From Segun Babatunde in Gombe
The kind of Qualitative projects that impacted positively on the lives of people of Gombe State executed by the North East Development Commission NEDC headed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali ,which were sited across different communities excite the communities, because the projects addressed their most pressing problems
According to a Press release signed by the National President, North East Youths and Elders Peoples’ Forum,(NEYEPF), Alhaji Salihu Magaji, made available to Journalists Sunday.
“The projects are physically for anyone to come and see and even to touch and feel it, they have been completed awaiting commissioning”.
They included (I)Gombe – sola installation at Specialist Hospital , (II) Kaltungo – Snake Anntivnum, (III) Billiri – Farm Service Center at Ladoungur, (IV)Akko – Farm service center at Kalshingi , Kwami – Farm service center at Dukul , (V).Dukku – Farm service center at Dukku ,(VI).Balanga – Farm service center at Gelengu, (VII).Funakaye – Renovation of PHC at Bodour, (VIII).Ashaka Gari, Abuja, (IX).Nafada – Renovation of PHC at Gadi, Shaganawo, Tashan kalgo ,(X).Yemaltu Deba – Renovation of Junior Staff Quarters at CGSS Dadin kowa and in (XI).Shongom – Upgrade of PHC to cottage hospital
The forum stated since it was established has awarded contract for the construction of 3000, as part of its effort to bring succor to the people of North East .
“1000 building was completed in Borno State, while construction of 500 houses each was awarded in Yobe, Bauchi ,Adamawa and Gombe on Wednesday 6th October 2021”.
Magaji also stated that the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of the 500 Mass Housing Units in Gombe State is to take place on Wednesday 6th October 2021.
In addition, the forum disclosed that there will be Flagging off of the distribution of Food and Non-food items to address the rapidly deteriorating food insecurity situation in the North East Region especially in Gombe State.
While in Gombe Commissioning/ Handing over of Gombe – sola installation at Specialist Hospital Gombe and in Kaltungo – Snake Anti venom which would addressed the problem of light and cater for the high incidences of Snake bites and other associated incidences in the State.
Commissioning/Handing Farm Service centers in the following places Billiri – Farm Service Center at Ladoungur, Akko – Farm service center at Kalshingi , Kwami – Farm service center at Dukul , Dukku – Farm service center at Dukku , and .Balanga – Farm service center at Gelengu, Ashaka Gari, Abuja which will boost farming activities in the areas.
The NEDC will also Commission Primary Health Cares PHC constructed to provide more access to health facilities in the following places , .Nafada – Renovation of PHC at Gadi, Shaganawo, Tashan kalgo, Shongom – Upgrade of PHC to cottage hospital and Yemaltu Deba – Renovation of Junior Staff Quarters at CGSS Dadin kowa.
The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) was established to address developmental challenges in the northeast region and to restore means of livelihood of the people, following the effects of over 12 years-long insurgencies as a result of activities of Boko Haram in the region .
The effects of insurgency led to a massive influx of people into the urban areas with most of them taking shelter at any available public spaces, homes, Schools, huts, abandoned and uncompleted buildings, while many trooped to neighboring North eastern States hundreds settled in the Internally Displaced Persons IDP camps across the States.
When the commission was established part of its mandate included rehabilitation and reconstruction of destroyed homes and commercial premises of citizens in the Region.
As a result of appointment of Hard Working Leader who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali when he assumed duty carefully studied the situation and came up with so many reliable plans in order to ameliorate the hardships being encountered by the citizens.
“Investigations by experts revealed that the stock of houses in the northeast states before the insurgency was about 4 million, out of which over 500,000 structures (houses and commercial premises) were destroyed or irreparably damaged, which Even before the insurgency, there was a Housing deficit in all the States of the Region. Therefore, the insurgency only further aggravated the situation. In all of this, Borno State being the epicentre of the crisis is worse affected with the largest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)”.
