Communique of Northeast governors after closed-door meeting

Governors of the six states in Nigeria’s north east met behind closed doors for their forum’s sixth meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting which was held at the banquet hall of the Government House, Damaturu, Yobe State, was led by Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum who is Chairman of the Northeast Governors Forum and hosted by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe was in attendance, while Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, and Taraba were represented by their deputies.

At the end of the meeting, the forum issued a five-point communique.

1. The Forum, noted the significant improvement in the security situation in the sub-region as evidenced by the mass surrender of Boko Haram fighters and commended the Federal Government for its various initiatives towards stabilizing the sub-region.

However, the Forum urged for the establishment of a sustainable program for the handling of repentant terrorists.

The Forum noted that kidnapping and farmer-herder clashes amongst others are worrisome in the sub-region and resolved to undertake the necessary measures to curtail the menace.

2. The Forum deliberated on a presentation by the Hon. Minister of Power on planned and on-going Power Projects in the North East which highlighted the challenges of steady power supply to the sub-region and noted with dismay the near one year lack of electricity in Maiduguri and its environs. It urged the Federal Government to urgently find a lasting solution.

The Forum further raised concerns over the non-commissioning of the Dadin Kowa and Kashimbila hydro-power plants which it said are stalling the development of the sub-region and appealed to the Federal Government to increase its investments in the sub-region to guarantee peace and economic prosperity.

3. The Forum deliberated extensively on the Mambilla Hydroelectric project. It called on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to make adequate budgetary provisions in the 2022 appropriation bill for the implementation of the project.

4. The Forum, while recognizing that the 2022 budget is in its final stages, calls on the National Assembly to look critically at the subregion with a view to ensuring that adequate budgetary provisions are made for all major capital projects in the Sub-region.

5. The Forum resolved to have its next meeting from 9th to 11th March 2022 at Gombe, Gombe State.