Senator representing southern Borno senatorial district at the National Assembly, Ali Ndume has urged youths and people of the senatorial district to embrace agricultural and business activities to beat looming food crisis and rising cost of living.
Ndume said that amid the global economic crunch, the only escape from hunger is for the people to engage in massive farming than relying on government and salaries, noting that the present minimum wage of N70,000 can't afford a bag of rice sold for over N100,000, as well as a bag of beans that goes for N200,000.
To buttress the situation, he reminded the people that prior to the coming of the present administration, a litre of fuel was sold for N200, but has risen to N1200, while US dollars exchange rate to Naira, which stood at N600 then is now exchanged for N1600, hence he called on the people to switch to agriculture and trading to defeat the raging economic hardship.
The senator stated this at the weekend in Gwoza and Askira - Uba local government areas, while embarking on his end of the year visit to the nine local government areas ,and the five emirate councils of the southern Borno senatorial district.
Ndume, who began his constituency visit with Gwoza, charged the youths who were assembled at the Emir of Gwoza's palace to take responsibility for security in the area and expose Boko Haram collaborators in their midst.
He noted that the terrorists could not have found their way to carry out attacks in some of the communities in Gwoza and other areas of southern Borno without informants, who are giving information to the terrorists, and urged the youths to deal with such collaborators before handing them over to the security agencies.
The senator commended the youths and residents of Gwoza for their resilience despite the activities of the terrorists in some areas of the local government area, and assured them that government is doing everything possible to ensure absolute return of peace in the areas for effective development.
He commended the state governor, Babagana Zulum, for resettling eleven communities previously displaced by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gwoza local government. He added that the governor is working hard to resettle the Ashigarsya, Hambagda, Wala, and Yamtake communities of the council.
At the emir of Uba palace, Senator Ndume urged youths in southern Borno to as well embrace education, saying that the certificate obtained could be useful, even while the youths engage in other activities, such as agriculture or vocational skills to augment their livelihoods.
Responding, the emir of Uba, Alhaji Ismaila Manza, thanked God for bringing Senator Ndume safely to his domain and commended him for all the good work he has been doing for the people.
He appealed to the people of his domain to embrace agriculture and business as advised by the senator for prosperity and self sustainability, and appealed to government to train youths in the area on vocational skills and business.
Similarly, at the emir of Askira's palace, Senator Ndume told the monarch, Alhaji Mohammed Askirama, that he was in his domain to keep the people and the youths abreast of the present economic hardship bedevilling the country, reiterating that the only way out of it is for the people to return to agriculture.
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He said the economic hardship bedevilling the people was his major reason for rejecting the proposed tax reform bill of President Bola Tinubu. Hence, he called on the emirs in the senatorial district to join hands in rejecting the tax reform bill.
In his remarks, the emir of Askira, Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha Askirama, said the tax reform policy is worse than the Boko Haram insurgency. Hence, he commended Ndume for always speaking truth to power and defending the cause of ordinary Nigerians.
The monarch appealed to the federal government to establish a higher institution such as a polytechnic in Askira to bridge the education gap in Askira- Uba, and nearby local government areas, and further appealed to the federal government to deploy more troops in the area to halt the attacks periodically carried out in the local government area and surroundings by Boko Haram terrorists.
