By Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Kulen Allah Cattles Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has urges the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to partner with its governors for massive job creation, agricultural revolution and exploration of natural resources.
In a press statement by Khalid Muhammad Bello who is the National President of the Association said, by way of simple introduction, there is no exaggeration to say that no one today mentions the North-East without immediately remembering the name NEDC.
The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) is unarguably one of the most successful Federal Government institutions, not only in the region but in the entire country.
It is in order to state that the recognition, popularity, and general acceptability of the Commission – which has its headquarters in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, with offices in Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa and a Liaison Office in Abuja – by the six North-East Governors, Local Government Chairmen, Traditional Rulers, other stakeholders, security agencies, State and Federal Government institutions, and the general public, is due to its remarkable achievements in all sectors.
Accordimg to KACRAN the Commission has rebuilt thousands of schools, houses, and offices, built thousands of new houses, offices, schools and classrooms, and handed them over to governments and their rightful owners.
In view of the above brief explanation, we in KACRAN – as direct beneficiaries of the Commission’s policies and programmes, especially those relating to livestock development such as provision of potable drinking water for pastoral communities, provision of animal feeds, and intermittent distribution of palliatives to internally displaced persons – have no doubt about the Commission’s uniqueness.
As a peace-loving association that is keenly interested in the peace and development of Nigeria, and in restoring Northern Nigeria to a sound economic footing of self-reliance as it was historically during the First Republic, KACRAN urgently calls on NEDC to partner with North-East Governors for massive job creation, agricultural revolution, and exploration of natural resources.
“Our clarion call is based on our firm observation that NEDC, as a developmental Commission, is a partner in progress to North-East Governors and other organizations that mean well for the region. As a result, it has become the father of the North-East that everyone in the region – including governments, traditional institutions, security operatives and stakeholders – partnering with to achieve its aims and objectives”.
The Commission has almost achieved its principal mandate of reconstruction and rebuilding the North-East from the ruins of insurgency. What is left now is for the Commission to advance the frontiers of its activities to placing the region on a very solid economic foundation which can be successfully copied by its sister commissions in the years to come, he added.
Due to serious devastation as a result of insurgency, there are millions of people in the region, including university and college graduates, who are looking for opportunities. Their employment will prevent them from being recruited into criminal activities and will enable them to participate in the onerous task of rebuilding the region and Nigeria at large.
KACRAN emphasized massive job creation because we believe in the political scientists’ assertion that for any development to be possible, human potential must be exploited to the fullest.
In agricultural sector, revolution development of the arable, livestock, and fisheries sectors. It will help provide food security in the country, boost the nation’s GDP through exportation of processed food, and prevent the country from spending billions of Naira yearly on importation of milk, meat, rice and other food items.
KACRAN understands that if NEDC enters into partnership with North-East Governors, the Commission would provide experts in livestock, fisheries, arable farming, mining, production and the necessary financial backing, while the Governors would provide land and security.
Apart of natural resources the North-East is richly blessed with nearly all types of natural resources that can be explored, processed in our industries, and exported. This will give Nigeria more economic power to compete with developing and developed countries in the world.
“We are urging the Commission to join with our Governors in this partnership because this call is in line with our strong agitation to our Northern Governors to Rebuild the NNDC Empire for Solid Northern Economic Growth and Regional Security.
Finally, KACRAN wishes to use this medium to commend NEDC for procuring 10,000 big luxurious buses, 18-seater buses, taxis, and tricycles (Keke-NAPEP) in the Commission’s bid to provide the cheapest town service and long-journey transportation system for the people of the North-East and other Nigerians.
We highly appreciate the entire management of NEDC and the able leadership of its Managing Director, Alhaji Mohammed Goni Alkali, supported by the Director of Admin and Finance, Dr. Garba Iliya, other Directors, and the entire staff of NEDC. We wish you more successes from now to the end of the year and in the years to come.
