Afrigather 
“The insecurity of a nation can’t be correctly tackled with out tackling the financial issues that made numerous individuals poor and helpless”
– Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II
Borno state has been affected by the Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade. Many lives, properties, and hundreds of jobs have been misplaced, leaving many individuals poor and hopeless. Millionaires have turn into a paupers and companies in numerous native authorities areas have been crippled because of the murderous actions of the insurgents.
Regardless that the Armed Forces have in recent times progressively diminished and decimated the sect, the footprints of their incalculable injury are written everywhere in the state, the ache, torture and agony inflicted on defenceless indigenes are nonetheless apparent.
Additionally they destroyed companies and goals and rendered thriving ventures bankrupt.
To remove the ache and provides succour to the individuals who have been largely victims of the insurgents, the quick previous governor of the state, Kashim Shettima, now the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), established eight factories throughout the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council to generate extra revenues for the state, create job alternatives for the individuals and scale back the speed of crime.
Sadly, Nigerian governors are recognized for abandoning initiatives executed by their predecessors, particularly if they don’t seem to be from the identical political social gathering. They’ve the mentality of “let me do my initiatives in order that I’ll have the credit score,” forgetting that every one that issues is leaving a superb legacy behind. However it’s unlikely for Zulum to desert these factories and resort to non permanent youth empowerment programmes that will have little or no lasting affect on the individuals or the state contemplating his strong relationship together with his predecessor.
Regardless that Zulum’s different empowerment programmes are commendable, investing within the already constructed foundations and factories is much better than approving hundreds of thousands of naira to be shared by youths on occasion within the identify of eradicating poverty within the state whereas the factories that may clear up the issues in the long term are left to assemble mud.
The eight companies embrace a water plant, photo voltaic panel manufacturing, plastic plant, onion dehydration plant, tomato processing plant, pilot juice plant, garri processing plant, corn chips plant, and an experimental laboratory farmhouse, all situated inside the state. Energy and safety have been adequately supplied by the Shettima administration.
However as I sort this, solely the plastic plant is working and it has helped vastly in conserving some younger individuals busy and made them helpful to themselves and the society. The first intention of creating these daring schemes has been defeated by way of output, employment, and income.
The photo voltaic panel plant is the most important within the nation with the capability to provide 40megawatts of vitality yearly on a single shift whereas the triple shifts can produce a minimal of 140megawatts which makes it the most important within the nation. Not lower than 150 individuals shall be employed to work for the plant. Sadly, it isn’t working.
In the meantime, the tomato processing plant can carry out a multiplicity of features. It processes mango, carrot, and watermelon. It could actually work all 12 months spherical as a result of it adapts to the all-year various durations for various crops. This can also create jobs for over 200 youths and goal a minimum of 150 tonnes yearly output. Why can’t the governor put this crucial facility to work?
The onion dehydration plant was the primary of its sort in Nigeria. It doesn’t solely dehydrate onion however crops like ginger whereas the water line plant can produce bottled water and ketchup. Why are they not working? This one can also present jobs to a minimal of 200 individuals nevertheless it has not labored since its institution.
Shettima didn’t depart farmers behind. He established a cassava processing plant the place cassava shall be processed, packaged and offered to the general public and even exported to different states and maybe neighbouring international locations. The deliberate effort was to encourage farmers to farm abundantly and have their produce purchased at an appreciative value by the state authorities. What occurred to this key legacy undertaking?
Maiduguri youths are battling joblessness. Due to this fact, these factories shouldn’t be deserted by the Zulum administration if he really cares concerning the charge of unemployment which has escalated the speed of crime and youth restiveness within the state. Giving out 100 thousand nairas to at least one thousand individuals totaling N100 million will not be sustainable as this singular gesture is not going to confer abilities on them nor will it raise them out of poverty.
Governor Zulum and Senator Shettima are the most effective examples of predecessor/successor relationship and so they proceed to narrate on the idea of mutual love and respect. There isn’t a purpose they will’t work collectively to reactivate these companies and crops for the good thing about teeming Borno youths.
On the time of typing this piece, I don’t know of the content material of Senator Shettima’s handing over notes which he gave to Governor Zulum and subsequently I can’t say categorically whether or not the previous talked about the legacy initiatives within the notes.
Whether or not it’s contained within the handing over notes or not, it isn’t misplaced for individuals of Borno state to anticipate the duo to place heads collectively and activate these initiatives in order that my individuals can profit from them.
I say this as a result of the unemployment state of affairs in Borno state will not be sustainable. For a state that’s recovering from years of Boko Haram carnage, it isn’t acceptable.
Might Allah give our leaders the knowledge to do the proper issues always.
Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Abuja and may be reached by way of electronic mail: [email protected]
