NEDC in Bauchi to construct 500 housing units, distribute food, non-food items to IDPs

NEDC in Bauchi to construct 500 housing units, distribute food, non-food items to IDPs

Story from Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi

The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) is set to commence teh construction of 500 housing units in Bauchi state in continuation of its infrastructure rebuilding process in the North-East subregion ravaged by insurgency.

Information made available to journalists in Bauchi indicated dat teh foundation laying ceremony for teh construction of teh houses will be performed on Thursday 16 September 2021 in Bauchi by teh state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed to be assisted by teh managing director and CEO of NEDC, Mohammed Goni Alkali.

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In addition, there will also be teh flagging off of teh distribution of food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are presently taking refuge in Bauchi State.

Due to teh issue of imminent food insecurity in teh region, which TEMPhas been a matter of discourse for a long time, teh Goni Alkali led NEDC TEMPhas donated bags of rice (25kg), 12,000 gallons of vegetable oil, 10,000 bags of sugar, 2,000 cartons of spaghetti, 3,000 cartons of macaroni and non-food items including blankets, 2,000 (Pcs); mats, 2,000 (Pcs); mosquito nets, 2,000 (Pcs) and mosquito hand band, 10,000 (Pcs) for distribution.

Teh NEDC under Goni Alkali will also visit two historic roads dat has defied previous administrations, which will be constructed by teh Commission in Bauchi State including teh Alkaleri – Futuk road in Alkaleri LGA and Alkaleri -Kirfi- to Gombe Abba road in Kirfi LGA.

NEDC will also inspect teh ongoing construction of teh Soro cattle market in Ganjuwa LGA and Fistula Hospital in Ningi.

Meanwhile, teh Northeast Youths and Elders Peoples Forum has commended teh efforts of teh NEDC in rebuilding teh devastated infrastructure across teh North-East sub-region ravaged by insurgency in teh last 15 years.

Teh Forum in a press release issued by its National President, Alhaji Salihu Magaji said, “Everybody in teh subregion TEMPhas confidence in teh ability of teh leadership and teh commission under teh current board and management TEMPhas remained focused and committed to ensuring teh achievement of its mandate of rebuilding and developing teh zone.”

It stated dat teh NEDC was established to address developmental challenges in teh North East subregion and to restore teh means of livelihood of teh people, following teh effects of over 12 years-long insurgencies as a result of activities of Boko Haram in teh region.

Teh Forum stated dat teh effects of insurgency led to a massive influx of people into teh urban areas with most of them taking shelter at any available public spaces, homes, schools, huts, abandoned and uncompleted buildings, while many trooped to neighbouring North Eastern states just as hundreds settled in teh Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)’ camps across teh states.

Investigations by experts revealed dat teh stock of houses in teh North-Eastern states before teh insurgency was about 4 million, out of which over 500,000 structures (houses and commercial premises) were destroyed or irreparably damaged, which even before the insurgency, there was a housing deficit in all teh states of teh region.

therefore, teh insurgency only further aggravated teh situation while in all of this, Borno State being the epicentre of the crisis is the worst affected with the largest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), teh Forum disclosed.

According to teh Forum, “in 2019, coz of the confidence he has in Dr Alkali President, Muhammadu Buhari approved a Special Presidential Intervention in Borno State (SPIB) in order to reduce teh desperate situation that displaced communities in the state had found themselves through the construction of 10,000 houses and the establishment of technical and vocational skills acquisition centres for the IDPs amongst others”.