The Federal Government has inaugurated a Multi-Sectoral Crises Recovery Project (MCRP), under the North East Development Commission (NEDC), seeking additional funding for continued support to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
This is contained in a statement on Tuesday, in Abuja by Nneka Anibeze, Special Assistant, Media to the Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq.
Anibeze quoted Umar-Farouq as saying that the project was aimed toward the rehabilitation and provision of infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in the region.
“The Project under the North East Development Commission seeks additional funding for the continued support to the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) by providing humanitarian and long term economic recovery.”
While inaugurating the project, the minister expressed delight in results so far achieved by the MCRP and commended the project teams for the hard work demonstrated since the inception of the project.
She further said that the ministry would continue to encourage the project team to do more, adding that the ministry had made significant gains in the process of the recovery and development of the region.
While noting that a lot were yet to be done, she said that this was reflected in the new targets for beneficiary numbers in the additional financing phase of the project.
She said that this also included the decision taken by the government of Nigeria and the World Bank in extending the funding and duration of the project.
“The additional financing of the Multi Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project presents another opportunity for us to further solidify the progress that we have made.
“And, do more to ensure that citizens in need across the three participating states can recover their livelihoods, have access to quality health care, education, water, sanitation, hygiene and improved engagement with elected officials,” she said.
The minister also said that the project aimed to facilitate improved performance not only by building back better infrastructure but ensuring that the quality of services provided is raised.
She said: “With the increase in scope of the additional financing phase, as earlier presented, the emphasis on improving the agricultural value chain plays a prominent part of the strategy to move the region further along the path of sustainable development.
“We intend as government to provide the enabling environment for the people to take advantage of the large amount of fertile land available not just to feed themselves but neighbouring states across the country.
“Nigeria’s inclusion in the Regional Project for the Lake Chad Basin Countries, joining our neighbours; Cameroun, Niger and Chad, reflects the importance of information sharing, regular dialogue as the problems of climate change, unemployment and to varying degrees conflict fragility transcend our borders.”
According to her, solutions jointly developed have a greater chance for the long-lasting impact for our individual countries but for the Lake Chad region.
“We will work hand in hand with our counterparts in the three countries to find long lasting solutions to our collective challenges,” she said.(NAN)
