By Abdulkareem Haruna
“While we are quick to point out the commission’s shortcomings, it’s equally important to acknowledge their successes.” ~ Gov Zulum
That was the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, commending the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for its executing of projects that are directly impacting the lives and well-being of the people of the sub-region.
The commendation came during a day-long series of project commissioning and handover ceremonies on Wednesday, where the Governor who was accompanied by the Minister of State for Regional Development, H.E. Uba Maigari Ahmadu, and the Chairman of the NEDC Governing Board, Maj. Gen. Paul Tarfa (Rtd.), officially commissioned and handed over 13 completed projects in and around Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The newly commissioned projects cut across critical sectors, including healthcare, security, education, and infrastructure, reflecting a comprehensive approach to rebuilding Borno State, which has been ravaged by years of conflict.
“The NEDC has done very well, and we have to give them the credit,” Governor Zulum stated, visibly impressed while inspecting a fully stocked medical store brimming with drugs and other essential medical consumables.
“We are happy with what you’ve done so far, and as humans, we have to commend where you have excelled and also constructively criticize you where we see gaps. But so far so good, the NEDC has done well.”
Among the key projects commissioned was a model police station and barracks handed over in Konduga, approximately 35 kilometers north of Maiduguri. The facility includes an office, barracks, and various amenities, aimed at bolstering security presence in the area.
Healthcare infrastructure received a significant boost with new facilities at the Dental and Eye Hospital on Damboa Road in Maiduguri.
Here, newly constructed male and female wards, a modern theatre room, and medical equipment estimated at ₦3 billion were commissioned. The hospital also benefits from a new solar-powered borehole and 100 units of solar streetlights, enhancing its operational capacity and sustainability. Ongoing projects at this site include a new support department building and doctors’ quarters.
Further enhancing medical services, the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Federal Low-cost, Baga Road, saw the handover of a renovated and furnished female ward, maternity, and pediatric ward. The facility is now equipped with a mini-grid solar system and a new 500KVA Mikano Generator to ensure consistent electricity supply.
Security infrastructure upgrades also extended to the DSS Borno State Command, which received an ultra-modern, fully furnished clinic, a new ambulance, and robust solar power installations for both the clinic and the main command building. In Konduga and Bama Local Government Areas, new police barracks for rank-and-file officers, a fully fortified police station with an armory, and a perimeter fence with a gatehouse were commissioned, all designed to strengthen security operations.
A crucial upgrade to the state’s medical supply chain was the remodeling of the Borno State Central Medical Store on Baga Road to pharmaceutical grade. This facility now boasts an office complex, a board/conference room, and a reliable power supply from a 100KVA diesel generator and a 129.9 kWh mini-grid solar system.
In the education sector, the Federal Polytechnic Monguno benefited from 50 desktop computers and a solar mini-grid.
Due to previous security challenges, these educational provisions were installed at the Agency for Mass Literacy in Maiduguri.
The day concluded with a substantial handover of building materials at the NEDC Warehouse on Baga Road. These materials, intended to support further reconstruction efforts across the state, include two Zoom Swamp Buggies with Excavators, thousands of bundles of zinc roofing sheets, hundreds of thousands of blocks, ceiling boards, nails, bags of cement, and reinforcement rods.
The governor of Borno state the not retire back to his office after a long without expressing his inner mind about NEDC:
“I want to state unequivocally today that no federal government parastatal has contributed as much to the development of Borno State as the North East Development Commission (NEDC)”, he said. “While we are quick to point out the commission’s shortcomings, it’s equally important to acknowledge their successes. I commend the Managing Director and your entire team at the NEDC. You have done exceptionally well, and I thank you. The sheer volume of projects and medical consumables I’ve witnessed—considering the investment—speaks for itself.”
The Humanitarian Times 