The North-East Development Commission (NEDC) has presented palliatives worth N15 billion to the six states in the region.

The states are Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba. 

The food and non-food items were presented to the governors of the states by Vice President Kashim Shettima at a ceremony on Saturday in Maiduguri,  Borno State capital. 

Mr Shettima, who lauded the management of NEDC for prudent management of scarce resources.

Mr Shettima also performed the groundbreaking 22.5 km Mafa-Jere road project being undertaken by NEDC.

He urged the commission to consider handling some critical federal roads linking states in the region to facilitate socio-economic activities.

NEDC managing director Mohammed Alkali, in a remark, said the provision of the food palliatives was in line with the federal government’s initiative to cushion the hardship faced by the less privileged.

On July 31, President Bola Tinubu announced some short and medium-term measures to ease the economic hardship faced by the region, whacked by violent crises over the years.

Mr Alkali said the 22.5km road linking communities in Mafa and Jere was part of the 38.66km Zabarmari Area Roads Network from Ngowom-Koshebe, Galameri-Dusuman and Khaddamari-Zabarmari-Gongolong.

In his remarks, the NEDC board chairman, Maj. Gen. Paul Tarfa (rtd), thanked the reconstituted board and lauded the transfer of the commission’s supervision from the ministry to the presidency.

Items presented included rice, cartons of spaghetti/macaroni, gallons of vegetable oil, blankets, mats, and clothing materials for men, women and children, among others.

 (NAN)