Nigeria seeks additional funding for infrastructure in North East

The Federal Government of Nigeria launched a Multi-Sector Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP), under the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC), seeking additional funding for continued support to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

This is contained in a statement on Tuesday, in Abuja, Special Assistant, Media to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq.

Anibeze quoted Umar-Farouq as saying that the project was aimed at the rehabilitation and provision of infrastructure and livelihood opportunities in the region.

“The Project under the Northeast Development Commission seeks additional funding for the continued support of the economic recovery of the BAY (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) states.”

Inaugurating the project, the minister expressed his satisfaction with the results that the project teams have achieved so far for the hard work shown since the beginning of the project.

He further said that the ministry would continue to encourage the project team to do more, adding that the ministry had made significant progress in the region’s recovery and development process.

While noting that much remained to be done, he said that this was reflected in the new targets for the number of beneficiaries in the additional financing phase of the project.

He said this also included the decision made by Nigeria and the World Bank to extend the financing and duration of the project.

“The additional funding from the Multi-Sector Crisis Recovery Project presents another opportunity for us to further solidify the progress we have made.

“And do more to ensure that citizens in need in the three participating states can regain their livelihoods, have access to quality health care, education, water, sanitation, hygiene, and better engagement with elected officials,” he said.

The minister also said that the project aims to facilitate better performance not only better infrastructure but to ensure that the quality of services provided is raised.

She said: “With the increased scope of the additional facing phase, as presented above, the emphasis on upgrading the agricultural value chain plays an important role in the strategy to move the region down the path of sustainable development.

“As a government, we intend to provide the enabling environment for people to take advantage of the vast amount of fertile land available to not only feed themselves but also neighbouring states across the country.

“The inclusion of Nigeria in the Regional Project for the Countries of the Lake Chad Basin, joining our neighbours; Cameroon, Niger and Chad, reflects the importance of the exchange of information, regular dialogue, since the problems of climate change, unemployment and, to varying degrees, the fragility of conflicts transcend our borders”.

According to her, jointly developed solutions are more likely to have a lasting impact on our individual countries, except for the Lake Chad region.

“We will work hand in hand with our counterparts in the three countries to find lasting solutions to our collective challenges,” he said.