There was pomp and pageantry recently, as residents rolled out drums to rejoice when the North East Development Commission (NEDC), flagged-off the construction of 32km Garkida-Dabna road in Adamawa state.
Estimated to cost N6.3billion, the road traverses Gombi and Hong local government areas. Analysts said when completed, the road would open up commercial activities for local farmers and improve security of lives and property in the two LGAs.
Speaking during the flag off, NEDC Managing Director and CEO, Mohammed Goni Alkali, underscored the importance of motorable roads among other indices of national development.
Alkali said commensurate attention was given to the transport sector in the North-East, hence the decision to capture it in the stabilization and development master plan which was unveiled recently at an elaborate ceremony in Abuja.
It would be recalled that among the eleven pillars of the N31trillion master plan unveiled by the NEDC, N14 trillion is earmarked for purposeful infrastructure out of which N4.2 trillion representing 30%, is proposed for investment in transport sector alone by 2030.
On the issues of Ecology, Environment and climate, which the MD said is a global concern that requires proactive solutions, the Commission has executed projects in all the six states covering on sensitization, protection of environment through the adoption of remediation and mitigation measures as well as adaptation to climate change.
To mitigate the impact of climate change, NEDC provided three new forestry nurseries equipped with solar powered boreholes and reticulation of water supply and trained 100 youths on various aspects of waste collection and management even as it trained 200 others on waste dump and scavenging.
Additionally too, the Commission supported the procurement of 500 PPE and establishment of waste collection and management system including procurement, installation and operationalization of a Plastic Recycling plant in each states of the Northeast zone.
Aside from its intervention in engendering humanitarian, peace building and empowerment, the NEDC, has completed with some ongoing, demand driven capital projects, which include construction of three bridges along Mubi-Bama at Kudzum, Wuro-Nyayandi and Delichim and construction of 3-span bridges on the Kabbi-Lamba to Belel road.
Others are the 500 Housing units across the state (3,500 across the north west zone), three ICT centres completed in Adamawa alone (18 ICT centres across the zone), three model Mega schools one each in Guyuk, Song and Lamurde-Mubi (18 schools across the zone), reconstruction of police station and barracks/quarters in Garkida.
Also, there is the construction of Garkida Day Secondary school and the rehabilitation of 10 skill acquisition centres (TSACs) across (Numan, Guyuk, Fufore, Yola-South, Damare, Jibro, Gombi, Mubi and Mayo-Belwa). Other interventions are the road projects in College of Education Hong, capital projects in both federal, state and tertiary health and education institutions in Adamawa state with same gesture replicated in all states across the zone as well as functionalisation of Digital Bridge Institute Yola.
The beneficiaries of the Garkida-Dabna road are known for their hardwork and active participation in farming and small business as well as production of important cash crops such as maize, millet cowpea, groundnut sesame and soya beans.
The MD further noted that NEDC has been collaborating with the federal ministry of Works and Housing in co-funding various road projects in the zone.
Similarly, inline with Executive Order 5 on promoting local content in Science, Engineering and Technology, the commission has formed partnership with Nigeria Society of Engineers towards engaging reputable local consultants for the design and supervision of the commission’s major infrastructural projects.
The chairman, Governing Board of the NEDC, Maj-Gen Paul Tarfa (rtd) lauded the wisdom of President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up the Commission to take care of the North-East region.
In the course of it’s operations he maintained, the Commission has done much in appreciation of what it was asked to do to the people of the sub-region.
“We are grateful, not because I am from Garkida, but I do as much as possible to help Garkida, Adamawa and the region”.
“The project, could not have been possible without the cooperation of staff and management of the commission and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster and Social Management.
‘The Garkida people are grateful to the president and the Commission for rebuilding what was destroyed by the insurgents”he added.
Gen Tarfa stated that N480 million worth of equipment was lost by Triacta Nigeria Limited to the attacks by the insurgents in December, 2020 while working on the construction of 6 km Vurgui-Kwalamba road.
“I thank the MD for his cooperation for everything I request for Garkida is approved, even as I asked chairman of Gombi local government to put across some request to the commission for approval.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha in his remarks, announced the approval for the construction of 19km Hong-Garha road which he said is critical to open up the area for commercial purposes.
The SGF who was represented by Yusuf Buba, Member representing Hong/Gombi constituency further noted that besides easing essential infrastructure in rebuilding the area, the road could also discourage activities of insurgency.
The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, who was represented by Mr Ali Grema, Director Humanitarian, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to reducing disaster risk management and encourage local production of goods and services to the people.
According to the Minister, government would not relent in its efforts and will sustain the intervention and distribution of food and nonfood items to the six states of the region, as part of the overall drive of improving economic development and food security.
While laying foundation for the building of 60 blocks of classrooms to accommodate 2,000 students in Song local government area of the state, Farouq said the federal government was poised to boosting education.
It was observed that the project scope, include fencing, building of Administrative block, football field and staff quarters. It was sub-awarded to four other contractors to guarantee timely completion of the whole project.
In his remarks, Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri who lauded the NEDC said the road will provide easy vehicular access for both law-abiding citizens and unhindered security patrol in the area.
He was opitmistic that the combined increased traffic would definitely stimulate activities in the area and push away the insurgents who have over the years taken advantage of the remote nature of the terrain to build hideouts and camps to unleash mayhem on residents of different communities.
Fintiri described the move as a clear case of using infrastructural development as an arsenal against the cowardly insurgents.
Fintiri, represented by his Deputy, Crowder Seth explained that the PDP-led government inherited a State, which was ranked 33 out of 36 in terms of infrastructure.
“Today, we have tremendously closed the gap and pushed the State’s ranking to as high as being among the first 10 in the Federation”
He lauded the NEDC for all the support it is providing in the Northeast subregion generally and the state.
Residents of the area who could not hide their joy described the intervention by the NEDC as both timely and lifesaving. “We remain eternally grateful to them for this intervention,” one Haruna Dakup, said.
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