RELIGION
NEDC’s Human Face And North East IDPs By Moses Adamu
Excellence can simply be defined as the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. It is not just about doing the right thing; it is about doing it exceptionally well. The truth is, the more people there are in any society who put uncommon efforts into the common everyday tasks, the more progress it makes.
Undisputedly, this best described the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
Following the inauguration of North East Development Commission (NEDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017 to coordinate all Humanitarian interventions by government Ministries, Departments and Agencies based on The Northeast stabilization and restrategizing masterplan, a lot can be said about its magnanimous achievements in the elimination and mitigation of various effects caused by terrorism in the Northeast, which has so far resulted to rapid economical growth in the affected areas.
The North East Development Commission, as we all know, is an interventionist agency. However, the existential-effect of the NEDC has proven to be different, and also further distinguished from other interventionist agencies in the country. There has been a consistent drive towards achieving its core mandate in rebuilding North East Nigeria that had suffered phenomenal destruction since 2009 when the Boko Haram group began its violent campaign against Nigeria, Thus, empowered by the FGN and other international intervention agencies, the Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali-led NEDC management embarked on this assignment with every seriousness and vigour , under the broad program of Rapid Response Intervention (RRI) by giving it all that is needed to be done in order to bring about normalcy in the region.
Overtime, the NEDC has influenced the peace process in the long term, via development projects. The federal government in all its wisdom seeing the many crisis faced by the North Eastern part of the country commissioned the NEDC to relieve the region of its troubles. It was a development that at the time received a lot of criticism from malcontent individuals and members of the opposition party.
However, in the wake of recent government efforts, among various initiatives that were established in actualization of the plan which is based on strengthening criminal justice responses to Terrorism in the Northeast, one unique agency of the federal government that distinguished Itself outstandingly in public leadership was The North East Development Commission (NEDC) by making lots of iconic footprints in public space.
If we could walk down memory lane, before the intervention of NEDC, we should still remember that the north Eastern region of the country attracted a lot of attention from all over the world owing to the plagues of terrorism it faced in recent years. Banditry and killings were the order of the day in that region. The calamitous effect of these many crises in the region was widespread, and people living in the region were faced with constant unrest. Families that were displaced from their homes were forced to seek refuge in other less troubled regions or in IDP camps. Children couldn’t attend schools, as these schools were no longer safe and farmers never felt safe to go out and farm, leading to the rise in the cost of many edibles that use to be transported from the northern east to other states. All these greatly affected the nation at large.
It can be obviously stated that the crisis in North-East Nigeria that came with its attendant loss of lives, destruction of properties and displacement of thousands of people has been greatly managed and subdued, leaving its after effects less visible. This is as a result of the magnanimous reconstruction, and progressive decision implementation made by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in the coordinating, harmonizing, and overseeing the success of many intervention and initiative programmes for the Northeastern States.
The NEDC have been able to successfully step in by bringing relief and intervention to these challenges. It has been able to successfully achieve the mandate handed over to it under the leadership of its Chairman, Mohammed Alkali. Establishing the agency was a much needed development and it was clear that such a vital agency had to be headed by a sagacious individual who was more than capable of handling the agency and achieving all its goals.
In a positive note, these great achievements of the NEDC is a manifestation of great intellectual results exhibited by good Leaders through strategic plannings, and implementation of programmes with a direct impact on the people.
For the record so far, the NEDC has executed not less than 224 developmental Projects in 112 Local government areas across the Six North-East states under the Rapid Response Intervention (RRI), as part of the comprehensive Master plan to holistically rebuild the region based on the recommendations and demands of the states in the areas of education, health, social Infrastructure, agriculture and WASH.
Furthermore, according to the managing director of the NEDC, the projects were part of the early recovery actions plans by the Commission to return simple Infrastructure which included, public and Institutional structure, boreholes and culvert that were ravaged by the insurgency to function again. It is also instructive to state that before this year, the NEDC has earmarked N6 billion to replenish the 10 percent annual grants on scholarship for students in the region. Under this arrangement, the beneficiaries include; 5 000 bachelor’s degree, 336 Masters and 54 Doctorate Degree candidates. The funds would also be used for skills and acquisition training and provision of starter packs to 5 000 Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills, 5000 women and youths on entrepreneurship, and 2000 other vocational skills in each of the 1,028 wards in the Northeast.
One of the recent successful implementations was the launching of North-East Development Commission (NEDC) Education Endowment Fund (EEF) NEDC-EEF.
This is indeed brilliant and an indication that the infrastructural and economic development of North-East Nigeria is well on course.
