Nigeria’s Northeast To Float Airline | Tellwell Newspaper
Tellwell Newspaper, Abuja – Nigeria:
From Ahmad Saka, Gombe
Amidst compounding security crisis, the North-East subregion has announced plans to establish an airline.
The Chairman of the North-East Governor’s Forum (NEGF), Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, made the announcement on Friday, at the opening of the 7th meeting of the Forum in Gombe.
He did not give details.
Governor Zulum however called on the Federal Government to capture the construction of interstate roads within the violence-wracked region in the 2023 budget to accelerate its economic revitalization .
He called on Members of the National Assembly from the region to ensure the inclusion of the road projects in the 2023 budget.
Zulum said that construction of mass road networks within the northeast would boost commercial activities and facilitate the movement of farm produce.
The chairman commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Military for intensifying efforts in the fight against Boko Haram, which he said yielded positive results, owing to the number of insurgents surrendering themselves to the military daily.
Professor Zulum said the Forum desired to achieve sustainable peace and security in the region, explaining that it is collaborating with relevant stakeholders such as the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) to achieve sustainable peace and development.
He said the meeting would focus on issues related to security, finding lasting solutions to the menace of Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and global warming, as well as and ravaging effects of floods.
Zulum said the Forum was also looking at various ways of tackling endemic poverty through the creation of employment opportunities to the youth.
He noted that the Forum had successfully established a working relationship with the Federal Government through the North-East Development Commission, the World Bank and other partners to create job opportunities for the youth in the region to fight against poverty and youth restiveness.
The host, Governor Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said the 7th meeting would enable the governors to reexamine the successes recorded since the establishment of the Forum and their first meeting was in Gombe State.
He Commended the North-East Governors for sustaining the activities of the Forum which, he observed, was yielding positive results towards addressing the socio economic development problems of the subregion.
Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, and representative of Taraba State Governors were in attendance at the meeting.
