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Tag: North East Development Commission

  • Workshop spotlights how to fight insurgency without guns

    Workshop spotlights how to fight insurgency without guns

    A workshop by North East Development Commission (NEDC) has canvassed how to end insurgency peacefully without military might. 

    With researched papers from three professors and a widely travelled journalist, who interacted with 100 media practitioners and representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) as trainees from the six states of the North East, the capacity building workshop highlighted non-violent (non-kinetic) ways to effectively fight Boko Haram elements. 

    “This workshop reflects a shared commitment between stakeholders,” the NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, said as he welcomed the media and CSO practitioners who constituted the participants.

    Represented throughout the the three-day event by  the Director of Rehabilitation and Early Recovery of the commission, Sani Umar, the MD said the choice of participants reflected the commission’s conviction that journalists and CSO personalities play essential roles in fostering informed and motivated society as they document stories and illuminate truths that inspire action, hope, and resilience. 

    “This gathering is meant to strengthen the media in fostering informed communities and promoting accountability, as journalism holds immense power in shaping narratives, amplifying voices, and bridging gaps in understanding,” the NEDC MD said.

    The workshop which was held at Forshams Event Center, Maiduguri on December 16-18 2024, in collaboration with a consulting firm, Ranlal Global Services Nigeria Ltd, ran on the theme, ‘Non-Kinetic Approaches to Ending Conflict for the Return of Sustainable Peace and Development in the North East’.

    Shedding further light on the workshop, NEDC’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Abba Musa who spoke through Naomi Abwaku, said, “Kinetic (violent) measures have not yielded the desired results. This training underscores the importance of peace building and partnerships in addressing insurgency.”

    The Chief Executive Officer of Ranlal Global Services Ltd, Muhammed Abubakar Kudu,  a veteran journalist who struck fame with the NTA, said the workshop was planned to empower CSOs and journalists to champion non-kinetic approaches against insurgency.

    One of the resource persons, Umar Pate, a renown professor of Mass Communication and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, urged journalists to avoid biases in their reporting.

    Pate said, “Communication has become regionalized with sentiments and stereotypes fueled by wrong sources. As journalists, you must rise above such biases.”

    Another resource, Associate Professor Nathaniel Danjibo of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies of University of Ibadan, offered that journalists need to collaborate with peace actors to achieve peaceful resolution of conflict.

    “Journalists must embrace innovative conflict reporting that prevents or de-escalate conflict,” Danjibo said, advising government, on the other hand, to always seek to win the minds and hearts of the people on its side by establishing conditions that advance their wellbeing.

    Professor Muazu Abubakar of the University of Maiduguri who also presented researched papers, urged journalists to always be guided by the ideals of national interest and security as they go about their work.

    Abubakar said media practice that helps peace necessarily places nationalism above profit motive.

    Versatile broadcaster, Hamisu Rogo of the NTA, presented reviews of his television productions, including one on IDPs Resettlement and Rehabilitation with specific reference to insurgency-devastated Kukawa in Borno State.

    Rogo’s report which shows how thousands of displaced residents returned home some 10 years later to find hardly any shelter over their heads, also opened the eyes of reporters at the workshop to how much more reporting is necessary to call attention to the lingering challenges of insurgency that still confront the people of Borno and other insurgent-troubled parts of the North East.

    Among them, the resource persons projected views in the course of the three days of the workshop that summed up to the following:

    “It helps to recognize that many of the individuals who join Boko Haram are driven by poverty, unemployment, and lack of educational opportunities. A focus on economic development, job creation, and enhancing educational opportunities in the regions most affected by Boko Haram would address the socio-economic conditions that fuel insurgency.

    “Routinely engaging with local communities affected by insurgency rather than imposing solutions on them can enrich such solutions and impact more on the communities.

    “Strengthening local governance and empowering community leaders to take active roles in maintaining peace is crucial. This includes building trust between communities and local law enforcement, while developing neighborhood watch programs and local defense units.

