Temitope Mustapha, Abuja
Northeast governors have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritise the resumption of oil exploration in the frontier wells of Kolmani and Lake Chad, stressing that it is vital for boosting the region’s economy and improving security.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues during a visit to the President at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum said that “resuming exploration activities would complement military operations and accelerate development in the sub-region.”
Governor Zulum also praised President Tinubu for sustaining the fight against insurgency and for his interventions in mitigating the effects of flood, desertification, and other environmental challenges.
He noted that the region had “suffered so much environmental and developmental setbacks arising from long period of neglect and abandonment.”
The governors expressed their alignment with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, while urging for special attention to unmanned forests, deserts, gorges, and rivers that have become hideouts for insurgents.
They pledged support for President Tinubu’s initiative to train manpower and deploy technology to reclaim the forests for agricultural development.
On security, the governors called for more sustained military operations in flashpoints including Lake Chad, Dajin Madama, Mandara Hills, Sambisa Game Reserve, Mansur, Yelwa, Futuk, Kolmani areas, Karin Lamido Forest, and other locations.
They further appealed for increased funding to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for operations in the Tumbus of Lake Chad.
In addition, they listed key infrastructure projects requiring urgent federal intervention, among them, the Kano–Maiduguri road, Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Maiduguri railway line, Bama–Mubi–Yola road, Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Damaturu road, Maiduguri–Monguno–Baga road, and several others across the six states.
Governor Zulum added that the governors hold the President in high esteem and are committed to partnering with him in his determination to provide good governance for Nigeria, to leave lasting legacies and landmarks for the country.
PIAK