Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday in Abuja, assured that President Bola Tinubu would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the restoration of total security in the North-East.

Mr Shettima gave the assurance when the board and management of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) presented the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) to him at the Presidential Villa.

He implored the commission to prioritise investments in legacy projects, including agriculture, education and smart transportation also referred to as electric transport vehicles and tricycles.

The vice president also urged the commission to be prudent with its resources and invest in projects that will have a lasting impact on the region.

“I will ask the board and management of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to embark on legacy projects; projects that will stand the test of time.

“It is absolutely essential that you invest in agriculture, invest in new transport technology- electric tricycles and vehicles. If you invest in smart transportation it will have a sea change and you can even attract climate funding.

Mr Shettima, who pledged unalloyed support for the commission to actualise all of its objectives, urged its board and management to unite as a team and do what was right for the people.

He acknowledged numerous challenges confronting the people of the region, noting that they could be surmounted if the people and leaders work together.

Mr Shettima, however, expressed optimism that the region could overcome its challenges if there was a will.

According to him, government cannot manage poverty, it has to fight it.

The vice president emphasised the need for the commission to embark on projects that would further engage the youth and create jobs.

Mr Shettima noted that although the sharing of palliatives was good, the commission must invest in education, agriculture and electric vehicles which, according to him, are key areas for development.

Earlier, the chairman of the NEDC board, Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa, said the purpose of the visit and presentation of the master plan was to highlight the importance of the document and to ensure its implementation.

Also, the commission’s managing director, Mohammed Alkali, said the master plan was in fulfilment of section 8 (1) (c) of the NEDC Act.

The act stipulates that the commission shall develop a master plan based on the needs assessment of the zone.

He explained that the 10-year development plan (2020 to 2030) had four implementation phases, 11 pillars and 529 schemes, programmes and projects.

“We are here today the whole board of the commission to meet with the Vice President; as you can recall, on Aug. 9, this new board was inaugurated by him.

“And today we came to give him highlights of our master plan. That is the document we are going to use in delivering our mandate in the North-East so that he will appreciate what we want to do in the next four years.

“So he also gave us some guidance, and also it is good for us all to tell him our challenges.”

(NAN)