The Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, presented the 2023 budget to the state House of Assembly on Wednesday where he made it clear that his government will construct at least two flyovers in 2023.
The budget focuses more on the provision of infrastructure rather than the human capacity building which is the most significant because millions of people have lost their sources of livelihood as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in the last 12 years.
The point of writing this letter to the governor is to call his attention to the economic imbalances, the higher rate of unemployment and the lack of job opportunities in the state.
Borno is a state that is affected by conflict where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and thousands have lost their sources of livelihood.
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At this point, the government needs to invest in rejuvenating the economy by engaging people and building a network that supports people and restores livelihoods.
Infrastructure is good for development but people are the power which if developed can result in more development and innovation. It’s a misplacement of priority to invest in flyover while millions of stomachs go to bed hungry.
The money that should be invested in this gigantic project with less impact should have gone into reviving companies like Flour Mill Maiduguri, Borno Aluminum Company and other state-owned companies which were built under the administration of Kashim Shettima.
Investing money in these areas can help to stabilise the economy and provide jobs in the state by engaging many young people who are productive but were not allowed to showcase their potential.
The need, therefore, for the governor to review his stand on the issue and bring policies that will enhance and improve livelihoods thereby reducing poverty and unemployment rate in the state.
Stephen Pwavisanamo, Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri
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