From SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the devastation caused by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East region in the last 10 years as colossal, hence the need to put enormous effort for early recovery, rebuilding, resettlement, peace building and long term development in the region.
The President made the remarks at the official launching and handing over of 120 operational security vehicles to the Nigerian Armed Forces as well as handing over of ambulances and other medical equipment to federal medical institutions and medical centers in the north east region at the Multi-purpose hall of the Government House Maiduguri at the weekend.
Represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Safiya Umar Farouk, the President also said that the restoration of peace and stability in the North east region has been one of his cardinal objectives since he assumed office as President.
” All hands must be on deck by all stakeholders to surmount the renewed security challenges to enable meaningful development recovery of the North east region which is estimated to cost about $9.2 billion the UN and other stakeholders,” Buhari said.
The Senate President , Senatoe Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan appealed to the NEDC to endeavour to collaborate with the Borno State Government in attaining it’s mandate of reconstruction and development of the north east that was ravaged by the Insurgents especially, infrastructures such as of roads that are dilapidated and becoming unnoticeable as well as the resettlement of the IDPs.
Represented by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District at the National Assembly who is also the Chairman Senate Committee on Army, urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar- Farouk to allow Borno citizens apply for the N-Power, registration on the Portal through manual registration instead of online or internet due to difficulty and lack of internet facilities in most oarts of the state due to the Insurgency.
” Hon . Minister, most local government areas of the State don’t have access to internet facility and when you want the to apply online, many will lose the opportunity of benefiting from the N-Power program. They should be allowed to fill the form, submit to your office for someone to upload, ” Lawan said .
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum expressed appreciation to the Humanitarian Minister, Hajiya Safiya Umar Farouk and the NEDC for what they have been doing to the people and governement if the state.
“We are indeed grateful your ministry for what it is doing for the Boko Haram ravaged people of Borno State.
” The NEDC has also played a key role in challenges of the State as of result of insurgency”, Zulum said.
He appealed to the Nigerian Military to reduce the incessant attacks in the state and lake Chad region by Boko Haram terrorists to create enabling environment for farmers to go back to their farmlands.
” We must tackle the root cause of insurgency which is poverty and illiteracy Security agencies should be more resilience, as Borno and the whole country is praying for their success against the insurgents”, Zulum said.
In his remark, the National Security Adviser ( NSA ) to the President , Major General Babagana Monguno ( rtd ) said that the resurgence of the Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists activities in the North east after several years of relative peace has put the security agencies and other security outfits in the region in a difficult situation for many reasons.
He noted that assistance from any quarter of the Nigerian State, such as what the North East Development Commission ( NEDC ) has embarked on will be a welcome development from individuals and organizations while noting that, the promotion of stability in relations between the military and the civil populace in the Northeast is part of the mandate of the NEDC.
” By demonstrating confidence in the Armed Forces and the other security agencies through providing multi-dimensional support to their efforts, in addition to the commission’s collaboration with the office of the NSA in delivering Deradicalisation , Rehabilitation and Reintegration ( DRR ) Action Plan.
” The NEDC is accelerating the pace for achieving peace in the region, without which it cannot implement the major part of the mandate for which it was established.
” The NEDC has demonstrated concern for the plight of all the security agencies and, I understand that even the Tertiary Health Institutions in the region have not been left behind, but what the NEDC is doing is really for itself.
*The commission is boosting the capacities of stakeholders in the security and Health Sectors of the Northeast to assist it to bring about a secure and stable environment to enable it to implement its mandate.,” Monguno said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director/CEO, North East Development Commission ( NEDC) Alhaji , Mohammed Goni’ Alkali, said the i commission was ready to kick – start an elaborate Education Endowment Fund , which is designed to improve the regional human development indixes through various scholarships and training programmes for youths, women, people in sports and the Almajiris.
” Similarly, we are also set to roll out the Rapid Response Intervention Projects in Education, Health, Agriculture and WASH sectors across all the 112 local government areas in the Northeast region,” Alkali said.
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