By: Monday Munkaila, Gombe
The Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya CON, has on Wednesday, joined the Vice President of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima and other officials for the foundation laying ceremony of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Head Office in Maiduguri.
Speaking at the event, Governor Inuwa Yahaya said since its inception, the NEDC has been playing a pivotal role in supporting the six states of the sub-region especially in addressing critical infrastructure deficits, intervention in agriculture, education and several other initiatives.
The NSGF Chairman applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their support to the NEDC in discharging its statutory mandate.
“I stand with immense pride before you today at this momentous foundation laying ceremony of the North East Development Commission’s Head Office in Maiduguri. Let me say that the NEDC has been playing a critical role in promoting development across our region, addressing critical infrastructure deficits, providing significant intervention in agriculture, education, health care and other sectors in order to foster socio-economic growth”, the Governor Said.
He added that “Today’s events are a testament to the unwavering support the NEDC has been receiving from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, whose leadership has been instrumental in our journey in this sub-region towards recovery and prosperity. As we lay this foundation and perform the other functions later, I appeal to all stakeholders to maintain strong support for this commission to ensure that it fully delivers on its statutory mandate of transforming the Northeast.”
While performing the ceremonies, the Vice President of Nigeria, Sen. Kashim Shettima, said the North East Development Commission is a critical engine driving the development of the Northeast, emphasizing that in the face of adversity, the commission has demonstrated resilience, vision and an unyielding dedication to its statutory mandate.
“The North East Development Commission is a product of the people and it shall serve the interest of the nation. This institution therefore, embodies our collective resolve to transform the narrative of this region from which marked by despair and devastation, to one defined by renewal and triumph.
“Today’s foundation laying ceremony is a step towards fulfilling President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve and promise to prioritize initiatives that safeguard the interest of the Northeast. This promise is not merely a political commitment but a moral obligation to the people who have endured so much and deserve nothing less than a future defined by peace, stability and prosperity. This Head Office is not just a building. It is a portrait of our shared aspirations as a people with shared objectives”, the Vice President further said.
The Vice President further emphasized that the initiatives of the NEDC align with the Renewed Hope agenda of building a vibrant, resilient and forward looking region where children have access to quality education as well as healthcare accessibility to all, while appealing for stakeholders from the region to rally round the commission in the implementation of its master plan.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director of the North East Development Commission, Muhammad Goni Alkali, explained that it was necessary for the commission to execute the Head Office project as a fulfillment of its constitutional mandate, saying the project will improve efficiency in the delivery of its statutory mandate.
He added that the commission will distribute agricultural inputs and equipment such as tractors, tillage, harvesters, and other materials needed by farmers for this year’s wet season, saying the items which will be shared across the 6 states of the sub-region aimed to boost food production and food security in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu led federal government.
He further assured that the NEDC would remain committed to building a safe and prosperous region, saying more interventions will be made in critical sectors of growth and economic development to ensure socio-economic growth and prosperity of the Northeast sub-region.
Remarks and goodwill messages where delivered by the Chairman of the Board of the North East Development Commission, Gen. Paul Tarfa (Rtd), the Acting Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, representatives of the Senate Commitee on Special Duties as well as House of Representatives Commitee on the NEDC among others.
Highlight of the event was the laying of the foundation for the construction of the NEDC Head Office and the flag-off of the distribution of the agricultural inputs and equipments to Northeast farmers performed by the Vice President while being flanked by Governor Inuwa Yahaya, the Acting Governor of Borno State as well as other officials and traditional rulers.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya was accompanied on the trip by the Honourable Commissioner of Special Duties and Regional Integration, Hon. Shehu Umar Yerima Abdullahi alongside other senior aides of the Governor as contained in a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General, (Press Affairs), Government House, Gombe.
