Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has insisted that the state deserves a 13 percent derivation from the Federal Government, citing the heavy environmental and economic burden caused by recurrent flooding from the Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Zungeru hydropower dams.
Bago made this call while receiving the management of the
North Central Development Commission, NCDC, led by its Governing Board
Chairman, Cosmas Akighir, at the Government House in Minna, where he also urged
the commission to prioritise insecurity, communal clashes and climate-related
challenges across the North-Central region.
The governor said the annual release of water from the four
hydropower dams has continued to wreak havoc on communities, destroy farmlands
and displace residents, stressing that the devastation justifies Niger State’s
demand for a 13 percent derivation from the Federal Government.
He urged the commission to pay greater attention to climate
change and environmental challenges confronting the state, noting that
recurring floods have continued to threaten lives, livelihoods and agricultural
production.
Bago also called on the NCDC to develop lasting solutions to
insecurity and communal conflicts, particularly the recurring farmer-herder
clashes across the North Central region.
He advocated a meeting of governors in the zone with the
commission to chart a common course for addressing the region’s peculiar
developmental and security challenges.
According to him, such an engagement would enable the
commission to better align its interventions with the pressing needs of member
states.
The governor further urged the commission to invest heavily
in agriculture and education, describing both sectors as critical to
sustainable development and economic growth.
He assured the commission of the Niger State Government’s
readiness to support its operations by providing a liaison office and other
logistical assistance to ensure effective service delivery.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the North Central
Development Commission, Cyril Tsenyil, said the commission was committed to
building strong partnerships with member states in line with its mandate to
drive sustainable development across the region.
Tsenyil said the commission’s intervention areas include
transportation, road infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture,
industrialisation, water supply, electricity and telecommunications.
He also assured the Niger State Government of the
commission’s readiness to collaborate in tackling insecurity and other
development challenges.
Also, the Chairman of the NCDC Governing Board, Barr. Cosmas
Akighir, said the visit formed part of the commission’s tour of member states
to introduce its leadership and identify areas of partnership.
Akighir commended Governor Bago for his administration’s
initiatives in agriculture, infrastructure and governance, describing them as
significant contributions to the development of Niger State.
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