Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed the readiness of his administration to collaborate with the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) to promote socio-economic growth in the state and across Nigeria.
The governor made this known when he received a delegation from AUDA-NEPAD, led by its National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer, Jabiru Salisu, at his official residence in Government House, Minna.
Governor Bago, who is widely referred to as the farmer governor, appreciated the delegation for their visit and assured them of his administration’s full support toward achieving the agency’s development objectives. He congratulated the National Coordinator on his appointment and commended him for assembling a diverse and competent team.
According to the governor, “There is a need to fully engage the African Peer Review Mechanism as it is an important tool for progress. The lack of its application in Nigeria has allowed many smaller African countries to surpass us in several areas, especially in agriculture.”
He emphasized that the adoption of the peer review mechanism would help fast-track the implementation of the African Free Trade Agreement and strengthen economic development across the continent.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of AUDA-NEPAD, Jabiru Salisu, explained that the team was in Minna to condole with the farmer governor over the death of the father of Abdullahi Yunusa, a close friend to Governor Bago and Special Assistant for Special Duties to the AUDA-NEPAD National Coordinator.
Salisu commended Governor Bago for his developmental strides in Niger State and expressed the agency’s interest in partnering with the state government for sustainable growth. He added that approval had been granted for Niger State to host the AUDA-NEPAD North Central Zonal Office and thanked the governor for creating employment opportunities for residents through various empowerment and agricultural programs.