FG restates commitment to rebuild Northeast

From AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

The federal government, has said it would not relent in its determination to rebuild the northeast of the country.

Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, gave the assurance during a bilateral meeting with the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Dr Bandar M.H. Hajjar, in Istanbul, Turkey, on the sideline of the 33rd Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).

In a statement made available to Daily Sun in Abuja by Abdul-Aziz Aliyu, aide to Abba-Ibrahim, the minister commended the IDB group for its support for Nigeria’s development priorities, as well as complement President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration objectives to revive the economy, fight corruption, and insecurity.

She appreciated the efforts of the bank and its institutions, especially the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD) for their concern about the welfare of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast in particular, and the Lake Chad Basin in general.

Abba-Ibrahim expressed concern about the persistent need for the increased provision of immediate humanitarian and long-term development assistance to the IDPs in the Lake Chad region.

The minister reiterated the commitment of the federal government to rehabilitate the IDPs and reconstruct the northeast communities devastated by the activities of Boko Haram.

She further informed the IDB president of the government’s determination to halt the activities of Boko Haram, initiatives on the northeast such as the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) and the establishment of the North East Commission to address the needs of IDPs in the northeast.

The minister expressed confidence of the federal government in the ability of the IDB and ISFD to join partner with the Nigerian government, as well a other international development partners/orgsnizations to render assistance in that regard.