It’s worthy of note that the operations of the NEDC fully commenced in 2019. So far, the NEDC has demonstrated Itself as an agency which has overpowered the Nigeria’s regressive cancer and exculpated itself from the cultured setbacks of non-performing federal agencies.
Concerning the recent update on the IDP’s care and responsibilities, One won’t doubt the intellect behind the handing over of the IDP wellness to be overseen by the NEDC. Putting the best hand in such position is a game changer that would see to effective transparency , collaboration, and successful actualization of the humanitarian mandate in bringing relief to the massive flood victims, because without putting NEDC in charge of such a sensitive position and situation, peace would definitely be a short-lived phenomenal in IDP Camp. This responsibility is not an alien situation to be handled by them, because it as been part of their mandate in bringing relief to victims of insurgency; by helping in resettlement, provision of basic needs and welfare, as well as their feeding.
The NEDC will continue to strive for a continual improvement in their operations, which is necessary, given the enormity of the task at hand.
No doubt that the NEDC is making life very meaningful to victims in Northeast through its interventions. The region is now wearing a better look cutting across the provision of social amenities, and exemplifying core transparency in achieving their mandate towards this great nation, Nigeria.
Adamu is a public affairs commentator wrote this piece from Yola.
By Oni Johnson
Self-styled activist, Femi Falana (SAN), must be proud of what he has gifted Nigeria – a celebrity activist son, Falz, a key inciter of the #EndSARS protests that almost sent Nigeria back to the stone ages but for the timely intervention of the real patriot. This piece is however not about Falz, there would be another time to talk about the destabilization campaign unleashed on Nigeria by the community of bards, who at other time in history would have been starving. This piece is about Falana, the father, and the blood of the innocent dripping from his hands and trickling down the corners of his mouth like a vampire.
There is something unsettling about the way and manner the Senior Advocate has been persistent in demonizing the current administration. Not that Falana demonizing a government, any government, is a new thing. The concern here is that this same man would have been quoting legal tomes backwards had his one life ambition of becoming part of the government been met. Not everyone has forgotten that he was a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari until the position of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice went to another person. The Hell broke loose for this government since that mistake was made in the view of certain persons.
In the interventions that busybodies have made on the #EndSARS saga is distressing for the very reason that the premises of such exercise are faulty. The greatest fault being that people like Falana speak in absolute terms without recourse to what had transpired in the past and without regard for the impact that the decisions of now will have on the future. For instance, Falana – with celebrity activists like Aisha Yesufu, Deji Adeyanju, Omoyele Sowore, Reno Omokri and the hip-hop crowds of his son – simply ignored the decades of missteps by previous government and landed the entire blame on the incumbent administration. What this did was to incite the protesters against the government of the day, one would agree that government is a continuum but at what point should a balance have been struck to prevent the kind of chaos unleashed on the country?
All the panels investigating the violent protests and the associated looting must review the role played by past inciteful comments in throwing protesters into the frenzy of destruction they embarked on. Each day that the likes of Falana had penned venomous articles, granted toxic media interviews and threw shades at those in government was a building block in building the evil structure that almost ruined the country. Falana and his co-traveler did not engage in such activities in ignorance. What they did was systematic, a sustained campaign of incitement that could have let to only one outcome: an angered populace that egged to attack the government of the day and possibly illegally overthrew it through mob action.
Even after the protests began, at the innocuous stage when the exercise seemed justified, the expectation would have been for true statesmen and elders to take on mediatory roles. It would have counted for something if the elderly people that had been inciting the younger part of the population had urged caution, including the need to not engage in a long-drawn protest, which naturally has the vulnerability of being hijacked by criminals. No. That is not the Falana way. He continued to edge the protesters on.
Then the violence began. Still Falana did not relent, neither did he resort to the silence that would have been considered as befitting of his stature in view of his wholesale embrace of violence. He rather increased his verbal attack on the government and functionaries. If the other clout chasers are bereft of sense to stop inciting protesters, Falana, with his legal background should have known better. Instead, Falana, by his various utterances, TV appearances and public statements incited the youth.
The result? The Falana incited protesters went on a killing spree that resulted in several law enforcement personnel being killed by a mob that has been programmed to see itself as being on a vengeance mission against those in authority. The blood of the innocent is on Falana’s hands and as he continues to spew venom, the blood drips from the corner of his mouth.
There are those in government who have also failed to call Falana to order even when they have the responsibility to. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbjo and political bigwig, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu are culpable in the inglorious murder of innocent Nigerians by not prevailing on their political charge, Falana.
Their failure to rein in their estranged associate could end up confirming conjectures that they are connected to the incitement of the mob to kill innocent Nigerians, especially the gruesome murder of police officers on lawful duty across several states of the country.
