The Northeast Governors’ Forum has resolved to work with the Shangai Electric Company to construct a 60 megawatts coal power plant or 50 megawatts solar power plant in each of the six states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe to address the inadequate power supply in the region.
This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the forum’s 9th meeting on Saturday in Yola.
The communique which was read by the Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni, stated that poor infrastructure and bad road network are stalling development and fueling insecurity in the region, and making life more difficult to the people.
The forum called on the North East Development Commission to work with the state governments and the federal ministry of Works to improve road networks, and to adopt more practical measures in rebuilding the roads.
“Although the security situation is improving positively,
State governments should collaborate in the design of the security architecture, and to work with the security agencies to have a common road map” the forum noted.
The forum also emphasized the reality of climate change and seek for collaboration with agenclies like the Great Green Wall to mitigate desertification and encroachment.
According to the communique, Bauchi state government is to host the Northeast trade fair in February 2024, and called on the state governments to actively participate to explore the economic potential, and rich cultural tourism heritage in the region.
It also called on member states to as a matter of strategic regional integration domesticate the 2022 education law recommended by the Northeast Development Commission.
The forum expressed the need for a robust regional economic development, work as an entity to strengthen human capacity with a call on the federal government to provide modern gauge railway line in the region.
The Forum resolved to hold the 10th Meeting in Bauchi between 23rd February – 26th March, 2024.
By El Shaddai