The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has donated 25,000 assorted food and non-food items to the Bauchi state government for onward distribution to less privileged and vulnerable members of society.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali while speaking at the venue of the exercise at Dungal village of Bauchi local government area said that the Commission was established to address development challenges in the North East Zone.
Goni who said that the Commission has recorded tremendous successes since its inception has been assiduously working towards restoring means of livelihoods of the people of the zone following the over 12 years of insurgency.
The Managing Director of the NEDC said that the activities of insurgency have led to a massive influx of people into urban centres with most of them taking shelter in every available Public place, home, abandoned or uncompleted building and some IDP camps across the states.
He noted that the items donated to cushion such an effect according to Alkali include; 10,000 bags of 25kg rice, 2000 bags of sugar, 3000 cartons of spaghetti and 10,000 gallons of vegetable oil.
The Commission also donated some non-food items that include 2,000 pieces of blankets, 2000 pieces of mats, 1000 pieces of mosquito nets as well as 1000 pieces of mosquito hand band to ameliorate the sufferings of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable members of the society.
Alhaji Alkali said that the Commission is currently pursuing intensive consultations with all stakeholders with a view to unveiling a robust and harmonized master plan tagged, *the North East Stabilization and Development and Master Plan” for the Zone.
He said, already, the commission has commenced on some critical interventions across the zone under the Rapid Response Intervention (RRI) and is currently focussing on Alkaleri to Futuk Road, Alkaleri-Kirfi-Gombe Abba road as well as the construction of the New Soro cattle market in Ganjuwa local government area of Bauchi state.
In his speech, Governor Bala Mohammed of the state commended President Muhammadu for establishing the Commission, adding that a lot of developmental projects have been carried out by the Commission across the North-East zone.
Bala who said numerous contributions and interventions have been rendered to Bauchi state by the Commission assured that the items would be equitably distributed to the targeted beneficiaries.
