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From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Chairman North East Youths and Elders Forum Alhaji Salihu Muhammad Magaji, has stated that allegations of miss appropriation of funds leveled against the North East Development Commission under the Leadership of Mohammed Goni Akali were mischievous.
Magaji, in a Press conference on Thursday in Bauchi, described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to paint Alkali black for selfish reasons.
He was reacting to the North East Youth Progressive Forum of Nigeria (NEYPFN) Chairman Comrade Maina Bukar who alleged misappropriations in the NEDC
“The North East Youth Progressive Forum of Nigeria (NEYPFN) led by Comrade Maina Bukar is a faceless group,’ said Magaji
“We don’t know him and know the group in the north east, let him stay in Abuja where he is and allow NEDC to develop the region. What has the group done to the North East apart from coming out to blackmail Alkali for selfish reasons?”
Magaji said it was unfortunate that some people who claim to have come from the North want to bring the Commission down with false claims and false accusations.
He said the Bukar led group petitioned the National Assembly and Federal House of Representatives committee which investigated NEDC under the watch of Alkali vindicated him and commended him for what he is doing .
“NEDC established N6 billion ICT training centers for North east youth indigenes in higher institutions in Bauchi and Gombe states. The Commission has also built training centers in various universities and polytechnics in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in addition to building a 20-bed facility within Goni stadium IDP camp, 30 bed facility within Muna Garage IDP camps,’ Magaji said.
“The Commission also equipped the molecular laboratory in Bauchi which was established North East Development Endowment Funds to build the human capital of member states in the region and give scholarship to candidates across states in the North East. It recently trained 380 candidates on ICT and gave each participants starter packs and N20,000 . It donated tractors and other farming inputs to farmers in the region,’ Magaji said
According to him, The NEDC requested each Local Government Area across the north eastern states to identify a project that they needed most for intervention saying ‘Some these projects are ongoing while many have been completed while others are about to take up”
He said because of its performance in all the six North Eastern states NEDC is considered as a major stake holder in the infrastructure development in the region as they earned the confidence of the people of the sub region who always rally around to support the commission.
‘The slander campaign against the leadership of the commission failed woefully when the Federal House of representatives investigated the activities of the commission and vindicated Alkali , I think it’s time for people funded by Alkali enemies to stop mischievous and false accusations and allow Alkali to work for the development of the region’
