Insecurity: Rep seeks increased funding for N/east

The Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno), yesterday asked the executive to increase budgetary allocations to the northeast to address security and infrastructure challenges in the region.

He also called for an increase in the allocation to the agricultural sector which he said had proven to be the economic lifeline for the country.

Monguno made the call while contributing to the debate on the 2021 budget proposal.

He said the increase in budgetary allocation to the northeast became necessary in view of the damage done to infrastructure like roads in the region by the Boko Haram insurgents for over a decade.

He said the increase in budgetary allocation to the North East became necessary in view of the damage done to infrastructure like roads in the region by the Boko Haram insurgents for over a decade.

Monguno, representing Marte/Monguno/Nganzai Federal Constituency, said that would mark the first step to address the infrastructural challenges in the northeast.

The lawmaker said the northeast region had suffered poor budgetary allocations even before the advent of the current administration.

“Over the years, no region that has been getting low allocations like the northeast. I call on the government to improve the allocations to the northeast. Our roads and other infrastructure are in a deplorable state due to Boko Haram,” Monguno said.

He also called on the federal government to focus more attention on the agricultural sector, which he said accounts for about 70 percent of employment, not just in Nigeria, but also in the entire African continent.

“Agriculture in Nigeria and Africa in general accounts for about 70 percent of employment. So, there’s need for an improvement in the agricultural sector in view of the fact that it accounts for 70 percent of employment.”

The lawmaker commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the timely presentation of the 2021 budget proposal.