James Emejo in Abuja
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has assured the people of the North-east that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to developing the region irrespective of the security challenges confronting some parts of the area.
Speaking while receiving a delegation from the District Head of Degubu, Nagare Local Government Area of Yobe State, which paid him a visit to show appreciation for the provision of two solar systems and 15 solar street lights by the federal government, the minister urged them to ensure optimal management of the projects as well as the needed protection from vandals.
He said: “The President is committed to developing the Northeast. These projects are done at the directive of the President. Irrespective of the difficulties of the terrain or security challenges, development must extend to all parts.”
According to him, : “The important thing you can do for yourselves and to encourage the government is to be able to take care of the projects because they are done for the benefit of the community. I am saying this because people destroy project meant for their development.
“So if these projects are sited for your development it is important that you can also see how you can manage them by setting up a committee to manage them.
“I think Yobe is the least in the Northeast states in terms of the number of projects that we are doing.”
However, leader of the delegation, Mallam Bah Abubakar, earlier pleaded with the federal government to create more access roads to enable them ferry their farm produce because dwellers are mostly farmers.
He said: “Like Oliver Twist, we cannot but ask for more solar street lights as well as a feeder road because its inhabitants find it difficult to reach the community most especially during the rainy season.”
