The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has finalised plans to introduce a health insurance scheme to support vulnerable households and individuals in Nigeria’s northeastern region.
The managing director and CEO of the NEDC, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, announced this initiative, emphasising its significance in aiding families affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.
During a meeting with the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) yesterday in Abuja, Alkali highlighted the broader scope of the NEDC’s humanitarian efforts.
He revealed that the commission would collaborate with the NPC to address critical issues in the region, including the challenges faced by out-of-school children, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and victims of flood disasters.
Alkali commended the NPC’s management, led by chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra, for providing geospatial data on the country’s roads, streets, communication masts, bodies of water, and demographic mapping.
He noted that this data would be instrumental in implementing the NEDC’s Master Plan, which seeks to address poverty, displacement, youth restiveness, inadequate infrastructure, and climate vulnerability in the Northeast.
The NEDC has previously engaged consultants and researchers to execute its regional development programs. However, Alkali affirmed that the commission would now collaborate more closely with the NPC to tackle the region’s pressing humanitarian challenges.
He also expressed the commission’s readiness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the NPC to address issues such as out-of-school children, girl child education, the Almajiri phenomenon, and youth training and skills acquisition.
In his remarks, Kwara emphasised the importance of the NPC’s collaboration with the NEDC, noting that the NPC is well-equipped with data essential for socio-economic and demographic activities.
He stated that the NPC’s geospatial data would significantly aid the NEDC in delivering on its mandate.
Kwarra also mentioned the NPC’s ongoing nationwide campaign for birth registration and preparations for a population census.
He reiterated the urgency of addressing issues like poverty, out-of-school children, girl child education, and the needs of internally displaced persons.
Additionally, he announced plans for a regional summit focused on out-of-school children and the Almajiri issue, involving Northeast governors, Ulamas, and other religious leaders.
He stated that the collaboration between the NEDC and NPC is poised to bring substantial benefits to the Northeast, ensuring that development programs are well-informed and effectively targeted to meet the region’s needs.
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