Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has identified poverty and illiteracy as some of the factors responsible for insurgency in the country.
Zulum stated this on Friday, in Abuja, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nasarawa State Government and Flour Mills Nigeria (FMN).
The MoU by the two parties was for the establishment of a sugar company in Toto Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
In his goodwill message to Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Zulum said the governor should insist that majority of workers at the company must be indigenes of the state.
He said that the establishment of the company would create jobs and stimulate the economy that would support the state and the nation.
The Borno governor identified endemic poverty, illiteracy, high inequality and environmental degradation as some of the root causes of insurgency.
“I am, therefore, advising Gov. Sule to establish strong institutional arrangements that would ensure the sustainability of the agreement.
“Many at times in Nigeria, programmes do not last long due to poor institutional arrangements for implementation.
“It is my sincere prayer that the Flour Mills Nigeria will take into consideration the plight of the indigenes of Nasarawa State, first in terms of local content development and recruitment,” Zulum stated.
He explained that considering the plight of the indigenes of the State was key to guaranteeing security and smooth operations of the company in Nasarawa.
Zulum added that under no circumstances should the governor allow the FMN to recruit people contrary to the terms of agreement, noting that the company’s failure to partner with the indigenes could trigger the kind of security challenges occurring in other parts of the country to be witnessed in Nasarawa.
He disclosed that his State would also partner with the FMN soon on an investment opportunity for the overall development of the State.
