President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to extend the tenure of the Managing Director /CEO of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali considering his performance so far.
The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima have also been called upon to lend a voice to the call to enable Goni Alkali get the opportunity to consolidate his achievements and complete all the laudable projects he has started in the North East subregion.
The call was made by the North East Elders and Youths Peoples Forum (NEYPF) through its National Chairman, Alhaji Salihu Magaji in the company of many stakeholders.
He addressed Journalists on Monday in Bauchi, at Hazibal International Conference Hall, saying that the NEDC was established by President Muhammadu Buhari in response to the yearnings of the people of the subregion especially those who suffered destruction from Boko Haram insurgents.
He stressed that the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents destroyed many houses, schools, markets, mosques, churches, motor parks, police stations, military offices as well as government properties in the zone.
He added that their series of attacks within the past 13 years also rendered many citizens homeless and jobless, even as many citizens especially children dropped out of schools after being displaced from their towns.
He further said that as one of the legacy projects of President Muhammadu Buhari and APC led Administration in its effort to fulfil campaign promises, efforts to resuscitate the region, the federal government created the commission with the mandate of rebuilding it and bringing succour to the victims.
Salisu Magaji said that With Goni Alkali, NEDC since its creation a few years ago discharged its responsibility of empowering victims of the Boko Haram crisis and other people of the northeastern states.
He also said that when one examined the developmental and humanitarian projects carried out by the Commission in the Six North Eastern States, there were interventions in various aspects of human endeavour particularly in the areas of health care, agriculture, education, infrastructural development and human empowerment.
The NEDC carried out various interventions with zeal, patriotism, passion and commitment to bring succour to the people, NEDC has proven to solve the above riddle by coordinating, harmonizing, and overseeing the success of many intervention and initiative programmes for the Northeastern States through his effective, top, and outstanding managerial skills.
According to him, “We can boldly say that his achievements are projected everywhere apart from human and agricultural interventions, there are physical projects for all to see, Some of the projects are the provision of 1000 housing units in Borno State, provision of several centres and food to the people of Borno State is highly commendable.”
He emphasized that, “Let us recall that sometime in 2019, the President in all his wisdom, declared a 10,000 housing programme in order to resettle families who have been displaced due to terrorism.”
He also said that “The provision of the 1000 housing units by the NEDC in Borno State, in line with this declaration made by the president.
The housing units according to Dr Mohammed Alkali, consist of four blocks of well-furnished 2-bedroom detachable flats with verandas and a courtyard in a cluster arrangement.”
“Goni Alkali is building 500 Houses in Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, and Bauchi States apart from the 1000 houses he built in Borno State.”
He said that “In addition to the housing units, other essential amenities such as solar-powered street lights and boreholes, a police station and a motor park were provided in the area. Provisions for schooling were also made available.”
He added that “That wasn’t all. The beneficiaries received food and other relief items. The commission also empowered many farmers by providing them with agricultural machinery and equipment, seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals and extension services logistics vehicles annually under a programme tagged, Integrated Agriculture Programme” (IAP).
He stressed that “It covers the whole 112 LGAs in the North East. The NEDC is also into skills acquisition, training and provision of starter packs to Information Communication Technology (ICT), trainees.
Alkali devoted part of his time to giving entrepreneurship, and vocational skills a boost. In each of the 1,028 wards of the Northeast region, The NEDC has empowered women and youths in order to divert attention from the attractions of conscription into Boko Haram.”
Salisu Magaji said that the NEDC Managing Director is also constructing Three Mega Schools in each Senatorial District in the North Eastern States, apart from roads and many other things which have returned joy and happiness to the hearts of the people of the North East.
According to him, the mandate handed to the NEDC by the government might seem like an easy one superficially, but in reality, it is far from that stressing, bringing relief to a region corroded by terrorism is a herculean task.
He said that “As sophisticated as the UN is, it still faces many challenges when it comes to providing relief and humanitarian aid to war-torn areas or areas plagued by terrorism.”
“When you compared his achievements and the projects executed, to me Goni Akali is a man of integrity and good standing. I personally love his exceptional leadership style, which I believe is worthy of emulation by any visionary leader, The provision of the housing units and other amenities is just a foretaste of the many achievements to be made by the NEDC.
I believe that soon, the North-East will be completely restored to not just its former glory, but better than it once was.”
He concluded saying, “We are appealing to our leaders, Law Makers, North East Governors and all Stakeholders to join hands and look at the interest of the region and the country and renew Alkalis tenure in the best interest of the country.”
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