By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo)
The North-East Development Commission (NEDC), organized a stakeholder meeting on Stabilisation and how to expand development across the North East states, ranging from education, housing, hospital, poverty alleviation, etc.
The program which was held at shield hotel in Jalingo the state capital, had, in attendance, representatives from groups of Stakeholders in the State, MDAs, Legislature, Judiciary, LGA Officials, Security Agencies, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Private Sector, CSOs, HDP Actors, Women and Youth Groups.
Speaking at the opening session of the program, the Managing Director NEDC, Mahammed Alkali, said the primary aim of the establishment of the NEDC is to provide and develop a Master Plan based on the Needs Assessment of the zone to be known as the North-East Stabilisation and development Master Plan.
He asserts that "The Master Plan shall contain programmes and schemes that promote and facilitate the physical and socio-economic development of the North-East Zone, as well as estimates of the time and costs of implementing the programmes and schemes".
"The NEDC Establishment Act also designates the Commission as the Focal Point to coordinate and harmonise all other intervention programmes and initiatives that Member States, Federal Government and all Stakeholders will execute for the stabilisation and development of the Region" he said.
Addressing the participants, Alkali said there's no doubt that Taraba State and the other 5 States in the North-East Region are the most critical partners of NEDC, in addition to Federal MDAs, Development Partners, and the Private Sector, among others.
Stating that In order to come up with a robust Regional Master Plan, they consider consultations with state stakeholders as very pertinent towards producing a credible and comprehensive roadmap for recovery and sustainable socio-economic development of the North East.
The governor who was represented by the Head of Service, Suzy Nathan, in his goodwill message, applauded the development plan by the NEDC, stating that it is a great step to ameliorate the suffering of the people from the insecurities ravaging the region.
According to MD, the programmes and Projects that will be included in the Master Plan is to alleviate poverty and create prosperity in the State in particular and the North East Region in general.
Furthermore, the implementation of the Master Plan when completed, will include its adaptability and funding windows strategies to be adapted to ensure purposeful collaborative cooperation, coordination and effective integration between NEDC, Taraba State and other Partners. NNL.
