‘2m people fled homes in North-east’

No fewer than two million people fled their homes due to insurgency in the north-eastern part of the country.

Dean of Students Affairs of the University of Abuja Dr Abubakar Umar Kari, who spoke Tuesday during the 2nd annual conference of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) North-east zone hosted by the Bauchi State University, with the theme, "Governance, Reconstruction, Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and

Development of the North East", said many of the affected persons still wallow in abject poverty.

The Don said the on-going efforts to rehabilitate the region could only succeed if governments go beyond propaganda and play less politics.

He pointed out that the reconstruction of the North-east involves drafting a marshal-like plan comprising a special fund to be accessed by the six states in the region within the next ten years at zero interest rate.

"The fund should be substantial such that can make real impact.

Disbursement of the funds should be directly tied to specific projects and the whole thing should be worked out in such a way that political leaders in the states cannot tamper with the funds." Kari said.

Earlier, the National President of the association, Professor Aloysius Okolie, represented by Professor Jaja Nwanegbo, said the conference was organised to provide a platform for scholars to interact and brainstorm on the problems of the region and chart a way forward with a view to attracting government and other relevant stakeholders’ attention.