The chairman of the North East Governors’ Forum and governor of Borno state, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, on Friday in Bauchi re-assured that the Forum would continue to work out the modalities of addressing the numerous challenges facing the region.
Governor Zulum said this while speaking at the 10th meeting of the Forum which was hosted by the Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, at the Government House, Bauchi.
He said the Forum was working towards harmonising the development plans of the states of the region “so as to achieve the desired objectives thereby restoring the lost glory of the sub-region, especially the challenges of poverty, insecurity.”
He also said the region’s governors were determined to provide the necessary support and facilities for agricultural production to minimise the level of hunger and ensure food security.
In a welcome address, Governor Mohammed noted that the Forum had continued to “grow from strength to strength since its inception 10 years ago, as a non-partisan platform for addressing issues of common interest and group survival within the context of the Nigerian nation.”
He said, “I must say that the frequency of our meetings clearly demonstrates the seriousness with which our members approach issues of zonal unity, the challenges facing our zone and the resolve to justify the confidence reposed in us by the electorate in our various states. I can see it; I can feel it and it gives me great joy. I am proud to belong to this group.
“I wish to remind this august gathering of my proposal, during the Forum’s meeting of March 2022, on the need to consummate and implement our Regional Master Plan for economic rejuvenation, with ambitious goals that are matched by realistic timelines, in order to ensure its faithful implementation. In this, I wish to state that we do not have the luxury of time.”
