Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has disclosed that Niger State does not need to rely on the monthly allocation from the federation account to survive.
Bago stated this while declaring open a stakeholder town hall meeting on the state’s state affairs in Minna.
Bago explained that with bodies of water and four hydroelectric dams located in the state, Niger ought not to be complaining of hunger but rather will serve as a food basket for Nigeria.
According to him: “Niger State Government doesn’t need the monthly FAAC allocation from the Federal Government because we are not poor and are producing, which is our secret.
“Many people have invested in Niger State for the next five years and we even had to defer a bilateral agreement with the United Arab Emirate’s Dubai until next year since Nigeria cannot feed itself now.”
The governor also revealed that the sum of N500,000 as minimum wage will be paid to each youth employed to work in the one hundred thousand greenhouses located at the Airport City project in the state.
He disclosed: “Under the greenhouse project, the Niger State Government will employ one million youths, comprising males and females, which will assist in addressing the problem of unemployment as well as provide jobs to the teeming unemployed.”
Bago further approved the release of the N20,000 wage award for disbursement to all categories of civil servants while approving another N2 billion as scholarship allowances to students of tertiary institutions across the state.
Speaking on behalf of security chiefs, Niger State Commissioner of Police Shawulu Danmamman stated that security agencies in Niger State have been working round the clock to ensure peace for sustainable development and will not relent in that direction.