Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno on Saturday urged the Federal Government to resume work on the oil exploration projects in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of the state.
Zulum made the call while addressing the 13th regular meeting of the North-east Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri.
The Governor, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for making efforts to revive oil exploration at the Kolmani oil field in Bauchi State.
The newsmen report that the two-day meeting, which commenced on Oct. 2 and ends on Oct. 3, brought together leaders from the six North-eastern states to discuss regional security, economic development and infrastructure cooperation.
The governor, who chairs the forum, described the renewed efforts to revive exploration at Kolmani in Bauchi State as a significant step towards unlocking the economic potential of the North-east.
He said the development could create employment, stimulate infrastructure growth, expand government revenue and open up new economic opportunities for communities across the region.
“We particularly welcome the renewed efforts towards reviving exploration activities at the Kolmani Oil Field in Bauchi State.
“The revival of this important project represents more than an investment in the oil and gas sector; it offers an opportunity to unlock new economic possibilities, create employment, stimulate infrastructure development and broaden the revenue base of our states and communities,” Zulum said.
He urged the federal government to extend the renewed momentum to Borno State, where earlier oil exploration activities in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas had stalled.
“In the same spirit, we respectfully urge the Federal Government to revisit the exploration activities earlier commenced but subsequently stalled in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State,” he said.
Zulum said responsible exploration and development of the state’s natural resources would complement ongoing reconstruction efforts, strengthen local economies and restore livelihoods in communities affected by years of insurgency.
According to him, reviving oil exploration in Borno and other parts of the North-east can also support economic diversification, generate jobs and create sustainable opportunities for the region’s growing population.
He added that renewed investment in the oil and gas sector, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, should form part of a broader regional strategy to accelerate economic recovery and development.
Also speaking, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, highlighted some achievements of the forum since its establishment, including the creation of the North-East Education Council and initiatives to address the challenges of Almajiri education and out-of-school children.
Yahaya said the states were pursuing different approaches to expanding access to education, citing Borno’s Tsangaya Commission, Taraba’s Almajiri Model Education Centres and Gombe’s Integrated Almajiri Education Centres.
He also noted that the region’s Commissioners for health established a regional health platform in 2024 to improve cooperation, strengthen responsiveness and facilitate the sharing of best practices among the states.
Governors Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa and his counterpart of Gombe attended the meeting, while Bauchi and Yobe states were represented by their deputy governors.
Other dignitaries included Borno Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur; APC governorship candidate Mustapha Gubio and his deputy, Ali Isa Abdullahi; APC Deputy National Chairman Ali Bukar Dalori; and the party’s state chairman, Bello Ayuba.
Traditional rulers from across the region also attended, led by the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Garbai Elkanemi.
The meeting is expected to issue a communiqué outlining the forum’s resolutions on security, economic integration, infrastructure development and other priorities for the North-East.