Managing director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali, has promised the early completion of the 22.5km Ngwom – Koshebe – Galamari- Dusuman and Gongulong – Zabarmari – Khaddamari roads in Jere and Mafa local government areas of Borno State.
He made the promise yesterday in Jere local government area when he led members of the House of Representatives Committee on the NEDC, who were in Borno for their statutory oversight visit on the commission’s activities in the state.
He said the two local government areas of Jere and Mafa are agrarian communities of which if their agricultural potential is properly harnessed, will address issues of food insecurity not only in the state, but the country at large.
Alkali, who said the challenges encountered in the process of constructing the road project so far, are insecurity and inflation, symbolically presented water pumps, cartons of herbicides, spaghetti making machines and grinding machines to farmers and vulnerable persons in the two local government areas.
He led the House Committee to Alau Dam in Konduga local government area where the commission is reconstructing the collapsed spill -way with about N1.5 billion to avert flood disaster usually experienced whenever the dam overflows.
He said, “We are donating to the farmers and vulnerable in Jere and Mafa; 1000 water pumps, 400 cartons of herbicides, 200 spaghetti making machines and 200 grinding machines. “
He also led the committee on inspection of the completed 40- room labour ward extension constructed by the commission at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and the commission’s state headquarters under construction at the former NITEL office in Maiduguri, as well as the commission’s warehouse.
Speaking, the Chairman of the house committee on NEDC, Hon. Usman Zanna , commended the Commission for the quality projects it is executing in the state, and observation that the NEDC require much funding to fully develop the Northeast region ravaged by insurgency.
He said, “We are here to examine, see and to evaluate the works of NEDC. We have gone round, we have seen what they are doing, especially the Jere bowl where quality roads are being constructed. The road is linking two local government areas that have farming and fishing communities. And we have to commend the effort of the managing director of the NEDC and his team.
“On the issue of funding of the commission, we have to look for any possible means to attract funding. The MD is a very straightforward and honest man, with much funding, the Northeast ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency will be developed.”
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