By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The North East Development Commission, (NEDC) has continued to make its North East Stabilization and Development Master Plan available to Development Partners globally for effective implementation.
This framework is part of an effort by the NEDC to accelerate the regional recovery effort as it steps up sustainable implementation of programmes based on the needs of the Six states which is in addition to humanitarian interventions and disaster support .
The development necessitated the visit by the Commission led by the Managing Director/CEO, Mohammed Goni Alkali to the Office of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) at N’Djamena, Chad Republic.
While there, the delegation met with the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Mamman Nuhu who is also the Head of Mission of the Multi National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF).
The MD/CEO, Mohammed Goni Alkali emphasized that the LCBC’s strategies for recovering the Lake Chad Basin are similar to those of the NEDC in the recovery of the North East subregion as contained in the Master Plan.
The NEDC viewed the LCBC as a strategic partner in the quest to actualise it’s developmental programmes as the regional body’s activities strongly impact on the States of the North East .
Executive Secretary LCBC, Amb. Mamman Nuhu said that, “We certainly have alot to do together so at our technical level we will come up with recommendations on how we can work together and form stronger partnership.”
He also stated that,”It is in order to pitch up the affected period already under Prolac which is called (in support of MCRP) it is called prolac in all the other countries except Nigeria where it is in support of MCRP and where we have been working closely with all the others, where we have the regional help”
Amb. Nuhu also pointed out that there is a window for everybody in terms of the 9 pillars out of the 40 strategy objectives of the regional stablization strategy, every body can come in with a plan .
According to him, “The only limitation we have is funding otherwise it is an excellent plan and it is adaptive. It is also inline with the Lake Chad Basin Commission Regional Stabilization Strategy which was developed in the year 2018”.
The North-East presents a valid case of environmental concern due to its extensive landmass, desertification,
pollution and climate change as well as shrinking of the Lake Chad, ungoverned spaces, the insurgency and the
attendant fragility these have occasioned.
This fragility undermines food security and security of lives and property. Agriculture and trade, the two most important livelihood activities sustaining the region, have been greatly undermined.
It is argued that the preponderance of herdsmen-farmers conflict in the region is largely attributable to the level of environmental degradation, shrinking Lake Chad as well as man-made activities such as mining, deforestation, irrigation and dam constructions.
Among the MD/CEO’s delegation were the Executive Director Adminn& Finance, Dr. Abubakar Garba Iliya, Prof. Umar Bobboi, National Coordinator, MCRP, Prof. Mohammed Abbagana, Head, Research & Planning, Mohammed Umar Sani, Head, Resettlement & Early Recovery and Naomi Abwaku of the Commission’s Corporate Services Department.
The Delegation from the NEDC while in N’Djamena will be participating in the 3rd Annual International Forum on the Development of the Lake Chad Basin with the theme ‘Enhancing Local Governance and Social Cohesion for Socio Economic Development and Food Security in Changing in the Lake Chad Region’.
