of other Partners,” he said.
