Why we need North-East devt commission

One of  the  greatest events  of  the 21st century in sub-Saharan Africa is arguably the Boko Haram insurgency that has brought so much devastation and carnage to a land bigger than the whole of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland put together, and more than half the size of France. The region covers about 275,677 […]

One of  the  greatest events  of  the 21st century in sub-Saharan Africa is arguably the Boko Haram insurgency that has brought so much devastation and carnage to a land bigger than the whole of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland put together, and more than half the size of France. The region covers about 275,677 square kilometers.
The insurgency that was wished away in its twilight days has become a behemoth that once threatened the sovereignty of the North-East. Its links with Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab and the ISIL was overlooked until it became a National Security issue and the Eagle Square, UN House, a military barracks, the Police Force Headquarters  and other civilian targets in Abuja were attacked.
Before the Abuja attacks, the North East was already under so much fire to the extent that local government areas were sacked or annexed. The popular Gwoza town, where the Mobile Police Force Training School was situated was destroyed and sacked. Whole towns were invaded and sacked.  It is over two years now since the Chibok girls abduction. The misfortunes that befell the region are countless and too numerous to mention.
The rubbles that the North-East has been reduced to cannot be imagined by anyone who has not visited the battle zone. It has been reduced to a waste land without any form of civilized habitations and where you find something that may pass for a civilized dwelling it is deserted for fear of attacks.
President Muhammadu Buhari has shown his full support and commitment to the realization of a rebuilt, resettled, rehabilitated and reconciled North-Eastern Nigeria.
A call by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, for an International Donor Conference that would raise funds for the economic and infrastructural needs of the North-East devastated by a six-year insurgency couldn’t have come at a better time. The Speaker’s clamour began since August last year when he sponsored a motion for the rehabilitation, recovery, reconstruction and resettlement of the region.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State in his speech, while receiving members of the House of Representatives; North-East Development Commission Advocacy Team in Maiduguri, spoke on the North-East Development Commission Bill and its germane role in the development of the region. His postulations were really a clarion call for all hands to be on deck to make this goal a reality. His call went a pitch higher, when he stated that legislators from the North-East would have achieved more than 50 per cent of what people elected them to do in the National Assembly if the bill was passed.
Having the commission in place would bring about a coordinating mechanism and a centralized control for the rebuilding process with the oversight role of the National Assembly ensuring justice, fairness and equity in the six states.
Members should see the creation of the commission as a legacy worthy of their effort for generations yet unborn. The region is to be built afresh literally from ground zero. They should ensure that the act provides for a world class institution for achieving the objectives for which the commission is to be set.
Those at the fore in pushing for the passage of the bill should see it as their widows mite for a region on its knees at the most critical time of its existence. The North-East has to be rebuilt; it begins with the enactment of an act of the National Assembly.
Ahmed Yerima is member, Misau/Dambam Constituency, House of Representatives