… Lay Foundation for 500 Mass Housing Unit

… Donated Agro inputs, Farm Equipments, Food/non-food Items to Taraba government

By Femi Bolaji

Jalingo-

The North East Development Commission, NEDC, has said it is ready to partner Taraba state government to develop critical road network for the economic survival of the North East region.

Managing Director of the Commission, Mohammed Alkali, spoke Tuesday in Jalingo, the state capital when the commission flagged off construction of 500 mass housing scheme in the state.

Alkali, in his address noted that the commission have reviewed the request of Taraba government on partnership for the construction and reconstruction of critical roads across the state and is ready to partner.

He said core infrastructure development is one of the mandate of the Commission in the North East, and that partnering with Taraba government on road infrastructure will aid their work.

On the 500 mass housing unit, Alkali said the initiative was born out of the Special Presidential Intervention in Borno, SPIB, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He explained that the SPIB was instituted to rebuild the 500,000 houses destroyed by Insurgency in the North East region.

He thereafter pointed that the 500 mass housing scheme in Taraba was a replication of what the Commission had done in other states of the North East.

Alkali also told the forum that 150 houses would be constructed in Jalingo the state capital while the remaining 350 would be built across major cities in the state.

In his address, Board Chairman of NEDC, Major Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), commiserated with Taraba government over the death of the Aku Uka of Wukari on behalf of the commission.

He also commended the state government for the robust working relationship with the commission and solicited sustenance of the gesture to ease the affairs of the Commission across the state.

Speaking earlier, Senate Committee Chairman on Special Duties and Senator representing Taraba Central, Yusuf Yusuf, said the senate would continue to give NEDC necessary support to ensure it succeeds in its work across the North East.

He also buttressed that consultation with relevant stakeholders and state governments across the North East will continue in order to ensure each states of the region get what they require through the Commission.

Responding, Taraba state governor, Darius Ishaku, said the state still need more interventions in Education, Health, Agriculture and road construction.

Key among the government’s demand is capacity building for teachers across the state, establishment of Tractor Maintenance unit, integrated agricultural program among others.

He assured that his administration will continue to cooperate with NEDC to ensure it succeeds in its mandate of rebuilding the North East.

He governor thereafter laid foundation for the construction of the 500 mass housing units and also received food and non-food items, agricultural equipments and other donations of the NEDC to the state.

Some of the food items donated by NEDC for onward distribution across the 16 local government areas of the state include 10,000 Bags of 25kg Rice (25kg), 10,000 Gallons of Vegetable Oil , 1800 Cartons of Tomatoes paste, 2000 Bags of Sugar, 1500 Packets of Maggi and 3000 Cartons of Spaghetti.

The non food items include 2000 blankets, 2000 mats, 2000 mosquito nets, 10,000 mosquito hand bands and assorted pharmaceuticals worth N300 million.

The NEDC also handed over 10 4-wheel tractors, 18 3-wheel tractors, 8 transplanters, 10 disk ploughs, 10 planters, 18 trailer bodies among others to Taraba state government.