The North-East Development Commission, NEDC, has pledged to contain future occurrence of floods in the North-East.
The Chief Executive Officer of NEDC, Mohammad Alkali, gave the assurance in Bauchi on Wednesday when he led officials from the commission on a condolence visit to Gov. Bala Mohammed over the recent flood incidents in the state.
The commission was also in Bauchi to distribute food and non-food items to victims of flood and the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the state.
Mr Alkali, who is also the Managing Director of the commission, said that NEDC had been proactive in its activities.
He said that the commission, during the World Humanitarian Day celebration in Maiduguri on Aug.19, donated food and non-food items to the six north eastern states.
He said this was possible with the Federal Government’s intervention through the Presidential Committee on Repatriation, Return and Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons of the commission.
Mr Alkali said that the commission was working round the clock to synergise with state governors in the region, to contain future occurrence of flood and improve the standard of living of IDPs.
“One of the objectives of the visit is to commiserate with you and the good people of Bauchi State on the recent flood disaster in the North-East.
“We wrote a letter to the state government to see how we can synergise to contain the situation in providing preventive measures in the future and the state government articulated its position.
“I assure you that we are going to work with that position to contain flood situations in the future,” he said.
Mr Alkali said the commission had donated relief items to Borno, Yobe and Gombe states, and listed items to be distributed in Bauchi as 10,000 bags of rice (25kg), 5,000 pieces of blankets and 5,000 mats.
Others are 3,000 gallons of vegetable oil, 5,000 women wrappers, 3,000 guinea brocade for men and 3,000 children’s wears.
Responding, Governor Mohammed appreciated the Federal Government’s show of concern and sympathy to the region through the NEDC and the Humanitarian Ministry.
He said the commission was one of the best legacies President Muhammadu Buhari would be leaving behind for Nigeria.
“It is one of the best institutions created to deepen institutionalisation of initiatives, which is not temporary.
The governor promised to distribute the items equitably to the beneficiaries.
NAN
