The Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, on Tuesday met with former governors and their deputies, ex and serving ministers from the state to deliberate on modalities to move the state forward.
Bello said that the essence of the meeting was to solicit for the support of the former political leaders on how to improve the state economy.
Bella told the former leaders that his administration would remain focused and steadfast in delivering service to the people in line with his electioneering promises.
The meeting with the former political leaders, Governor Sani Bello said, centred on security, peace, progress and general development of the state and therefore solicited for their support in changing the situation for the better.
“We decided to invite you the past leaders to first, acknowledge your contributions to the growth and development of the state and seek your advice, wise counsel on varying matters of state interest.
“No government or administration has the monopoly of knowledge and solutions to developmental issues, hence the need to consult widely in addressing matters that concern the progress of our dear state,” Bella said.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Col. John Yahaya Madaki, former military governor of Kastina State, said that the meeting, which was at the instance of the governor, was to enable government intimate them with the programmes and policy of the administration.
The four-point agenda meeting, he said, deliberated on the “state of the Niger State, the internally generated revenue, infrastructural decay and security,” adding that a five-man advisory committee was constituted to offer innovative advice and dynamic perspectives as well as wise counsels on how to improve the economy, infrastructure and security of the state.
Madaki, who is the chairman of the committee, described the meeting as unprecedented in the history of the state and expressed appreciation to Governor Sani Bello for elevating governance by inviting them to the meeting.
Present at the meeting were, the Minister of State, Solid Minerials, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Buwari, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Muye, Minister of Agriculture, Sheik Abdullah, former ministers of Sports, Hassan Gimba, and Sani Ndanusa; former Minister of Internal Affairs, Alh. Abubakar Achituwo, Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, Hajiya Zaynab Kuchi, and former Minister of State, Agriculture Hajiya Asmau Asabe Ahmed.
Others were former military leaders which include General Garba Duba, General Idris Garba, Col. Aminu Isa Kontagora, Col. Fidelis Marka, Col. John Yahaya Madaki, the immediate past Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, his former deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, and the former deputy governor, Dr. Shem Nuhu Zagbayi.
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