The Federal Government says over 40 percent of teachers have been wiped out over the last twelve years in the North-East as a result of insecurity.
The government also said that about $80b (about N31.35 trillion) would be required to effectively transform the Boko Haram-ravaged region.
Mohammed Alkali, the managing director of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), stated this at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Team, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the commission would source about 80 percent of the development funds from the private sector and global donors, including development partners.
“About 40 percent of teachers have been killed in the security crises that ravaged the region,” he said, adding that the commission executed 650 projects in the past three years, at the cost of N5.6billion.
The commission which was created in 2017, with its headquarters in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, is an intervention agency established to receive funds for the development of the region, consisting of six states – Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Gombe, with a total of 112 local government areas.
The executed projects include 1000 housing units with water supply, power and other facilities.
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Contracts awarded to build 18 mega schools at the cost of N1.8bn are being executed with 18 ICT centres to train 10,000 youths every year, Alkali said, listing others to include centre for violent extremism at the University of Maiduguri, in Borno State, as well as a N48m cancer research centre at the same university.
“Apart from these, we have also established six burn centres in the region and launched a 10-year stabilisation plan with eleven development pillars
He further noted disclosed that the commission established 18 ICT training outlets in each of the three senatorial districts in each of the six states
Alkali said the commission trained over 2600 students, with over 80 percent graduated and will be used to stabilise the educational system.
The commission, he added, also established an endowment fund of N6bn to be marked up with 10 percent of the fund annually
In the area of security, he revealed that the commission doled out 120 vehicles to assist the security agencies in the battle to restore normalcy to the region
The agency was established in 2017 to receive all intervention funds allocated by the Federal government for the development of the North East, has a mandate to ensure exponential increase in economic output, in the region, as well as raise development to bring the region up to the same level with other regions.
Sources of funds include 10 percent of allocation due to member states, 10 percent of ecological funds, as well as 10 percent of VAT.
