You’ve Political Will to replicate Gov. Bago’ Green Economy Goals in Borno – Babangida Aliyu tells Zulum

By Christiana Ekpa

The former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu has said that Governor Zulum of Boron can use the political will he used to returning displaced Borno Indigenes to their ancestral homes following the insurgent attacks that ravage the State, to replicate Governor Bago’s Green Economy project in Borno.

This was just as Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has said that desertification is encroaching in a fast way adding that the “only way to get rid of desertification is to invest in renewable energy, which is very important.”

To this end, he called for investment in irrigation technology, sprinkling irrigation, among others with a view to reducing cost.

He made this known at the official flag off ceremony of the green economic summit in Niger state .

He also commended Governor Bago’s resolve to send a delegation to Borno State with a view to understudy various development initiatives embarked on by his administration.

While pledging support to partner with Niger State not only in the development of Borno and Niger States, he assured that the partnership will also be extended for the development of the entire Northern Nigeria.

In his address senator Abdullahi Sabi while acknowledging the vision of Governor Bago, he applauded his vision to transform the state economy, saying: “the new Niger you have envisioned is already a reality. It’s a reality because you stood on the shoulders of Giants. In life development is progressive, you’ve been a politician, you came in as a youngster, fought your way into the House of Representatives, made a mark for yourself, had a lot of experience while planning on how you intend to come and serve your people as Governor. Allah had answered that prayer.

He said: “Let me the experience you brought shows clearly that you have prepared for this job and Allah has helped you to get this far. I want to congratulate you for taking this very powerful initiative of sending a message that the green economy is a global reality.

“In some few years to come, things will change beyond our imagination. We thank you for putting Niger State the largest state in terms of land mass which means we have potentials to enthrone the largest economy possible, thank you very much for this vision.”

While delivering his goodwill message, a former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu who showered encomium on Governor Zulum for returning displaced Borno Indigenes to their ancestral homes following the insurgent attacks that ravaged the State, noted that excellent friendship with Governor Bago will ensure that he replicate Green Economy in Borno State.

“Desertification has been on almost annually. When you Niger State in helicopter you go to Agwaari town and some of the local governments bordering Zamfara, you will notice the movement of the desert and unless we arrest it we would end up, many of us have seen Sahara desert, and 2hat it means, so for me I am very very happy with this summit because it means we are serious in governance.

“We are serious in governance by bringing everybody to participate, we are serious in governance because we are concerned with the intellectual need of governance. We are very serious. Unfortunately I pity my Governor Umar Bago because Umar Bago you’re not going to work for 8 years, you’re going to work for 16 years in 8 years.

“But the beauty of it is that, because you have started, you will discover that many people will be behind you to succeed. But I must say something to you, in Niger State, do not be afraid of anything or anybody, if you rely on your God, but respect the Elders but do your job and God will protect you.

“low hanging fruits for this summit is that if the State Assembly is willing, fine, if it is not willing you can have an Executive Order that says every farmer with one hectare, two hectares up to 50 hectares must have a number of trees for the next four years of your first tenure.

“Another way is now to really make sure that farmers are empowered. Those who applied for certificate for farmland, we should quickly do it, not only the taxation itself that will be aware of who is involved and who’s not involved.

“We should go out of our way to set up a Committee that will involve agriculture and other people involved to go out there, through the National Planning, USAID, DfID, all these Development Partners to come tomour aid to assist the farmers in Niger State. Green economy is very important, we cannot go on burning our bush because of rats, we cannot go on cutting the woods because of firewood and many people have been involved.

“At least in my tenure, I was able to identify them and talk to them. Whether they stopped that I will not be too sure, but it is now your responsibility to ensure that our forests are protected and that our cities are well planted with trees. I am very happy anytime I drive in Abuja, when I was the permanent secretary and I brought the idea that we must plant trees everywhere many people don’t know the use of trees. Many people don’t know that anything that you see God has created it is also to help you succeed.

“If there are no trees, there would be no oxygen. Please let us go out and do that. Infact, we can plant not only in the farm, but also in our houses. By the development plan of a city, every house must have at least a tree. All of us, Nigerlite, please this is our own, if we make it good, we will look forward to coming back wherever we are. If we make it bad, we will run away. Some of us we have nowhere to run away to, but Niger State.”