*Performs ground breaking of N20.4bn 22.38 km bowl road network
*Flags off distribution of agricultural equipment, implements to farmers in North East
By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
The Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima’ has laid the foundation stone of the North East Department Commission (NEDC) Head Office in Maiduguri on Wednesday at the cost N26.8 billion.
He also performed the ground breaking of the 22.38 km second phase of road network projects in Mafa and Jere LGAs of Borno State from Dusuman to Koshebe at N20.4 billion which the 22.5 km first phase worth N13.5 billion had earlier been flagged off by the Vice President in 2023 at Ngom town of Jere LGA, aimed at boosting agricultural development, socio economic activities and social cohesion among others in the areas.
The Vice President further flagged off the distribution of agricultural equipments and implements rural and urban farmers across the six states of the north east region, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi states simultaneously.
In his address, Shettima’ recognized and commended the commission since it’s inception to date for making a giant strides in various sectors in addressing transformation and development problems in the north east , particularly, provision and construction of basic infrastructural and development facilities and amenities including human capital development, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship ,trainings and sponsorship , poverty alleviation and empowerment aming others.
The Vice President noted that the commissions projects so far have impacted immensely on the people, governments and living conditions of the people of the north east which have been faced by conflict while calling on people and governments of the north east to continue to support and collaborate with the commission to rebuild the ravaged north east, address youths unemployment , educational,road network , security and healthcare delivery services to the people which are its mandate.
He also applauded the efforts and competence of the Project Contractors handling the NEDC Head Office , Lubell Nigeria Limited which built Borno State Liaison Office Abuja while expressing confidence and commitment to the realization of the commissions mandate across the north east of the country.
The Managing Director/CEO, NEDC, Ambassador Mohammed Goni Alkali said Section 9 (1) of the NEDC Act provides that “The Commission shall have its head office in Maiduguri, Borno State and shall establish an office in each Member State of the North-East Zone’.
“Therefore, the foundation laying ceremony we are about to witness is in fulfilment of the law establishing the Commission. Also, regarding State Offices, we have already achieved over 90% progress in the construction of such offices in most Member States.
“The upcoming Edifice is an iconic 8-floor structure with Basement and Mezzanine Floors. Apart from its adequate and conducive office spaces, the complex will have other state-of-the-art ancillary facilities such as an expansive Parking Space, Conference Rooms, Prayer Halls, Restaurants and Catering Facilities, Sick Bay,
,Gymnasium/Creche, Exhibition Halls and Humanitarian Center, among others.
“The Commission is currently implementing the North-East Stabilization and Development Master Plan (NESDMP), a holistic roadmap consisting of 11 Pillars that cut across various sectors.
To The Pillars are fashioned to propel the Socio- economic development and long-term prosperity in the North-East Region.
“The Master Plan, which is in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Present Administration requires synergy, cooperation and collaboration by all Stakeholders to make meaningful impact,” Alkali said.
Amb. Alkali added ,” also today perform the ground-breaking ceremony for the Phase 2 of the Jere Bowl Road Network which spans 22.38Km. The ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase covering 22.5km was done by His Excellency, the Vice President in 2023 and is now over 95% completed.
“This road network of 44.88Km that passes through the famous rice producing Communities of Galamari, Dusuman, Ngowom, Koshebe, Gongulong, Zabarmari and Khaddamari will improve freer movement of people and goods, thereby stimulating economic activities through food production, processing agribusiness, as well as enhance security in the area,” the MD said
Ambassador Alkali explained further that ,”Another milestone event today is the official launch by His Excellency, the Vice President of the Commission’s Agricultural Interventions in the North-East Region towards boosting food production, processing and food security in general. “
“The Commission has acquired and is set to distribute assorted and diverse units of agricultural machines, implements, inputs and other processing equipment to eligible farmers across all the 18 Senatorial Districts in the region.
These include Tractors, Tillage Implements, Trailers, Planters, Harvesters, Rice and Oil Mills, among others.
“There would be an interfacing Committee between the States and the Commission for effective distribution and monitoring. There are many other infrastructural projects being executed simultaneously in other Member States including inter-and intra-State Roads, Mass Housing and Mega School projects and of most prominence is our Plan to introduce E-Mobility within the entire region,” Alkali said.
According to him, within this year alone, many on-going multisectoral milestone projects will be completed, and we will respectively invite you for their commissioning,” stressing that, “We will continue to roll out relevant and demand-driven Human Capital Development Initiatives, Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes, Stabilization and Sustainable Development Infrastructural Projects for the Short, Medium and Long-term Socio-Economic benefit of the people of the North-East Region.”
“We call on all Stakeholders, including Federal MDAs, Development Partners and the Private Sector, to key into the Regional Master Plan and join us in re-building a Safe, Peaceful, Enterprising and Prosperous Region,” he said..
The distributed agricultural equipment and other implements comprise of tractors,rice planters , millers, threshers, rotary tillers, farm trailers,etc meant to boost farmers livelihoods and food security in the Northeast.
