Senator Ndume Urges Southern Borno Youth to Embrace Agriculture Amid Economic Crisis
Senator Ali Ndume, representing the Southern Borno senatorial district, has urged the youth and people of the region to focus on agriculture and business activities as a means to address the escalating food crisis and the rising cost of living.
During his year-end visit to Gwoza and Askira-Uba local government areas, Ndume emphasized the need for a shift toward farming, especially considering the current global economic crunch. He pointed out that the minimum wage of N70,000 is insufficient to meet basic needs, citing the soaring costs of essentials such as a bag of rice, now priced over N100,000, and a bag of beans, which has surged to N200,000.
Highlighting the gravity of the economic situation, Ndume noted that fuel prices have skyrocketed from N200 per litre to N1200, and the exchange rate has jumped from N600 to N1600 to the US dollar. He stressed that embracing agriculture and trade would be vital to overcoming the ongoing financial challenges.
Speaking to the youths at the Emir of Gwoza’s palace, Ndume also addressed local security concerns. He urged them to take proactive responsibility for security in their communities by exposing Boko Haram collaborators. Ndume reminded them that terrorists cannot operate without informants and called on them to act decisively and hand over any suspects to security agencies.
Despite the ongoing threat of terrorism in the region, Ndume commended the resilience of the people of Gwoza and assured them that efforts were underway to restore peace. He also praised Governor Babagana Zulum for his work in resettling displaced communities in Gwoza, with plans to resettle more in the future.
