By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The Managing Director of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali, has stated that the construction of mega schools across the six states in the North-East sub-region was to help in tackling the menace of of out-of-school children.
He said this in an interview with journalists when he took members of the House of Representatives Committee on the NEDC round the Mega School being built in Bauchi State during their oversight visit on Friday.
According to him, the high number of out-of-school children in the North-East sub-region is currently alarming hence the NEDC’s intervention in the six states to address the menace.
He said that the NEDC has so far built one Mega School in each of the senatorial districts in the six states of the North-East sub-region.
“If you’ve gone round and done some research, the level of out-of-school children, not only in Bauchi State but across the North-East is very alarming. So, the only way you can solve that problem is through providing these kinds of facilities and that’s the reason why we decided to build mega schools the six states of the North-East,” he said.
Alkali said that the mega school is currently at 80 percent completion assuring that it will be completed within the next three months and handed over to the Bauchi State Government.
“From the report I’ve seen, this project is over 80 percent completed in terms of the physical structure, but you know that we can’t build this kind of structure and leave it just like this, there’s going to be some finishing touches in terms of fittings, furniture, and so on.
“And by the grace of God, in the next few months, probably in the next three months, we will be able to hand over this project to the State Government,” he assured.
Speaking on the maintenance of the school, he said: “I’ve just told you that we’ll hand over this structure to the State Government ams we’re going to put in some strategies on how this structure would be maintained, not only here in Bauchi but across the North-East.
“There will be an MoU between us and the State Government and if there’s any need for us to come in again to intervene, we will do that.”
He described the relationship between the Commission and the House of Representatives Committee on NEDC in the execution of projects across the North-East sub-region as “fantastic.”
Alkali, while conducting the lawmakers round the school, said that it will have befitting facilities stressing that: “at the end of the day, when it is completed, the place will have all the necessary security facilities, like security post, firefighting equipment, landscaping, everything that will make it convenient for the children, all will be provided here.”
Chairman of the Committee, Usman Zanna, commended the NEDC for the wonderful job they are doing in the North-East zone opining that these projects being constructed by the Commission touch the lives of the people directly.
Zanna, who represents Kaga/Gubio/Maiduguri Federal Constituency of Borno State, said: “And I want to clear an insinuation that the MD and the North-East Development Commission are only doing projects in a particular place. But I think we have to clear that insinuation and say that the MD and his team are working in all the North-East States.
“I’ll urge the MD and the management team of the NEDC to collaborate with the House to look for more funding outside the government funding, we have to think outside the box to go and look for more finding from the United Nations and other agencies of government. When we reach Abuja, we will sit down with the MD and the management team to decide on where and how to look for more funds to continue this good works that they are doing.”
Some of the projects inspected by the committee include the ongoing construction of the 53km Kirfi-Gombe Abba road linking Bauchi and Gombe State, reconstruction of three bridges at kalajanga, Bara and Tashan Turmi Bridges along Bauchi – Gombe highway.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that the NEDC has executed many projects across Bauchi state which include: construction of Institute of Ophthalmology Complex in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, rehabilitation of Shira Healthcare in Alkaleri LGA, completion of community Healthcare center in Dagudi, Alkaleri LGA, construction of surgical ward and equipping and rehabilitation/skills acquisition of National Obstetrics Center in Ningi.
Others are: The construction and equipping of a Medical Emergency Complex at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, reconstruction of culverts and drainage along Alkaleri-Futuk Road, Construction of Kirfi-Gombe, Abba Road – Kirfi Gombe, among others.
