Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Sunday said the establishment of North-East Development Commission (NEDC) by Federal Government was a necessity given the scale of destruction and devastation caused to the North-East by Boko Haram insurgents.
In a statement signed by Malam Isa Gusau, his Special Assistant on Communications and Media Strategy in Maiduguri, the governor noted that Borno would have to experience 50 years of backwardness due to destruction caused by the Boko Haram which has been put at over $9 billion by World Bank after a comprehensive assesment.
“NEDC will set out for the recovery of this backwardness so that the state recovers earlier than it would have taken us to recover. It is not something any section of the country should wish to experience,” Shettima said.
He noted that the establishment of NEDC had also demonstrated Federal Government’s commitment to ensure rapid social and economic rebuilding of the region.
The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the NEDC Bill into law.
He said that the people of the North-East would remain grateful to Buhari over his concern and commitment to their plight.
Shettima said the people were highly appreciative of “President Muhammadu Buhari’s open love for them’’ and the role of the 8th National Assembly in the passage of the bill.
“I must confess that if Buhari was not elected in 2015, only God knows what would have become of Borno and the rest of the North-East.
“Buhari has made determined efforts to reverse all the many years of neglect the North-East suffered from 1979 to 2015. ‘’Buhari is the greatest inspiration for us.
“The President’s passion for the North-East is clearly understandable, because this is a region that lost thousands of its precious sons and daughters, suffered destruction of public and private infrastructure worth $9 billion U.S dollars”.
The governor also commended the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Doagara for their leadership role in the passage of the bill.
Shettima said that the people of the region were also satisfied and grateful to members of the National Assembly for good representation of the region.
“For us, they have achieved 50 per cent of what our people elected them to do at the national assembly by the passage and Presidential assent to the bill establishing the NEDC.’’
President Buhari signed the bill establishing the NEDC into law last week.
The Commission is tasked with the job of receiving and managing funds allocated by the Federal Government and international donor agencies for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of Boko Haram insurgency.