‘Boko Haram can’t disrupt development in North East’

• US pledges $92 million additional humanitarian assistance
• 400,000 kids may suffer starvation in zone, says UNICEF

Despite the insurgency in the North East region, the presidential sub-committee on economic development has insisted that the blueprint to return the region to its past glory cannot be chained down.

The chairman of the panel and representative of Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, Yusuf Buba Yakub, stated this yesterday in Jalingo during his tour of destroyed towns and villages.

He told the Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, that his committee has the presidential mandate to develop infrastructure like roads, restore electricity; as well as rebuild other infrastructure that were destroyed by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Buba stated that the aim of the tour was to get first hand information on the degree of damages and design a master plan that will holistically address all the problems facing residents of the affected zone.

“We choose Taraba State as our first state to visit considering the fact that this state is not confronted with Boko Haram attack alone, but other deadly crises like herdsmen attack, communal clashes and ethnic crises,” he said.

The chairman who assured the people of the state that the Federal Government is determined to rebuild the entire north-east zone pointed out that agricultural development top the agenda of the committee considering the fact the mono economy alone cannot take the country to developmental line.

To boost the health sector in the region, Buba disclosed that new incentives for medical workers are on the way for implementation.

Governor Ishaku who played a video film for 28 minutes on the level of destruction in the state said that based on the facts on ground there is no state in the north-east that deserved help more than his state.

Also, the United States government has pledged a donation of $92 million as humanitarian assistance to Nigeria and other countries in the Lake Chad basin.

In a statement, the amount would be used to address the conflict and severe food insecurity in the region.

Meanwhile, unless children in the northeast receive the needed treatment, over 400, 000 may die of acute malnutrition next year.

UNICEF’s Executive Director in Nigeria, Anthony Lake disclosed this in a statement by the Communication Officer, Mr. Samuel Kaalu.