By Hamza Nuhu Dantani Esq
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) was established with a clear and urgent mandate: to coordinate the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resettlement of communities devastated by insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East region. Created under the NEDC (Establishment) Act of 2017, the Commission was envisioned as a focused intervention agency tasked with addressing infrastructural collapse, humanitarian crises, and economic dislocation caused by years of conflict.
However, growing concerns have emerged regarding whether the Commission’s current priorities align with its statutory responsibilities.
The Core Mandate
The NEDC Act empowers the Commission to:
Rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed by insurgency
Facilitate the return and resettlement of displaced persons
Restore livelihoods and promote economic stability
Coordinate donor funding and intervention programs
Address environmental and social challenges in affected states
These responsibilities are not merely administrative they are existential to a region still grappling with insecurity, poverty, displacement, and underdevelopment.
Alleged Deviation
Critics argue that some recent projects and expenditures appear to diverge from the Commission’s primary objectives. Questions have been raised about the allocation of funds to initiatives perceived as non-essential or peripheral when compared to urgent needs such as housing reconstruction, healthcare delivery, school rehabilitation, and livelihood support for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Observers maintain that, given limited resources and the scale of devastation in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and other affected states, priority-setting must be guided strictly by statutory purpose and humanitarian urgency.
The Question of Accountability
Public institutions, particularly those created for post-conflict recovery, operate under heightened expectations of transparency and accountability. Stakeholders including civil society groups, community leaders, and policy analysts have called for clearer reporting mechanisms and stronger oversight to ensure that the Commission’s projects directly reflect its legislative mandate.
In post-insurgency recovery contexts, misalignment of priorities can slow reconstruction, weaken public trust, and deepen socioeconomic instability.
The Way Forward
If concerns about deviation persist, experts suggest:
A comprehensive audit of ongoing and completed projects
Greater public disclosure of budget allocations and procurement processes
Enhanced legislative oversight
Stronger stakeholder engagement in project selection
The North-East remains one of Nigeria’s most fragile regions. For the NEDC to fulfill its founding vision, its strategy and execution must consistently reflect its core statutory mandate.
As the debate continues, the central question remains: Is the Commission fully aligned with the purpose for which it was established?
-Advertisement-
Grab our latest Magazine, "Kelechi Amadi-Obi - Transcending the worlds of Law, Visual Art and Photography". Get your order fast and stress free.
For more details about Newswire Law&Events Magazine, kindly reach out to us on 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk. You will be glad you did
Download E-MagazineDo you want to be heard, your events covered, your articles published, or need to advertise your products and services on our Blog and Magazine, reach out to us at Newswire Law and Events, you will be glad you did. For more details about our services, please call: 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk
