Troubled by the mounting challenges facing their region, Governors, under the umbrella of the North East Governors’ Forum, have met in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, to chart a way forward.
For them, the time to act in addressing existing as well as emerging challenges in the region is now with the Forum Chairman, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno stressing the need for collaborative efforts to overcome the daunting problems and reposition the zone for socio-economic growth and development.
Rising from the meeting held on Saturday at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Yola, and attended by all the six governors in the region, the Forum expressed its renewed commitment to partnership in tackling issues such as insecurity, poverty, and underdevelopment in the geo-political zone
Zulum urged the federal government to lend support to the region in addressing key issues such as the poor state of roads, the lack of functional rail lines, and the underutilization of waterways.
Also appreciating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his efforts at promoting peace in Nigeria and the North East region in particular, he emphasized the importance of maintaining regional peace and urged his fellow governors to remain committed to creating opportunities for their citizens.
He further tasked them with promoting small industries and building agricultural value chains as solutions to address the alarming rate of unemployment and poverty in the region
In his welcome address which acknowledged the forum’s efforts in charting a new course for the region, the host governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, noted that the forum has been successful in attracting the necessary attention to the NorthEast and has played a key role in the battle against insurgency.
He highlighted the achievements of the forum, stating that the Northeast states have been able to restore peace and stability to the region through their collective efforts.
According to Governor Fintiri, the encouraging results witnessed by the region are the manifest results of the Governors’ commitment to ensuring robust development, peace, and tranquility in all the North East states.
