Governors under the aegis of the North-East Governor’s Forum are currently meeting in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital to seek solutions to the challenges of insecurity and to boost the economy of the region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, said “one of the formidable challenges we have been facing in the North-East and indeed Nigeria as a whole is the issue of insecurity, largely characterised decade-old insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and gender-based violence among others.
“Equally worrisome is the social economy scourge affecting the sub-region which brought about youth restiveness, massive unemployment, extreme poverty and under-utilisation of the sub-region economic potentials.
“The meetings of the forum has indeed impacted positively and raised desire awareness and recognition in the appropriate quarters and numbers of development and foreign partners to express their willingness to prosper us necessary assistance.
“Your excellencies may recall that the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Catriona Laing, was with us at the forum’s last meeting in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, to support the regional process to transiting from dependence on humanitarian assistance to social economy self-reliance.
“It is in line with these principles. Only last week I ordered the ban of food and non-food items in resettlement communities in Borno State and further emphasised the significance of self-reliance.
“We are indeed on the right track as we have made considerable progress in our collective efforts to bring about viable and sustainable peace in our region and what is required is our collective resolve and total commitment and objectives we have imposed on ourselves.”
Earlier, the host governor, Mai Mala Buni, said “the forum meeting has continually proven to be vital in our quest for the full return of peace and prosperity of the sub-region.
“I want to express my satisfaction with initiative and commitment of the respective states government to set important meetings, these underscores our collective commitments to free the North-East from the shackles of insecurity and poverty and other emerging challenges of development in the aftermath over one decade of insurgency which devastated many communities in our individual states.”
He added that prior to the Boko Haram insurgency, the North-East region suffered from desertification and low rainfall among other natural factors such as flooding that continues to affect our agricultural productivity being the major occupation of most of our people.
“Throughout the insurgency period, our people have demonstrated resilience despite losing their relatives, shelters and means of livelihood.
“With the return of normalcy, I would like to appreciate the effort of the federal government of Nigeria under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for creating the North-East Development Commission.”
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