Still on Shettima’s Decaying Legacy Projects in Borno, by Lawan Bukar Maigana

January 13, 2023 Mary

“The insecurity of a nation cannot be properly tackled without tackling the economic problems that made countless people poor and helpless”

– Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II

Borno state has been suffering from the Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade. Many lives, properties, and thousands of jobs have been lost, leaving many people poor and hopeless. Millionaires have become a paupers and businesses in various local government areas have been crippled as a result of the murderous activities of the insurgents.

Even though the Armed Forces have in recent years progressively diminished and decimated the sect, the footprints of their incalculable damage are written all over the state, the pain, torture and agony inflicted on defenceless indigenes are still obvious.

They also destroyed businesses and dreams and rendered thriving ventures bankrupt.

To take away the pain and give succour to the people who were largely victims of the insurgents, the immediate past governor of the state, Kashim Shettima, now the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), established eight factories across the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council to generate more revenues for the state, create job opportunities for the people and reduce the rate of crime.

Unfortunately, Nigerian governors are known for abandoning projects executed by their predecessors, especially if they are not from the same political party. They have the mentality of “let me do my projects so that I will have the credit,” forgetting that all that matters is leaving a good legacy behind. But it is unlikely for Zulum to abandon those factories and resort to temporary youth empowerment programmes that may have little or no lasting impact on the people or the state considering his robust relationship with his predecessor.

Even though Zulum’s other empowerment programmes are commendable, investing in the already built foundations and factories is far better than approving millions of naira to be shared by youths from time to time in the name of eradicating poverty in the state while the factories that can solve the problems in the long run are left to gather dust.

The eight firms include a water plant, solar panel production, plastic plant, onion dehydration plant, tomato processing plant, pilot juice plant, garri processing plant, corn chips plant, and an experimental laboratory farmhouse, all located within the state. Power and security were adequately provided by the Shettima administration.

But as I type this, only the plastic plant is working and it has helped greatly in keeping some young people busy and made them useful to themselves and the society. The primary aim of establishing these bold schemes has been defeated in terms of output, employment, and revenue.

The solar panel plant is the biggest in the country with the capacity to produce 40megawatts of energy annually on a single shift while the triple shifts can produce a minimum of 140megawatts which makes it the largest in the country. Not less than 150 persons will be employed to work for the plant. Unfortunately, it is not working.

Meanwhile, the tomato processing plant can perform a multiplicity of functions. It processes mango, carrot, and watermelon. It can work all year round because it adapts to the all-year varying periods for different plants. This too can create jobs for over 200 youths and target no less than 150 tonnes yearly output. Why can’t the governor put this critical facility to work?

The onion dehydration plant was the first of its kind in Nigeria. It doesn’t only dehydrate onion but crops like ginger while the water line plant can produce bottled water and ketchup. Why are they not working? This one too can provide jobs to a minimum of 200 people but it has not worked since its establishment.

Shettima didn’t leave farmers behind. He established a cassava processing plant where cassava will be processed, packaged and sold to the public and even exported to other states and perhaps neighbouring countries. The deliberate effort was to encourage farmers to farm abundantly and have their produce bought at an appreciative price by the state government. What happened to this key legacy project?

Maiduguri youths are battling joblessness. Therefore, these factories should not be abandoned by the Zulum administration if he truly cares about the rate of unemployment which has escalated the rate of crime and youth restiveness in the state. Giving out one hundred thousand nairas to one thousand people totaling N100 million is not sustainable as this singular gesture will not confer skills on them nor will it lift them out of poverty.

Governor Zulum and Senator Shettima are the best examples of predecessor/successor relationship and they continue to relate on the basis of mutual love and respect. There is no reason they can’t work together to reactivate these firms and plants for the benefit of teeming Borno youths.

At the time of typing this piece, I have no idea of the content of Senator Shettima’s handing over notes which he gave to Governor Zulum and therefore I cannot say categorically whether the former mentioned the legacy projects in the notes.

Whether it is contained in the handing over notes or not, it is not out of place for people of Borno state to expect the duo to put heads together and activate these projects so that my people can benefit from them.

I say this because the unemployment situation in Borno state is not sustainable. For a state that is recovering from years of Boko Haram carnage, it is not acceptable.

May Allah give our leaders the wisdom to do the right things at all times.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Abuja and can be reached via email: [email protected]