North East Development Commission (NEDC), has donated the sum of N2 billion to traders of the Maiduguri Monday Market who were affected by the fire incident that destroyed goods worth billions of naira in the market on the eve of the last presidential election.
The managing director of the NEDC, Mohammed Alkali, who presented the cheque of N2 billion to the Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on behalf of the chairman of the commission, Maj . Gen Paul Tarfa (rtd) yesterday, when the board members of the commission and the management team paid a courtesy call to the governor at the government house in Maiduguri, said the gesture was carried out to enable the traders start their businesses following the reconstruction and reopening of the market by the state government.
The board members and the management team of the NEDC had earlier before the courtesy call on Zulum, visited Konduga and Bama local government areas and inspected the two reconstructed police stations destroyed by the Boko Haram terrorists in the two local governments at the peak of the insurgency, from where they proceeded to Aloe Dam in Konduga where the Commission is partnering the Chad Basin Development Authority towards rebuilding the Dam.
He commended Governor Zulum for keeping to the promise he made to the traders on the day of the fire disaster that he would rebuild the market within a short period of time.
“On our own side, the board is considering how the Commission can come in to make the traders comfortable to start their businesses. So, the board decided that the Commission will provide restarting capital to the traders,” he said.
In his remarks, Zulum lauded NEDC for the continuous support it has been giving to the state government since its establishment.
