COMMUNIQUE
(At the end of a one-day North-East Governors Consultative Meeting, held at the Government House, Gombe on March 5th, 2020)
Preamble:
We, the Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States, met in Gombe on the 5th Day of March 2020, to brainstorm on the challenges facing the North East sub-region with a view to proffering solutions towards addressing them.
After exhaustive deliberations, we resolve as follows:
1. To direct our Attorney-Generals to look into the possibility of enhancing security via regional initiatives within the ambit of the law.
2. We demand that all projects that are to be implemented by the North East Development Commission should be delivered through a demand-driven approach that takes into considerations our unique needs and priorities.
3. The issue of local content development is key to our success and we are committed to supporting local content initiatives for the benefit of our people.
4. We will support initiatives that will ensure the success of the Mambilla hydropower project for immediate productivity.
5. We are going to look into the possibility of Regional Power Generation and examine ownership of DISCOs among other things.
6. The Forum discussed extensively with Lafarge- Ashaka Cement Factory on the need to address the existing road infrastructural deficit, taking advantage of the Executive Order 7 of the Federal Government.
7. We agreed to examine the agricultural potential of the region, conduct baseline studies with a view to enhancing robust value chain in agriculture to address food security in our region.
8. The Forum also decried the deplorable condition of the Lake Chad Basin and called on the FGN to come up with comprehensive water resources management, fast tracking the FGN water transfer from the Congo River, while we commit to collaborating on the de-silting of the basin as a start of the reactivation project.
9. Forum resolved to key into the environmental initiatives including the Great Green Wall and Afforestation.
10. On the oil discovery in the region, the Forum praised the FGN, the National Assembly and Nigerians at large on the renewed interest of hydrocarbon in the region and appreciate the understanding of Nigerians of our unique circumstances and wholly commit to deepening community engagement and urged the NEDC to invest in the oil production in the region as well provide scholarship to indigenes of the North East in the oil and gas sector.
11. We have agreed to set up a Technical Working Committee in order to build a regional platform for the successful implementation of all positions agreed today.
12. We agreed to meet again in April, and our meeting will be quarterly thereafter.
Signatories
HE Gov Ahmadu Fintiri
Adamawa State
HE Gov Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir
Bauchi State
HE Gov Babagana Umara Zulum
Borno State
HE Gov Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya
Gombe State
HE Governor Darius Ishaku
Taraba State
HE Governor Mai Mala Buni
Yobe State
