The Joint Committee on Special Duties of the National Assembly has urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to intensify efforts in ensuring infrastructural development in the region in addition to providing humanitarian assistance.
In an interview, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, made the appeal shortly after the commission presented last year’s budget performance and this year’s proposal before the joint committee.
Senator Kaka believed that the commission had done tremendously well in the area of humanitarian assistance, built houses and relocation of Internally Displace People affected by the activities of insurgents and Boko haram respectively.
He explained that in the area of infrastructural development, the commission had already put machineries in motion, saying there were many projects that are ongoing, adding that the committee will ensure those projects are completed.
Some Senators raised concern that the commission did not paid attention to critical infrastructure such as Roads and bridges linking areas in the zone and the issue of education.
Responding to these concerns, the Managing Director of the Commission, Muhammad Alkali, said that some of the projects are ongoing, citing certain road projects. He also clarified that the amount spent on education, as raised by Senator Aminu Iya, is solely for scholarships and bursaries, while other programs are underway.
While presenting the 2025 budget proposal, the Managing Director explained that the main focus of the commission would be the completion of ongoing projects. He urged the Senate Committee to provide maximum support to achieve the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda successfully.
Cov/Bashir M