Given his penchant for throwing the International Criminal Court (ICC) in people’s faces when defend his terrorist Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) clients, it is time to make Falana appear before the Court at the Hague, not as counsel but as suspect on trial for instigating a pogrom against policemen and public office holders, and for putting the lives of all Nigerians at risk through the same incitement. I strongly recommend that the genuine human rights activists in the country rise up to this national challenge of dragging Falana before ICC at The Hague and his associates with him.
Johnson wrote this piece from Bariga, Lagos
President Muhammadu Buhari’s swashbuckling victory at the presidential election is already bridging the religious divide among Nigerians.
This was evident as Christian and Islamic leaders, under the aegis of Inter-faith clerics, joined forces to celebrate the president’s overwhelming triumph.
Mr Buhari was returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of main challenger Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In recognition of this remarkable feat, several renowned religious heads, Monday, led thousands of their followers to the Unity Fountain in Abuja to begin a three-day praise and worship program.
Majority of these clerics similarly organized a 40-day prayer and fast for the president’s re-election.
Sheik Usman Mohammed, co- Chairman, NIFROP, in his remark revealed that Mr Buhari is God’s choice, calling on Nigerians to back the president with their prayers.
“ I warmly welcome you all faithful to this thanksgiving service dedicated to the victory of president Muhammadu Buhari at the recently conducted presidential elections.
“ As you all might know, we as a group converged at this same venue to pray in unity for 40 days for the success of the president at the elections and also for God to grant him good health throughout the electioneering campaigns.
“ I recall that after the 40 days’ prayers, we solicited the support of Nigerians for President Muhammadu Buhari as he is God sent to deliver the country from evil.
“ We also prayed that those with intent to cause trouble to be put to shame and their evil intentions comes to nuts. And we thank the Almighty God for his mercies upon us as a country and as a people.
“ Brethren, the elections have come and gone, and Nigeria is still standing as one united and robust country. The elections have come and gone, and it is evident that the forces of darkness have all been defeated by the almighty God, the ruler of humanity.
“ We are gathered here to express our gratitude to the Almighty Allah for his show of love for Nigeria, and also for putting the enemies of Nigeria to shame through the outcome of the presidential elections.
“ My dear brothers and sisters, now that we have a President with a new mandate of 4 years, it, therefore, behoves on us not to relent on our prayers for a peaceful and successful tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari as he pilots the affairs of the country to greater success.
“ We also have to pray for Allah the Most Merciful to grant him good health as he governs the country for the next four years. Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom, and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a burden therefrom. And ever is Allah, over all things, a Keeper.
“ We must come together in this period to lend our support to him as always to succeed for he needs our prayers and support.
“ We also call on all well-meaning Nigerians regardless of their political inclinations, religion or ethnicity to extend their support to President Muhammadu Buhari for Almighty Allah has destined him that he would lead Nigeria to the promised land.
” My brothers and sisters, we all know “ that God indeed loves Nigeria for giving us this rare breed human in President Muhammadu Buhari. A man that exudes integrity and selflessness. A man that God has chosen to lead the people of Nigeria to the promised land. A man whose heart is so transparent.
“ My brothers and sisters, we are indeed grateful to Almighty Allah for the great things he has done for us, and that is why we are gathered here to show appreciation and gratitude.
“ We must know that we are duty bound to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari from our various places of worship when we leave here. This is a task mandated by Almighty Allah on us to ensure that he, President Muhammadu Buhari succeeds.”
As the Armed Forces Day celebration draws closer, Christian Teaching Center (CTC) Bishop Michael Akpami and serving Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) FCT chapter has urged Nigerians to remain fervent in prayers for ppthe Armed Forces combating insurgency in the North East and other parts of the country.
Bishop Akpami, who gave this charge at Mount Gilboa in Israel when pilgrims from Federal Capital Territory (FCT) visited the site as part of their pilgrimage activities said the Armed Forces and other security services deserved the prayers and commendations of Nigerians for laying down their lives to defend the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
He described members of the armed forces as “Gallant People’’ working hard day and night with other security agencies to ensure that Nigerians sleep at night.
“Let me call on all Nigerians to continue to pray for the armed forces, their families and their wives because it is not easy to be wife of any of the armed forces especially when they are confronted with fighting insurgency or engaged in settling other insecurity cases that threaten the unity of Nigeria.
“We know what they are passing through; they need our prayers; we have to commend, encourage and support them,’’ he said.
The Bishop noted that the security challenges facing the country could have been worse but for the gallantry and commitment of the armed forces in the fight against the insurgency.
He lauded the Armed Forces for their patriotism in the defence of Nigeria and some countries in Africa.