    “Promoting enlightenment that highlights tolerance, peace-building, and the dangers of extremism can help deter young people from joining Boko Haram. This is just as localized initiatives to counter radical ideology and provide alternative narratives can also weaken Boko Haram’s influence.

    “Corruption and a lack of justice often fuel insurgency, so it is crucial to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability.”

    Read Also: Bafarawa to Nigerians: support govt against insurgency

    A segment of the workshop had to do with recommendations of four groups from the 100 journalists and CSO personalities. Captured bellow is a summary of their recommendations, essentially on how Media and CSOs can contribute to counter-insurgency and peace building using non-kinetic approach.

    They recommended that CSOs and media should work more closely and collaboratively to set agenda; share information and intelligence, and work towards getting media executives to subsidize coverage for CSO activities.

    The groups similarly advised that media and CSOs should embark on joint awareness campaigns and collectively celebrate peace builders. 

    The groups advised journalists to habitually write reports with consciousness of security building; balance all sides to a story as much as possible; should constantly highlight responsibilities of authorities to security of the people, highlight actionable plans for all parties in conflict situations, and cultivate the culture of following up stories untill pending issues are addressed.

    A section of participants and renown Mass Communication professor, Umar Pate, making a presentation during the workshop

  • Buhari names Tarfa NEDC chairman

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, asked the Senate to confirm Major General Paul Tarfa (retd) as Chairman, Governing Board of the North East Development Commission.

    Buhari in a letter dated January 8, 2019, addressed to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, requested Tarfa’s confirmation in accordance with Section 2(5)(b) of the North East Development Commission(NEDC) Act, 2017.

    Tarfa, a retired Major General was appointed Governor of Oyo State from July 1978 to October 1979.

    Buhari also asked the Senate to confirm Mohammad Goni Alkali as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NEDC.

    Other members of the NEDC include Musa Yashi-Executive Director Humanitarian Affairs, Muhammed Jawa- Executive Director Administration and Finance and Omar Mohammed-Executive Director Operations.

    Others are David Kente-Member Representing North East Zone, Asmau Mohammed-Member Representing North West Zone and Benjamin Adanyi-Member Representing North Central Zone.

    Others are, Olawale Oshun-Member Representing South West, Dr. T. Ekechi-Member Representing South East Zone and Obasuke Mcdonald-Member Representing South South Zone.

    The Senate in October 2016 passed the bill seeking the establishment of North East Development Commission to rebuild the North East region following devastation from insurgency.

    Read Also: Buhari not aware of CJN’s arraignment – Osinbajo

    President Buhari assented to the bill in October, 2017.

    In another letter dated January 7, 2019, Buhari requested the Senate to confirm Modibbo Tukur as a Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

    The request for the confirmation is in accordance with Section 5(1) of the Financial Intelligence Unit Act 2018.

    Buhari urged the Senate to give the request expeditious consideration and passage.

  • Boko Haram: Borno reconstructs 50, 000 houses, schools, clinics

    Boko Haram: Borno reconstructs 50, 000 houses, schools, clinics

    The Borno Government says it has reconstructed over 50, 000 houses; clinics, classrooms, water points, police stations and other public structures destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in the past two years.

    The state Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Prof. Babagana Umara, stated this at a town hall meeting in Maiduguri.

    Umara said the projects were executed in liberated communities in 16 local government areas of the state, under its Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) programme.

    He explained that the projects were designed to fast track rehabilitation and resettlement of persons displaced by the insurgency.

    “For us to achieve maximum security in the region the military operation must be accompanied by stabilisation and intelligence.

    “The Borno Government has so far started reconstruction projects in 16 local government areas; basic amenities like water, health and education were being provided by the government.

    “About 26 mega schools are under construction so as to take care of the increasing number of orphans in the state.

    “In Bama Local Government Area the government reconstructed over 11, 000 homes, and in Mobbar, Damasak over 6, 000 homes reconstructed.

    “Likewise other local government councils: Gwoza, Chibok and Damboa, among others, have received similar attention”.

