The Federal Ministry of Water Resources has been charged to give proactive attention to the Lake Chad Basins with a view to strengthening the river basins in the northeast region for maximum efficiency.
Issuing the charge was the Northern Governors Forum, which members gathered in Maiduguri, Borno State, Saturday, August 8, for the second random meeting. The forum asked the ministry to, particularly, be proactive in doing this by recharging the Lake Chad through national water bodies, thus strengthening the river basins in the region.
The Forum urged the Federal Government to ensure local content in the execution of the Mambila Hydro Electric Power project and other programmes of the North East Development Commission to ensure synergy with state governments. Additionally, it called on the Federal Government to revoke selected road contracts awarded by Federal Ministry of Works for years without progress and re-award same to more competent contractors and fund it to ensure timely execution. At the meeting also, the forum unanimously elected Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, as its pioneer chairman for a period of two years.
An 11-point communiqué issued at the end of the meeting attended by governors of Adamawa- Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Gombe- Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, Borno- Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, Bauchi- Sen. Bala Mohammed, Deputy Governors of Taraba- Engr. Haruna Manu and Yobe, Idi Barde Gubana, states inter alia: 1. The Forum commends the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria in fighting the insurgency. However, the Armed Forces should intensify effort to secure hard-to-reach areas in the region and ensure safe access to farm lands. 2. The Forum called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to ensure the deployment of state-of-the-art military hard ware to the region. 3. The Forum recommends that the manpower deficit in the Nigerian Armed Forces should be bridged by allowing the Police to carry state-of-the-art weapons where necessary and be provided with strategic equipment like high velocity tear gas, trackers and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC).
- The Forum calls on the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to ensure that attention is given to recharging the Lake Chad from National water bodies and strengthen the river basins in the sub region. 5. The Forum pledges to work together to foster regional integration, growth and development especially in exploitation of its oil and gas potentials, mineral resources, agriculture and industrialization. 6. The Forum called on the Federal Government to revoke selected road contracts awarded by Federal Ministry of Works for years without progress and re-award same to more competent contractors and fund to ensure timely execution. 7. The Forum urged the Federal Government to ensure local content in the execution of the Mambila Hydro Electric Power project and other programmes of the North East Development Commission to ensure synergy with state governments.
- The Forum supports the management and Board of the North East Development Commission and agreed to work together in producing comprehensive strategic Master Plan for the region that will ensure sustainable development. 9. The Forum affirmed its commitment to support the Federal Government agenda of transforming the Almajiri system with a view to strengthening both Islamic and western education as well as stopping street begging and prevalence of out-of-school children in the region as agreed by the Northern Governors. 10. The Forum also nominated Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, MNSE, mni, Executive Governor of Borno State as Chairman of the Forum for a period of two years and the Headquarters of the Forum will be located in Maiduguri, Borno State. 11. The next meeting of the Forum comes up on November 7th, 2020 in Yola, Adamawa State.