Mohammed Umaru Bago, Niger State Governor has disclosed that the only way to address insecurity and ensure sustainable development in the northern part of Nigeria is a return to agriculture.
Governor Bago who has the official title of Farmer Governor stated this at the 10th edition of the Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture held in Borno State. The lecture which was organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in collaboration with the Borno State Government has as its the theme for this year, Creating Pathways for Peace: Tackling Banditry and Insurgency through Good Governance for Sustainable Development.
In a statement issued by Bologi Ibrahim, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, and given to newsmen in Abuja, the governor was reported to have acknowledged the doggedness of Late Sir Ahmadu Bello who was instrumental in making the Northern Region focus on agriculture, and described it as phenomenal.
The Governor said, prior to the discovery of oil in Nigeria, the Northern region was globally recognised as a giant in agriculture, insisting that there is the need to change the narrative by reverting to the old days, so as to reduce the dependence on the Federal Government monthly allocation.
The governor was not just speaking to impress his audience. He is known to have taken a great stride in the development of agriculture since assuming office last year May, which has marked him out as a governor with deep interest in agriculture. So, at the event, he unveiled Niger State governments plan to use all ungoverned spaces which are being used for banditry activities for agricultural purpose, with huge resources already in place for clearing of land, preparatory for agricultural production.
He suggested the need to deploy technology and mechanisation to be in tune with modernisation and reiterated that the government must create an enabling environment for agriculture to thrive.