    Umara also disclosed that the government had successfully resettled displaced persons at konduga, Dikwa, Mafa, Gwoza, Mobbar, Askira, Ngala, Kukawa, Monguno and Damboa, amongst others.

    He noted that the state government had implemented various programmes to augment interventions by the Federal Government and development organisations to mitigate the effects of humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency.

    Read Also: Air Force bombs Boko Haram weapons in Sambisa

    The commissioner stressed the need for establishment of civil authorities in the communities, to facilitate voluntary return and resettlement of displaced persons to their communities to resume their normal lives.

    “The establishment of civil authorities on ground is very paramount, the government constructed many police stations and traditional rulers’ buildings with a view to establishing civil authorities on ground; and without establishment of civil authorities their return could not be possible.

    “The issue of reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement is very important because without return of civilian authorities in their localities there should be no complete peace.

    “Boko Haram will remain in the enclaves as long as there is no human population in the areas”.

    Also, Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) urged the Federal Government to deploy police and other security personnel to the liberated communities to enhance the resettlement process.

    Ndume further called for increased funding for the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), to accelerate reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement and reconciliation process in the war-ravaged region.

    Ndume noted that the total destruction in Borno State was estimated at over 9 billion dollars, representing about N2.7 trillion.

    According to statistics by Borno Government, over 20,000 persons were killed and over two million others displaced by the insurgency in the state.

    It shows that 986, 453 residential homes; 5, 335 classrooms, 201 clinics, 1, 630 water facilities, 726 electrical distribution stations and 800 public structures were destroyed by the insurgents in 27 local government areas of the state.

    NAN

     

  • Senate blocks future inclusion of Kano, Plateau in NEDC

    Senate blocks future inclusion of Kano, Plateau in NEDC

    Spirited efforts to pave the way for the future inclusion of Kano and Plateau States as part of beneficiaries of the newly created North East Development Commission (NEDC) failed on Wednesday in the Senate.

    This is coming as the upper chamber sought adequate financial provision for NEDC in 2018 budget

    A Bill seeking the establishment of a commission to spearhead the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of peoples and infrastructure affected by Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba States were assented to last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Although the Senate had included Kano and Plateau States as part of States to be covered by the commission when set up the inclusion of the two states was later expunged at the conference level between the Senate committee and that of House of Representatives.

    Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North) in an attempt for the inclusion of the two states during future amendment of the NEDC Act, sought the approval of the Senate to pave the way for inclusion of the two States in any future amendments of the Act.

    Barau’s prayer seconded by Senator Jeremiah Useni (Plateau South) read: ” Whenever in future the NEDC Act is amended, Kano and Plateau states should be included “

    When Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu put the prayer to a voice vote, the senators overwhelmingly voted against it.

    Ekweremadu repeated the voice vote. The result was a resounding nay as the lawmakers stood their ground against any future inclusion of the two states as part of NEDC states.

    A motion on assent to the bill sponsored by Senator Danjuma Goje ( Gombe Central) and 15 others some senators asked for a similar commission for the development of their zones.

    Senator James Manager (Delta South) who commended President Buhari and the National Assembly for the NEDC Act urged the Senate to do likewise for the South East Development Commission Bill which according to him, has passed second reading.

    The manager noted that all the federal roads in the South East have collapsed aside disasters already inflicted in a substantial part of the area by gully erosion.

    He said that the situation needed urgent intervention from the centre in the mode of a development commission.

    He said: “We all supported the now signed NEDC Act when presented to us as a bill because of the need for it and in that light, I appealed to this Senate to give similar support to the South Development Commission Bill that is already before us and even passed second reading.

    “Am making this appeal because it’s been long when the said bill was passed for second reading without us hearing anything about it again. Please where ever the bill may be and whatever may be happening to it, let in the interest of fairness to all Nigerians bring it forward for the needed consideration and support.”

