From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A consortium of civil society organisations has adopted the resolution of the House of Representatives on the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
The 21 groups under the platform of the Coalition of Human Rights Groups and Independent Monitors, consequently, urged the commission to sustain its mantra of accountability and transparency.
In a press statement on Monday, the group said it arrived at its position after a systematic appraisal of the activities of the agency.
The statement co-signed by the convener, Bassey Ukpong, secretary, Barr Joy Gonzwak alongside the heads of other groups, hailed the NEDC for its strategic interventions, urging international partners to maintain their relationship with the agency.
It noted that the NEDC under the leadership of its MD/CEO, Mohammed G. Alkali, has been outstanding in the areas of accountability/ transparency, project implementation, organisational structure among others.
The group said after it embarked on an assessment tour of the region, it discovered an overwhelming presence of the agency in most communities, especially in terms of infrastructures.
On the report of corruption, the CSOs said the allegations were sponsored by some disgruntled politicians given Alkali’s tough stance with regards to the finances of the agency.
As part of its recommendation, the group, urged the NEDC to constantly engage critical media constituency in carrying out its various interventions in North-East Nigeria.
In fulfilment of one of its strategic mandates, the Coalition of Human Rights Groups and Independent Monitors undertook a systematic appraisal of the North East Development Commission in its efforts to address the developmental challenges in North-East Nigeria, occasioned by several years of Boko Haram insurgency.
Its strategic importance informed the choice of North East Development Commission in addressing the humanitarian challenges in North-East Nigeria and also to put issues in proper perspective for the general public to form their opinion on the journey so far in the NEDC through its various intervention in addressing the myriad of developmental challenges in North East Nigeria.
For the record, the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) is the focal organisation charged with the responsibility to assess, coordinate, harmonise and report on all intervention programs and initiatives by the Federal Government or any of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), States; and other Development Partners and for the implementation of all programs and initiatives for the North East states; Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, respectively.
In the appraisal of the activities of the NEDC since inception, the Coalition of Human Rights Groups and Independent Monitors undertook an on the spot visit to select communities in North-East Nigeria, and the result was overwhelmingly positive. The impact of the NEDC in North-East Nigeria within a short period was very commendable as its presence was felt in almost all communities straddling the states in North-East Nigeria.
The provision of critical infrastructures topped the list of projects embarked on by the NEDC. The educational and health sectors were also not left out. It was recorded that the NEDC has been proactive in the areas mentioned above. Our findings also revealed that the NEDC has continually engaged the host communities in their various projects. It was discovered that it was put in place to accommodate inputs from beneficiary communities. In most instances, this methodology has given them a sense of belonging, which is mainly responsible for the successes recorded in achieving the agency’s mandate.
From our findings, the NEDC is a bastion of accountability and transparency. This much was evident in the way and manner the resources of the agency are judiciously utilized. This much was gathered after extensive interaction with contractors, staffers, religious and community leaders in communities in North-East states, and other relevant stakeholders.
It is not business as usual in the agency due to the robust institutional framework that ensures that processes are adhered to. All staffers are constantly reminded of the overarching objective of the agency, which is bringing succour to the people of North-East Nigeria that have suffered years of hardship and socio-economic losses as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.