The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has competed arrangements
to execute 224 projects in the education, health and water supply
sectors of the region.
The region, which comprises Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and
Yobe states, were affected by decade long Boko Haram insurgency.
During the 11-year terrorism, about 36,000 lives were lost, with the
destruction of property worth $9 billion (N3.42 trillion) in Borno,
Adamawa and Yobe states.
NEDC’s Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, disclosed this Monday in
Maiduguri, while receiving a delegation of Northeast Support Group
(NSG) led by Dr. Mali Gubio, the Secretary of Borno Elders’ Forum.
“This Commission is set initiate two projects in each of 112 Local
Government Areas of six states in the Northeast,” he said; adding that
the projects to be executed are in the education, health and water
supply sectors of region.
While speaking on projects’ implementation, he said: “As we have 112
local government areas in region, we want to execute two projects in
each council area.
“I know the commission cannot achieve 100 per cent, but if we achieve
77 per cent, it is good.”
He added that in each of the 1,058 wards of six states, five students
are to be selected and awarded with University Scholarships.
“Every year, we’re going to pick five persons in each of the wards to
go and study in Universities. The commission will be awarding
University scholarships to 5,290 qualified students,” he said.
On manpower requirements of the states, he said: “We are trying to
establish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres
across the northeast,” noting that the training and empowerment of
youths could enable them pickup their lives, after the decade long
insurgency.
Continued; “We will thereafter; go to those who cannot go into
academic line; to undergo vocational training.
“We will take another 5,000 people for vocational and skills training.”
He said that every year; about 15,000 students will benefit from the
awards of scholarships.
On sustaining University scholarships, he said: “As we go on; we will
look for those who want to do their Masters or Ph.D degrees.
“This problem can’t be solved because their parents cannot afford the
school fees and other Departmental charges, before they graduate.
“One has to take up the challenge for a few years. We are going to
develop schools and teachers because if you build schools without
teachers forget about it,” stating that the commission is to embark on
massive training to teachers.
He noted that development is not just to build structures, but
investments in human resources that could impact on peoples’ lives.
Gubio; in his brief remarks said the expectations of 22.7 million
people from commission was high, due to increasing level of poverty in
region.
He therefore, tasked the commission on youth empowerment and capacity building.
