Borno: Zulum to resuscitate moribund tomato factory

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Government is set to revive the state-owned tomato factory.

The plan of the government was announced by the State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum when he paid an unscheduled visit to the factory located along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

During the visit, Zulum directed that while the state would resuscitate the existing facilities at the factory, additional modern facilities would be procured to enhance its operational capacity.

Zulum noted that in preparation for reviving the factory, the state has established 5 hectares of drip-irrigated tomato farms, which will be expanded to about 100 hectares when it starts full-capacity operation.

He said: “My main intention is to see how we shall resuscitate the moribund factories at the Borno industrial park, particularly the paste factory. I understand that the challenge is the lack of raw materials that would provide a feed stock for the tomato factory.”

He added that: “We have decided to establish a robust drip irrigation system using net house to produce tomatoes. I am happy to note that we are working under a public-private partnership to establish at least a minimum of 100 hectares of tomato plantation.

“You can see we started with 5 hectares, and because of the variety of tomatoes we produce here, each hectare will produce about 60 tons. When we expand it to 100 hectares, we will get nothing less than 6,000 tonnes.”

Earlier last week, the governor was at NEITEL Shoe and Tenary Factory to assess the progress made in its operations.

The company had been resuscitated through a public-private partnership aimed at creating jobs and generating wealth for the state.

Speaking during the visit to NEITEL, said: “The government has entered a public-private partnership to run this important factory. You have seen it all: the factory now operates at about 70% capacity. Let me commend our partner for partnering with Borno State Government.”

He added that: “You can see the company is ready to export about four containers of hide and skin. The products were taken to Italy, and it has been certified that our products are of good quality.

The Governor also stated that: “The factory now produces about 100,000 hides and skin monthly. This is part of government’s effort to create jobs, generate income and expand the sources of wealth creation in the state.”

Borno: Zulum to resuscitate moribund tomato factory

Zulum urges citizens to shun protest, says govt working to ease hardships

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has urged citizens of the state to shun ideas of protest resulting from the hardships faced in the country.

The governor said that the hike in the prices of food and other commodities was temporary and assured that the government at all levels was working to ease the hardships.

Zulum spoke on Wednesday during a multi-stakeholder meeting he convened at the multi-purpose hall of the Government House in Maiduguri, the state capital.

“While the right to protest is fundamental in a democracy, we must acknowledge the high likelihood of such actions being manipulated by anarchists and enemies of peace. These elements thrive on chaos and discord, seeking to derail our collective efforts and exploit our vulnerabilities.

“Such manipulation could lead to violence, property destruction, and a setback in the progress we have painstakingly achieved. It is within this context that I urge you all to reflect deeply on the path we choose to take,” he said.

The governor added, “While this hardship exists today, we are also aware that the negative impacts are temporary. It is our hope that we will ride the wave of this hardship to arrive at the shores of prosperity. We will do whatever it takes, and we are doing whatever it takes and more, to protect the dignity, pride and independence of our people. The leadership is not asleep. The leadership has not given up the fight for a better Borno State, despite our underlying problems. The leadership at the federal level has not given up on Nigeria.

“Our current socio-economic circumstances do not result from a lack of empathy for others’ plights or inaction to address pressing issues. The government (at the state and federal levels) is taking necessary measures to tackle challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment, and healthcare.”

Zulum, however, noted that it requires time, patience and the collective effort of all stakeholders for the measures being taken to bear fruits.
“It is vital that we do not aggravate the situation or jeopardise the returning peace in our state. Any attempt to join the protest could have adverse consequences for the lives and property of our people.

“Therefore, I am appealing to all stakeholders to ponder the consequences the intended protest might cause our beloved State and consider how we collectively can address the challenges facing us,” the governor stated.

According to him, the good people of Borno State cannot allow a return to the dark days of tears, fears and losses of lives and livelihoods.

“To bring back Borno State, as your elected leader, I have done and continue to do the very best for the people of Borno State. There is not enough time to list what we have done,” he said.

He further stated, “To the youth of Borno State, you are the backbone of our society, the shapers of both today and tomorrow. Your energy, creativity, and passion are invaluable assets to our community. However, let your conscience guide you in these trying times.”

The governor urged the youth of the state to always choose dialogue as the means to negotiate their demands.

“Peaceful and constructive engagement is the cornerstone of sustainable development. Remember, the future we desire is built on the foundations we lay today. Let those foundations be solidly rooted in peace, dialogue, and mutual respect.

“For our nation at large, I kindly ask for your understanding and appeal against any mass protests that can derail our attention from finding solutions to our social challenges,” he said

Zulum said the Federal Government had taken a number of bold steps to address the challenges of food inflation and availability of medicines for the nation.

“All taxes, tariffs, levies and charges on food importation have been suspended. The government has suspended the taxes on drugs and medicines as well to bring down the prices.”

“I urge you all to reflect on our collective journey, the sacrifices made, and the progress achieved.

“Let us not allow a moment of frustration to undo years of hard work. Instead, let us recommit to the principles of peace, dialogue, and mutual respect. Together, we can and will build a future that we and future generations can be proud of,” the governor said.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur; the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan; the Secretary to the state government, Bukar Tijani; the theatre commander, Operation Hadin Kai; Major General Waidi Shuaibu; the Borno Commissioner of Police, Yusuf Mohammed Lawal; the State Director of DSS; and other security heads.

The traditional institution, headed by the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi, religious leaders, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union, and other organisations, also attended the meeting.

Zulum urges citizens to shun protest, says govt working to ease hardships

No Borno Governor’s son arrested, committed crime anywhere

By: Ahmed Bundi

The Borno State Governor’s media unit‘s attention has been drawn to rumours circulating that the son of the Borno State Governor has been arrested for the alleged murder of some Indian citizen.

This misinformation was published in an online blog, Nairaland, titled “Son of Borno State Governor Murders Someone In India—Politics.” The blog claimed that the Governor also travelled to India, attempting to use diplomatic status to resolve the matter.

It is on record that Governor Babagana Zulum was on a one-month vacation in Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Hajj and later travelled to Egypt to attend the annual ASUWAN forum conference in Cairo.

The Media Unit would like to clarify and set the record straight that Nairaland and other online blogs have mischievously spread defamatory content without any speck of truth.

We hereby warn Nairaland and all those who have spread the false information to pull down this misinformation from its website and platforms within the next 24 hours and offer an unreserved apology to Governor Zulum, his son, and the entire family, or risk legal action. The Governor shall also not hesitate to take legal action against any media outlet that continues to publicise this defamatory information on its platform.

We would like to inform the public that none of Governor’s Zulum’s son was either arrested or charged with any crime, or involved in any unlawful activities anywhere.

We urge the public to exercise caution when consuming and sharing information, particularly when it comes from unverified sources and blogs instead of credible media outlets.

We enjoin all media organisations to engage in responsible journalism of truth and factual verification while recognising the potential harm and psychological trauma the spread of false information might have caused to the Governor’s family.

No Borno Governor’s son arrested, committed crime anywhere