The North East Governors Forum has said the Federal Government is not considering region in the national infrastructure plan despite its consistent appeal to develop the region for economic viability.
The governors expressed concern over the seeming neglect of the Northeast in the allocation of Federal Government Capital Projects.
The governors made this known in a communique issued, yesterday, after the forum’s 10th meeting.
According to the communique signed by its Chairman and Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, “the forum noted with dismay that despite its cry for attention on the state of infrastructure in the region, which has been consistently echoed in all its communique over the years, especially the poor road and railway infrastructure along the economic corridors that links the Northeast sub region to the rest of the country, nothing serious seems to be happening.”
The governors said that the roads from Enugu to Maiduguri are in deplorable state and the railway from Enugu up to Maiduguri has been destroyed.
“This is a major route for regional trade and very important for integration, peace building and improving national unity. The region is also not included in the National Infrastructure Plan for the transition from PMS to compressed gas.
They, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to consider the reconstruction of the basic infrastructure along Enugu-Maiduguri economic corridor and inclusion of Northeast in all National Development Plans and initiatives.
The forum also deplored the blackout experienced by the region over the last one month.
The six governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe were in attendance.
