Former Niger State Governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu, has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the Federal Government’s decision regarding the closure of the country’s borders.
Dr Babangida Aliyu Babangida, popularly known as Servant Leader during his tenure as governor, noted that goods continued to find their way into neighbouring countries.
Speaking at the 22nd Daily Trust Dialogue, with the theme “Food Security: Availability or Affordability,” held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja on Thursday, made a case for collaboration between the Ministry of Livestock and the universities of education and agriculture to improve the education of farmers.
He said, “What is the rationale behind closing the borders? Given that Nigeria’s population is almost equal to that of the entire ECOWAS region, it’s clear that Nigerian goods dominate the markets across West Africa.
“For instance, in Niger, cattle remain cheaper than in Nigeria, a trend that has persisted for years. Even during better times, we sent people there to purchase cattle for slaughter or festivals. Why is this the case? It is essential to address this issue and invest in education.”
He continued, “Another critical area I am focusing on is education. In the northern states, there is no state with more than 50% qualified teachers.
“This is concerning, particularly when considering the many children who are not even able to attend school. We must utilize federal universities of agriculture and universities of education to equip people with the knowledge and passion needed to drive progress in these fields,” the former governor added.
