TINUBU WILL SOLVE NIGERIA'S CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION - GOMBE GOV, YAHAYA

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Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State says President Bola Tinubu is determined to do his best to pull Nigeria out of the current situation and catch up with the developed world.

Yahaya made the remark while addressing State House correspondents on Friday, after a meeting with the President.

He said he was at the State House to see the President on the recent developments in the country, especially the economy as regards food security.

“Our engagement was very robust. We talked about all the issues, and I am convinced that Mr President is ready and has been doing his best,” he said.

The governor said that Gombe was tackling insecurity to ensure an increase in agricultural production.

“We have been doing a lot with regards to insecurity; it is unfortunate that the whole country, particularly the northeast, has suffered for 15 years with Boko Haram, insurgency, and displacement of people,” the governor lamented.

He said, luckily, Gombe was not part of those front-line states.

“We have been doing a lot in order to ensure there is security for lives and property in Gombe, and the security agencies have been very supportive.

“We are relatively secure, and we will continue to pursue and ensure that there is full security for lives and property in Gombe State.

“We will collaborate with our brothers in the neighbouring states in the northeast subregion and the wider north.

“We will ensure that we are our brothers’ keepers until security is restored to normalcy, knowing fully well that insecurity is the cause of the current food crisis that we have in the country.”

The governor said his recent trip to Morocco was to deepen and widen the economic and diplomatic relationship between Morocco and Nigeria, particularly Gombe State.

According to him, Gombe State is an agrarian state with 75 to 80 per cent of its population engaged in either livestock or crop production, and Morocco has succeeded in developing both livestock and crop production.

“So, we decided to go there and see how we can partner with them and ensure that our own state and, indeed, the whole of Nigeria can improve in terms of productivity with regards to agriculture and animal husbandry.

“And of particular note is the fact that Morocco is closer to the desert and, therefore, has issues to do with desertification and lack of rainfall.

“But still you see, wherever you turn to in Morocco, you see lush and green environment that is yielding positively in productivity, yielding more than enough for them to consume and even export to the rest of the world,” he said.

He said Gombe had gotten partners that would work with the government to enhance productivity in livestock and crop production.

The governor also spoke on the issue of Kolmani Oil and Gas Field on the boundary of Bauchi and Gombe States.

He said it was unfortunate that close to two years after the foundation laid for 250 thousand capacity refinery, a 350 megawatt power plant, and a 2,000-tonne fertiliser plant, the project had stalled.

“I think there are some issues with the NNPC and the developers; those issues really have prevented the takeoff of the project, and it was part of the discussion I had with Mr President.

“We believe that once he steps in, maybe we will see activities back. As you know, petroleum and gas are under the exclusive list.

“There is not much we can do; NNPC is the only company that can handle anything gas or petroleum.

“As such, presidential intervention, which we came to seek, will really ensure activities resume on the site as soon as possible, “he said. (NAN)