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By Ndahi Marama, Damaturu

Following over a decade atrocities perpetrated by insurgents in the north east states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba, the North East Development Commission, NEDC has earmarked a total of N31.01 trillion in its 10- year North East Stabilization and Development Master Plan, NESDMP in the region.

This amount is to be sourced from a robust partnership with humanitarian actors such as International Non – Governmental Organisations, INGOs, captains of industries and investors from across the globe.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director of the Commission, Goni Alkali during a stakeholders meeting on Validation of the NESDMP projects which took place on Thursday at International Conference Center, Abuja.

The meeting was well attended by the Secretary Government of the Federation, SGF Boss Mustapha, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, and his Gombe state counterpart, Inuwa Yahaya, while Governors of Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Yobe sent in their representatives.

Also in attendance were traditional rulers including representative of the Shehu of Borno, Dr Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi, even as Emirs of Bauchi, Ningi, Fika, Mai Kaltungo and some Humanitarian partners graced the occasion.

Alkali in his welcome address said, the NESDMP is an all- inclusive roadmap for Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, Reactivation, Replacement, Reconstruction, Resettlement, Renewal, Regeneration, Redevelopment (9Rs) and Sustainable Growth of the North East region, which will focus on both alleviating poverty and promoting prosperity using transformative projects and programmes. 

Alkali said, “the NEDC was established in the year 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari, apparently to address some of the challenges associated with Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), and as a direct response to the over decade devastation and violence perpetrated by members of Boko Harm sect in the region.

His words: “The Commission is charged with the responsibility to recover, stabilize and develop the zone. People of the North East remained eternally grateful to Mr. President for the foresight.

“To achieve the aim of the establishment of the Commission, the NEDC with support from the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk, and the Chairman Governing Board, Major General Paul Tarfa (rted), initiated a Master Plan based on the Need Assessment (NA) of the zone to be known as NESDMP, which contains programmes and schemes that promote and facilitate the physical and socio-economic development in the North East sub-region, as well as provide estimate of the time and the course of implementing the programme. 

“The Validation event we are witnessing today signifies the Baseline Studies, robust engagements with various critical stakeholders inline with the localisation framework of the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as mandate of the Commission as the federal coordinating agency in the North East Nigeria.

“Therefore, we are extremely delighted to present to you the Compendium which is relevant, demand -driven, viable and sustainable schemes, programmes and policies which all stakeholders should key into in returning the North East zone to peace, harmony and prosperity. 

” The proposed 10-year Master Plan also encapsulates some aspects of the Buhari’s Plan, development strategies of the six- member states and road maps of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and aligned with development projects executed by humanitarian partners in the region. 

“The highlight of the Master Plan contains enterprise value, mission, vision and strategic objective of the Commission as well as the strategic vision of the North East Sub- region.

“Secondly, The plan will run from 2020 to 2030, which is 10 years Plan in four implementation Phases, which are; Recovery and Stabilization process taking place between 2020 to 2021, while the Renewal phase will be from 2022 to 2023, the Expansion phase is 2024 to 2025, and finally the Sustainable Growth phase will be from 2026 to 2030 respectively. 

“The Master Plan consists of 11 Pillars which include; Peaceful society, leadership in Agriculture, healthy citizens, educated populace, flourishing trade, productive entrepreneurs, purposeful infrastructures, industrialization, memorable experience, protected environment and connected regions.

“The Master Plan or progressive cost is about N32 trillion within the next 10 years. The plan also covers 500 schemes, programmes and projects.

“While producing the Master Plan, the Commission has also been executing modest projects that are necessary for humanitarian assistance, recovery, stabilization, peace building and development in the North East region simultaneously.

“Our interventions cut across various sectors such as health, education, agriculture, housing, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Social Cohesion, Reintegration, Transportation, Youth and Women empowerment and Capacity Building among others.

“Likewise, due to our commonalities with our neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroun Republic, especially on the issues related to insurgency and fragility, the Commission embarked on some major projects in the lake Chad region, such as the Lake Chad Recovery Projects (LCRPs) in those affected countries.

“At this juncture, I wish to express our profound appreciation to all stakeholders for partnering with the Commission since inception. We are particularly indebted to the Secretary Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha for his solidarity and assistance all the way. We also appreciate our amiable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk for her support, guidance, motivation and direction. The Minister has been a dependable pillar since establishment of the Commission. 

“I want to recognize all chairmen of Senate/House committees on NEDC, governors of the north east, humanitarian partners for their sustained support and collaboration.” Alkali stated.

In his remarks, the NEDC Board Chairman, General Tarfa thanked all participants for finding time to attend the meeting, adding that, there is no doubt that, with the creation of NEDC, it has been addressing most of the challenges associated with killings and destruction of property by insurgents in the North East.

He noted that the people in the North East will continue to remain eternally grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari who has given much more priority attention in mitigating the effects of poverty, ensure restoration of peace and enhance means of livelihood. 

He added that the 10-year NESDMP is an ambitious roadmap for the recovery, stabilization and long term socio-economic development of the region, as the 11-pillars covers all critical sectors.

Besides, Tarfa revealed that, each of the pillars, especially the notable ones which are to be identified by stakeholders at this very important meeting, requires about N450 billion each to implement or execute in providing durable solutions to the region in the next 10 years.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Farouk, represented by Dr. Umar Bindir tendered an apology of his Boss for her inability to personally grace the crucial meeting due to other official engagements. 

He said, on behalf of the Hon Minister and the Ministry, sustained efforts and collaboration would be the key derivatives to ensure reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of all victims of insurgency in the region.

Bindir however enjoin all participants to give their own inputs during the meeting that would finalize necessary actions and blueprints while implementing the NESDMP for the benefit of the people in the North Eastern Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Occasion, Boss Mustapha in his goodwill message said, “I am delighted to chair this very important meeting. As you are all aware that the creation of the NEDC was to rebuild the region hitherto destroyed by the unfortunate atrocities posed by members of Boko Haram terrorists.

“This is a fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promises to Nigerians, particularly the people of North East. The NEDC over the years has turned out to be one of the most important project of this administration. 

” This validation meeting is therefore timely and appropriate, as it will provide an opportunity on how to drive home or attract resources from private organizations to transparently and judiciously utilize them, and not to rely solely upon Government.” He said.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, Chairman of North East Governors’ Forum and Borno state Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum congratulated the NEDC for achieving this important milestone, as this will have the most significant impact the Commission is championing since inception. 

He said, without clear roadmap, no any meaningful development can be achieved in the region. Zulum pointed out that the governors of the North East states would continue to give their maximum support and cooperation to NEDC and all other Humanitarian Partners rebuild the region.

About 25 different Lead Consultants headed by its Chairman, Professor Umar Bobboi presented papers which centred on ‘thriving peaceful region levelled-up with productive economic shifts for enhanced outputs, inclusive growth and self-sufficiency, adoptive methodology, definition of the problem situation, understanding the problem of the north east, determine needs and establishing the baseline, defining the vision, solutions and how to deliver’.