It would be recalled that sometimes in 2019, Because of the confidence he has on Dr Alkali President, Muhammadu Buhari approved a special Presidential intervention in Borno State (SPIB) in order to reduce the desperate situation that displaced communities in the state had found themselves through the construction of 10,000 houses and the establishment of Technical and Vocational Skills Acquisition Centres for the IDPs amongst others, execution of the SPIB, it was resolved that the NEDC undertakes the construction of the first 1,000 houses and fully funded the equipping of the Technical and Vocational/Skills Centres around the State.
Dr Alkali constructed the first 1,000 Houses at Ngowom Village, Mafa Local Government of Borno State and handed over the Houses to the Governor of Borno State, Professor Baba Gana Umara Zullum.
Alkali delivered a town with all social amenities, these are all the efforts of the Commission to reflect on its mandate, and the decision to replicate same in the other five states of the region by the construction of 500 houses in each state.
Alkali started the construction of 500 houses to other States in the North East when he strated with Yobe where he performewd the ground breking ceremony of building 250 houses; in Damaturu, in Buni Yadi, 50 houses; in Geidam, 50 houses; in Potiskum, 50 houses; in Gashua, 50 houses; in Nguru, 50 houses”,
The types of Houses he is building are of the cluster block style which consists of blocks of four units of 2-bedroomed bungalows with veranda and courtyard, each block sits on four hundred square meters, with a fence separating each twin-facing houses, covered kitchens and toilets/bathrooms, and ample space for home living activities, adding that the facilities would also be provided with street lights, reticulated water supply system, commercial spaces among others
“We have observed that not only NEDC Model Mass Housing he is constructing in Yobe , there will be Mega Schools, the Gujba-Ngalda road project and graduation of the third batch of ICT trainees.
On MEGA Schools , with the Construction, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Education Sector Infrastructure to redress the high deficit in classroom blocks in both Primary and Secondary Schools throughout the northeast region.
This deficit has meant that the region is the part of the country with the lowest literacy rate and highest poverty index in the country. Low literacy and high poverty are recognized by experts to be among the root causes of the violent insurgency that bedevilled the region for twelve years and the situation was further exacerbated by the large-scale destruction of schools and losses in the lives of youths, teachers, students etc.
Alkali studied the effects of the destruction of schools, especially where they have not been rehabilitated throughout the decade of insurgency, which resulted in the truncation of the education of primary and secondary school students, and even where schools remained standing, widespread poverty coupled with insecurity rendered an estimated 600,000 young people unable to go beyond the primary or secondary school levels. As such, millions of the out of school children in the region remain uneducated, justifying the need for massive intervention in the development of school infrastructure
He resolved to construct three (3) Composite Mega Schools or upgrade existing ones in each state of the region, thus making eighteen, one in each of the Senatorial District. We are also going to compliment the physical structure with soft support like teachers’ training, curriculum upgrade, e.t.c.
On the flag-off of the distribution of food and non-food items, the issue of imminent food insecurity in the region had been a matter of discourse foa long time.Alkali Handed over , bags of rice (25kg) 12,000 Gallons of vegetable oil, 10,000Bags of sugar 2,000, cartons of spaghetti, 3,000 cartons of macaroni and donated non-food items, blanket PCS 2,000 (Pcs), Mats 2,000 (Pcs), mosquito nets 2,000 (Pcs), mosquito hand band 10,000(Pcs)”.
In the area of ICT training in the region NEDC trained 2,400 youths in 2 batches across the six states and he donated equipped infectious Diseases Laboratory for the testing of COVID – 19 and other diseases. Which was commissioned in Yobe, Bauchi and Taraba states while Adamawa and Gombe states will be done soon”.
In Bauchi NEDC brought more developmental projects of construction of 500 mass housing units which the foundation laying ceremony will be laid by His Excellency Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir Executive Governor of Bauchi state. and Flagg of the distribution of food and non-food items to people .
NEDC under Alkali is constructing two gigantic historic roads that defy previous administrations both military and civilians . The roads are Alkaleri – Futuk road I Alkaleri LGA and Alkaleri -Kirfi- to Gombe Abba road in Kirfi LGA.
NEDC awarded the construction of Soro cattle market in Ganjuwa LGA. and the work has reached advance stage and its renovating Fistula Hospital in Ningi. NINGI LGA.