*Donates Ambulance, N2m for fueling to Marama General Hospital in Borno

By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri

The Managing Director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Goni Alkali has said that the commission will continue to embark on demand-driven aspect interventions to cater for the needs and aspirations of the people of the region, hitherto ravaged by over a decade Boko Haram crisis.

Alkali disclosed this to journalists on Monday, during the official presentation of fully equipped Ambulance and N2 million cash to management team of the General Hospital Marama town in Hawul Local Government Area of Borno State.

He noted that the ambulance was purchased and donated to the hospital based on the demand put up to the commission by the community.

The MD said, NEDC was established since 2018 with an Act, which is charged with the responsibility of receiving and managing funds allocated by the federal government and international donors for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads, houses, health facilities and business premises of victims of insurgency and terrorism, as well as tackling the menace of poverty, illiteracy, ecological problems and any related environmental or development challenges in the six North East states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi.

This according to him, is in line with the North East Stabilization and Development Masterplan (NESDMP) of the commission.

He noted that the commission’s part of mandate is to see to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of general hospitals and other related health institutions, as well as provision of drugs and other medical consumables.

His words, “We are here to officially hand over a brand new ambulance to General Hospital Marama based on demand-driven approach. Although, this is not the first, the commission is giving out ambulance, as we have donated several ambulances to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital and many other health institutions in the region.

“This is in addition to over 4,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), that benefitted from our emergency health intervention projects such as 28 medical outreaches, 21 IDP camps and seven host communities, as well as centres constructed in Borno, Adamawa and other communities in the region.

“I have also directed the release of N2 million to be used for fueling the Marama ambulance for the time being, even as I enjoin the beneficiaries to make good use of the ambulance for the purpose intended, as more interventions are underway.” Alkali stated.

Responding on behalf of Marama community, the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu thanked NEDC and its management team for the gesture, which he said, would go a long way in addressing emergency medical response challenges in the hospital.

He assured that the ambulance and the fuel money donated would be judiciously and transparently utilized.