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) in his contribution said a bill for similar commission for the same purpose covering Niger, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina may soon be tabled before the Senate for consideration

    He lamented that not less than 5,000 people have lost their lives to violence being inflicted on the states by groups similar to Boko Haram like cattle rustlers and others within the last two years aside property and farms worth billions of Naira destroyed.

    Marafa said, “The blood thirty groups killed people in these States on daily basis and even recently attacked a military formation in Zamfara killing four soldiers. I support this motion commending Mr President for assenting to the NEDC Act and congratulates my colleagues from the North East zone on the commission but the Senate should not be surprised if a similar bill seeking for such development commission to cover the mentioned States is brought for consideration.

    “Those of us from the affected States have been keeping quiet but the rate at which violent attacks from the groups are causing severe destruction in  the states, a bill for a commission like this   may be brought for consideration and support of all.”

    Meanwhile, the Senate has asked the Federal Government to make adequate financial provision in the 2018 budget for the take-off of the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

     The upper chamber also affirmed its commitment to the implementation of the NEDC Act following the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari on 26th October 2017, to the NEDC Bill as passed by the National Assembly.

    The lawmakers noted that signing of the Bill into law marks the establishment and take-off of the North-East Development Commission.

    Commenting on a motion raised at the plenary in the Senate, Wednesday, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said the signing into law of the NEDC Bill “marks a significant development in our country’s humanitarian and development response to the crisis in the North-East region.”

    Through the establishment of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), resources from the Federal Government and international donors will be coordinated and disbursed to meet the relief, recovery and developmental needs for a region in desperate need of stability.

    The President of the Senate decried the devastating impact of the conflict on the public infrastructure and on the lives of millions of Nigerians in the North-East. “According to the Borno State Ministry of Relief, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, in Borno State alone, over 950,000 houses, approximately 660 municipal buildings, and around 700 power distribution stations were destroyed during the insurgency.” Another “over 5,000 schools, 200 health facilities and 1,600 water supply sources were also razed.

    “With such dire statistics, it is vital for the NEDC to coordinate the planning of federal and state authorities to begin the work of transitioning from humanitarian response to recovery activities. These programmes must also include support to revive the livelihoods of the local populations.”

    The President of the Senate expressed confidence that standing up for the NEDC will go a long way towards augmenting civilian-military relations. “The military has greatly improved the security situation in the region and has created an enabling environment for stability and growing rehabilitation,” he said.

    “We must all keep in mind that the creation of funding of the NEDC alone will not resolve all of the issues in the North-East. However, it must build and represent a better level of governance than what existed before.”

    He thanked the Senators from the North-East states who sponsored the motion, saying: “They honourably represent the thousands of communities and millions of people whose properties have been destroyed and whose lives have been disrupted” as a result of the crisis. “We can never forget the terrible price these Nigerians have paid just to live in their homeland.”

    Affirming commitment to defend, protect and rehabilitate all territory and people within Nigeria’s national borders, the Senate also called on Donor Agencies’ to continue their support for the North-East through the newly established Commission.

  • Ndume laments heightened humanitarian crisis in North East

    Ndume laments heightened humanitarian crisis in North East

    Former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Saturday, described the humanitarian crisis in the North East region as one of the worst in the world.

    Ndume who spoke on the historic signing into law of North East Development Commission (NEDC) Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that Act will no doubt address massive underdevelopment in the region.

    He added that the Act would go a long way assist stakeholders to rebuild area destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents.

    Ndume also revealed how he spearheaded the drafting of the bill and mobilised lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives from the North East to support the Bill.

    He said that when fully functional, NEDC will bridge the huge development gap in the Nort East region of the country.

    He noted that although his effort pushing the Bill may not be acknowledged by some vested interests, the records are there to prove that the commission was his brainchild.

    The signing of the Bill, he said, was timely to address the unhealthy situation in the North East.

    Ndume said: “I thank God and I feel excited. By signing the bill, the President made my day. I am really happy. This is a milestone in the history of my sojourn in the National Assembly. This is the first bill I initiated that got the support of all my colleagues. It was co-sponsored by my colleagues from the North East.

