From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government has said it will not relent in its determination to rebuild the North East.
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 sidelines of the 33rd Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).
In a statement by Abba-Ibrahim’s aide, Abdul-Aziz Aliyu, in Abuja, yesterday, the minister commended the IDB group for its support for Nigeria’s development priorities, as well as complementing President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s 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 North East in particular, and the Lake Chad Basin, in general.
Abba-Ibrahim expressed concern about the persistent need for increased provision of immediate humanitarian and long-term development assistance for IDPs in the Lake Chad region.
The minister reiterated government’s commitment to rehabilitate the IDPs and reconstruct the region’s communities devastated by Boko Haram. She further disclosed government’s determination to halt Boko Haram activities in the North East.
, 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.