For Nigeria to be successful we must not only be united as a people, but we must also be united in the protection of our environment.  e price of economic prosperity must not come at the cost destroying the one resource that makes our everyday existence possible – Earth...

Whilst economic development is the centrepiece of our national emancipation, we are not losing sight of the need to make appropriate provision for the protection of our environment.  Taking care of our environment is a lifesaving link to poverty reduction, wellbeing, longevity, and sustainable development.  Desecrating the land, sea, and forest for individual economic gain will destroy our common good in the long term.

Nigeria land areas that demand emergency attention include forest despoliation and depletion, desert encroachment, Niger Delta pollution, soil degradation and erosion menace. These are some of the disadvantaged areas that need protection.

Protecting the disadvantaged areas

To create a sustainable society, government cannot afford for its disadvantaged and deprived areas to be left behind at the expense of economic prosperity of other regions. In sustainable societies, people work together to accomplish economic competitiveness and national harmony based on a structure of peace, equity and a sense of fairness where nobody is left behind or cast aside.

Nigeria today is comprised of pockets of disadvantaged and deprived areas, which blight the socio-economic outlook of the country and threaten its continued existence as a unified nation. The Niger Delta, Desert encroached areas, Erosion and insurgent ravaged communities currently fall into these categories. These areas have suffered years of neglect and therefore continue to experience high levels of deprivation, family dislocation, poverty and environmental degradation. 

It is in this context, therefore, that a cohesive and inclusive approach for regeneration and reintegration in these areas becomes paramount.

We will ensure that the pains, wants and needs occasioned by circumstances beyond the control of every citizen matter to their Government. The amelioration of the conditions consequent upon such circumstances will be addressed to ensure their full integration and sense of belonging everywhere and at any time.

Desert, Erosion and Insurgency Ravaged States

The Northern part of Nigeria has not fared well in the scheme of things. The area suffers from infrastructure deficit, high levels of unemployment, poverty and illiteracy as well as frightening desert encroachment that is rapidly reducing available lands for agriculture.
In addition to years of neglect, the misfortunes of the North East has been further compounded by the insecurity from insurgency that has plagued the region. Families have been displaced, many children are out of school and infrastructural facilities have been destroyed.

The restoration and reintegration of these regions require special intervention.
In some communities, especially in the South East, the menace of erosion is becoming a threat to community survival, agricultural production and environmental sustenance.
An aggressive reclamation and restitution of these areas also require concerted and sustained intervention.

What We Will Do

a. Establish and operationalize the North East Commission for Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development which will, primarily implement A Marshall-plan-type arrangement for restoration and reintegration.

b. Mobilize resources from the private sector and international donor agencies and channel same for the rehabilitation and development of the region.

c. Embark upon aggressive developmental efforts to boost infrastructure provision in the region through the NE-CRR&D.

d. Encourage industrialization in the region through the development of clusters and dedicated economic zones to address the unemployment levels in the region.

e. Acquire suitable tracts of land in various parts of the region for purposes of agricultural development.

f. provide general extension support services and technical information on soil types, land, capability or suitability for various agricultural purposes including livestock and arable farming.

Develop and Implement a Security Masterplan

a. Embarking upon a sustainable development policy that situates security at its core and ensuring a multi-faceted security architecture involving the coordination of all security agencies.

b. Embarking upon a complete overhaul of the security forces and developing a strategy to address the declining security situation in the region. It will be part of a general professionalization of Security Agencies in Nigeria with emphasis on training, modern equipment acquisition and personnel motivation.

c. Adequate security provision in educational institutions across the region.

d. Development of Joint Border Control Masterplan that integrates the activities of all border and security agencies.

Develop and Implement

a Social Re-integration Initiative a. Undertake community engagement programmes in partnership with community and religious leaders in the region to address the issues of religious fundamentalism especially among the youths.  

b. Create intervention funds in the health institutions rendering care across the region (general hospitals, primary health centre, teaching hospitals and federal medical centers).

c. Full implementation of the “Fair Chance Equal Opportunities” program with all school children up to the age of 16 in the region.

d. Granting Conditional Cash Transfer to parents that allow their children to stay in school.