Six North-Eastern states get N15 billion palliatives

The NEDC: NE Development Commission has presented palliatives worth N15 billion to the six states in the region. The states are Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba.

The food and non-food items were presented to the 6 respective governors of the states by Vice President Kashim Shettima at a ceremony on Saturday in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

NEDC managing director Mohammed G. Alkali, said the provision of the food palliatives was in line with the federal government’s initiative to cushion the hardship faced by less privileged in the region.

Mr Shettima, who lauded the management of NEDC for prudent management of scarce resources also performed the groundbreaking of the 22.5 km Mafa-Jere road project being undertaken by NEDC.

In his remark, Mr Alkali said that 22.5km road linking communities in Mafa and Jere was part of the 38.66km Zabarmari Area Roads Network from Ngowom-Koshebe, Galameri-Dusuman and Khaddamari-Zabarmari-Gongolong in Borno State.

“Similar road projects such as the 32km Dabna-Garkida Road in Adamawa, 53km Kirfi-Gombe Abba Road in Bauchi and Gombe States, and 54km Mutai-Ngalda Road in Yobe State, among others, are currently ongoing across the states.

“There are also other projects of the NEDC including the Mass Housing, Mega Schools, Hospitals, etc. “These infrastructural projects are the strides the commission has been taking towards the development of the region as captured in the 11 Pillars of North-East Master Plan.

In his remarks, the NEDC board chairman, Maj. Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), thanked the reconstituted board and lauded the transfer of the NEDCs earlier supervision from the ministry to the presidency.

Some items presented included bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti/macaroni, gallons of vegetable oil, blankets, mats, and clothing materials for men, women and children, among others.