Hardship: Zulum Urges North East Governors to Invest in Agriculture

• Governor Zulum called on North East governors to prioritize investment in food production and agricultural resources for economic stability
• He emphasized the need for self-sufficiency in food production and modernization of the agricultural sector to address rising food costs

Borno State Governor and Chairman of the North East Governors Forum, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on his counterparts in the five North East states to prioritize investment in food production and agricultural resources to combat economic hardship in the sub-region, emphasizing that temporary relief measures are insufficient.

During the 10th North East Governors Forum opening ceremony at the Government House, Bauchi, Governor Zulum underscored the pressing need to address the country’s escalating food cost by revitalizing the sub-region’s economy.

“As we are all aware, the soaring cost of food has exacerbated the situation, and we must intensify efforts to improve the economic conditions in our sub-region to address this challenge. Palliative measures are not sustainable solutions,” Governor Zulum remarked.

He stressed the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in food production and agricultural resources, emphasizing the imperative of modernizing and enhancing productivity in the agricultural sector through adopting appropriate technologies.

Governor Zulum urged the governors to promote domestic production in alignment with policies aimed at mitigating the escalating food costs in the sub-region.

“We must prioritize efforts to make our sub-region self-reliant in addressing such periodic challenges. It is essential to strike a balance between short-term relief measures and the long-term goals of our policies,” he added.

Highlighting the need for collective action to revitalize the economy, Governor Zulum emphasized that economic rejuvenation requires collaborative efforts from all stakeholders.

The meeting was attended by governors from Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Borno, and the host state, Bauchi.