By Sam Kayode
Vice President of Nigeria Senator Kashim Shettima, has laid the foundation stone for the head office of the North-east Development Commission (NEDC) in Maiduguri.
Senator Kashim Shettima, who came home for the Sallah holiday recently, was at the Foundation-laying ceremony of the NEDC Head Office on Wednesday, with the chair of the Northern Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya and the acting Governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur.
Shettima described the proposed new project as one born out of the resilient people of the north eastern region of Nigeria adding that the head office shall symbolise the strength of the people and Nigerians in general.
He described the project as a great achievement and a conduit of hope for north east of Nigeria which has gone through fifteen years of devastation by the insurgent Boko Haram.
“We are not gathered here today to merely witness the architectural ambition of an organisation that has become a conduit of hope for the North-East.
” Today is a demonstration of our promise, an assurance of our commitment, and a reminder of what this sub-region means to the nation. So, I am deeply honoured to witness the making of a history of service that will outlive each of us.
” The North East Development Commission (NEDC) is a product of the people, and it shall serve the interests of the nation. Every organisation that aspires to influence the welfare and future of society must draw its core from the people it sets out to serve. It is this foundational principle that guides the North East Development Commission (NEDC).” he noted.
The Vice President reiterated that the institution, therefore, embodies the collective resolve to transform the narrative of the region—from one marred by despair and devastation to one defined by renewal and triumph.
” The NEDC is a critical engine driving the development of the North-East. In the face of adversity, it has demonstrated resilience, vision, and an unyielding dedication to its mission.
” This laying of new infrastructure for its head office doesn’t only bring it closer to the people but invites them to be first-row stakeholders in the implementation of programs aimed at economic revitalisation.
“Today’s foundation-laying ceremony is a step towards fulfilling His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to prioritize initiatives that safeguard the interests of the North-East.
“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.
“The head office we gather to commence today is not just a building. It is a fortress of our shared aspirations as a people with shared objectives.
” This head office shall symbolize the strength of our collective will to rebuild, to restore, and to rise above the challenges that have long hindered the progress of the North-East.
“As we lay this foundation, we do so with a vision of a North-East that is vibrant, resilient, and forward-looking. We do so imagining our contributions to building a nation where every child has access to quality education, where healthcare is accessible to all, where infrastructure supports thriving economies, and where peace and security are the bedrock of daily life.” he pointed.
Shettima noted that the region can only reclaim and shape the narrative of this region if the people stand together adding that every part of this country looks to them to transform their story of anguish into one of revival and triumph.
“This is an opportunity for us to do so, and this new head office shall serve as a hub of innovation and a center for strategic planning that guides the North-East towards a brighter future.”
In his remarks, the Managing Director of the nedc Mohammed alkali maintained that.” Section 9 (1) of the NEDC Act provides that “The Commission shall have its head office in Maiduguri, Borno State and shall establish an office in each Member State of the North-East Zone’.
” Therefore, the foundation laying ceremony we are about to witness is in fulfilment of the law establishing the Commission.
” Also, regarding State Offices, we have already achieved over 90% progress in the construction of such offices in most Member States.
” The upcoming Edifice is an iconic 8-floor structure with Basement and Mezzanine Floors. Apart from its adequate and conducive office spaces, the complex will have other state-of-the-art ancillary facilities such as an expansive Parking Space, Conference Rooms, Prayer Halls, Restaurants and Catering Facilities, Sick Bay,
Gymnasium/Creche, Exhibition Halls and Humanitarian Center, among others.
“The Commission is currently implementing the North-East Stabilization and Development Master Plan (NESDMP), a holistic roadmap consisting of 11 Pillars that cut across various sectors.
” The Pillars are fashioned to propel the Socio- economic development and long-term prosperity in the North-East Region.
The Master Plan, which is in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Present Administration requires synergy, cooperation and collaboration by all Stakeholders to make meaningful impact.
“In sync with the Master Plan, His Excellency, the Vice President will also today perform the ground-breaking ceremony for the Phase 2 of the Jere Bowl Road Network which spans 22.38Km.
” it is gratifying to note that the ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase covering 22.5km was done by His Excellency, the Vice President in 2023 and is now over 95% completed. This road network of 44.88Km that passes through the famous rice producing Communities of Galamari, Dusuman, Ngowom, Koshebe, Gongulong, Zabarmari and Khaddamari will improve freer movement of people and goods, thereby stimulating economic activities through food production, processing agrobusiness, as well as enhance security in the area.” said the MD.
Launch of agro interventions in North east Nigeria
The MD noted that another milestone event today was the official launch by the Vice President of the Commission’s Agricultural Interventions in the North-East Region towards boosting food production, processing and food security in general.
He revealed that the Commission has acquired and is set to distribute assorted and diverse units of agricultural machines, implements, inputs and other processing equipment to eligible farmers across all the 18 Senatorial Districts in the region.
“These include Tractors, Tillage Implements, Trailers, Planters, Harvesters, Rice and Oil Mills, among others. There would be an interfacing Committee between the States and the Commission for effective distribution and monitoring.
“There are many other infrastructural projects being executed simultaneously in other Member States including inter-and intra-State Roads, Mass Housing and Mega School projects and of most prominence is our Plan to introduce E-Mobility within the entire region.
“Your Excellency, within this year alone, many on-going multi-sectoral milestone projects will be completed, and we will respectively invite you for their commissioning.
“We will continue to roll out relevant and demand-driven Human Capital Development Initiatives, Youth and Women Empowerment Programmes, Stabilisation and Sustainable Development Infrastructural Projects for the Short, Medium and Long-term Socio-Economic benefit of the people of the North-East Region.
“We call on all Stakeholders, including Federal MDAs, Development Partners and the Private Sector, to key into the Regional Master Plan and join us in re-building a Safe, Peaceful, Enterprising and Prosperous Region.
Present at the ground breaking ceremony of of the 26.2 billion naira head quarters building were the Acting Governor of Borno state Usman Kadafur who called on the NEDC to collaborate with the state government in the area of energy generation.
Others were political chieftains and representatives from the entire region, Religious figures, the board chair Paul Tarfa, the pioneer board members of the NEDC including Dr Theodore Ekechi and the entire security apparatus in the Borno State capital Maiduguri.
