From DAUDA R PAM-MAIDUGURI
Poverty and illiteracy has been identified as one of the major factors responsible for insurgency in the country.
Borno Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum stated this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nasarawa state government and Flour Mills Nigeria in Abuja, with the view to establish a sugar company in Toto local government of Nassarawa state.
Governor Zulum also used the occasion to advise his Nassarawa state counterpart, Abdullah Sule, to insist that majority of workers of the company must be indigenes of the state.
According to him, the establishment of the company would create jobs and stimulate the economy that would support the state and the nation.
Zulum was empatic as he identified poverty, illiteracy, high inequality and environmental degradation as some of the root causes of insurgency.
“I am, therefore advising governor Sule to establish strong institutional arrangements that would ensure the sustainability of the agreement.
“Many at times in Nigeria, programmes do not last long due to poor institutional arrangements for implementation.
“It is my sincere prayer that the Flour Mills Nigeria will take into consideration the plight of the indigenes of Nasarawa state, first in terms of local content development and recruitment,” Zulum stated.
He explained that considering the plight of the indigenes of the state was key to guaranteeing security and smooth operations of the company in Nasarawa.
And further advised, that under no circumstances should the governor allow the FMN to recruit people contrary to the terms of agreement, noting that, the company’s failure to partner with the indigenes could trigger the kind of security challenges occurring in other parts of the country, as he did not want such an ugly situation to be witnessed in Nasarawa state.
Borno state, he hinted, would also partner with the Flour Mills of Nigeria, soon on an investment opportunity for the overall development of his, borno, state.