    “The humanitarian crisis in the North East is enormous. I feel accomplished. We have done something that will help our people.

    “Niger Delta case is different. The challenge was that of environmental degradation. It was a case of negligence. It was a case of addressing those challenges. The case of NEDC is different. We did not want this naturally. Disaster happened and we needed help. It was because of the disaster that I sponsored the bill.

    “The North East is one of the poorest regions on earth. With this coming of NEDC, the issues will be addressed. North East Development Commission has come into existence with the signing of the bill into law. How it will be funded is a different thing.

    “The problem the Presidential Initiative on North East had was that it was not an institution. But the NEDC is a creation of the law. This will not be managed by one man. The agency will be well structured. This institution is set up to address humanitarian crisis. It cannot compromise. It is very sensitive.”

    On the role he played to push the Bill Ndume said: “I did not coordinate the Bill to be appreciated. But I am not bothered. The records are there. Nobody can change that. I spearheaded it. I convened the caucus of North East of both chambers. I was the first person to do that. You know the role I played. The whole country knows. If one person decides to ignore my role, God knows and Nigerians know.”

  • Buhari signs North-East Development Commission Bill

    Buhari signs North-East Development Commission Bill

    President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the North East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2017.

    This is contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters – (Senate) Senator Ita Enang.

    The Act establishes the North-East Development Commission with the mandate to receive and manage 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 insurgency as well as tackling the menace of poverty and environmental challenges of the area.

    It provides for the offices of the chairman, Managing Director, Executive Director (Administration and Finance), Executive Director (Humanitarian Affairs), Executive Director (Operations) and members representing the North East Zone to be rotated amongst member states of the commission.

    The commission will among other things: Coordinate projects and programmes within the Master Plan for the rehabilitation, resettlement, reconciliation, reconstruction and sustainable development of the North-East Zone in the fields of infrastructure, human and social services, including health and nutrition, education and water supply, agriculture, wealth creation and employment opportunities, urban and rural development and poverty alleviation.

    It will also liaise with Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, States and Development Partners on the implementation of all measures approved in the Master Plan for the stabilization and development of the North-East by the Federal Government.

    . Assess and report on any project being funded or carried out in the North-East by any Federal Ministry, Department and Agency or company that has an agreement with the Federal Government, and ensure that funds released for such projects are properly utilized.

    . Liaise with other stakeholders on the tackling of humanitarian, ecological and environmental problems and degradation that arise from natural causes, insurgency and industrial activities in the North-East Zone.

    . Seek humanitarian, human, material, technical and financial support from Development partners (local or international) and Non-governmental organisations with a view to developing the North-East Zone.

    . Co-ordinate civil-military confidence building and stabilization measures and also activities that lie within the civil-military interface especially before, during and after military and security operations; and Act as the focal point to coordinate and harmonise all other interventions programmes and initiatives that the Federal Government is involved with in the North-East Zone.

    The statement said that the Act as Assented to has been communicated to appropriate Authorities.

  • Boko Haram:  Bill on NE Development Commission scales second reading 

    Boko Haram:  Bill on NE Development Commission scales second reading 

    The House of Representatives has set in motion machinery for the establishment of Northeast Development Commission that will cater for the region’s developmental initiatives.

    A bill seeking the establishment of the Commission sponsored by Speaker Yakubu Dogara scaled second reading yesterday.

    According to Dogara, the commission would be responsible for receiving and managing funds from the Federation Account allocation for the Northeast States of Adamawa, Gombe, Borno, Yobe, Taraba and Bauchi.

    In addition, it will focus on the development of States in the region as well as shoulder responsibilities of managing international donor funds for settlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency.

    House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, Deputy Whip,  Pally Iriase as well as Mohammad Monguno and Uzoma Ike Abonta among other spoke in favour of the bill.

    The bill was unanimously passed when it was put to a voice vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun.