Shettima said the unity being displayed by the northeast governors is worthy of imitation by their colleagues in other subregions as he officially kicked off distribution and the groundbreaking for the construction of the 22.5 km Ngowom road in Borno State.

Shettima said that the governors of the northeast had put aside their political differences to work toward the shared objective of their citizens and he urged the legislators in the region to preserve the same principles.

“What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us, we are one people, of common destiny, faced with the same challenges,” he said.

Shettima noted that the road construction is a milestone project that would give people in the area an opportunity to open up the potentials of Borno and by extension the northeast.

“We want to thank the people of NEDC for this giant stride and we urge them to extend that gesture to some of our vital areas, especially Bauchi, Gombe road, the major road that linked Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, and Taraba.

“And of course, the Jalingo-Yobe road is equally vital, We would have to get into discussion with the federal government because these are trunk A federal roads, but it’s being plight by the people from Northeast.

“So, the issue of trunk A, Trunk B roads are mere nomenclature, it’s about our people, and we have to work out arrangements to help them,” he said.

“The deplorable Gombe-Bauchi, Maiduguri-Damboa, Biu-Gombi federal roads are to be undertaken by NEDC this year,” he added noting that their completion could enhance security and the seamless haulage of goods and services in the region.

Mohammed G. Alkali, the managing director of the Commission, said during the event that the palliatives would alleviate hunger and guarantee food security in the states affected by the insurgency.

The list of other palliatives includes items like 81,000 cartons of noodles, 80,000 bales of blankets, mats, and children’s clothing, 40,000 wrappers for women, men clothing and gallons of cooking oil among others.