Jonathan meets Northern Governors over flood, security challenges

Was there any mentioning of the overzealous religious extremists - BOKO HARAM???

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday met behind closed-doors with Governors from the Northern states in the Federal Capital Territory - Abuja.

The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, started at about 9.30 pm and lasted for about two hours. Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Niger State Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, said that they discussed, in particular, the new dimension of flooding that had ravaged the region.

He said the flooding had drastically affected food production in the North and the meeting deliberated on how to mitigate the disaster. Aliyu said the meeting also discussed generally on issues of wealth creation, employment generation and measures to  reduce the poverty ratio in the region.

“Generally we discussed a gamut of issues and problems that need to be solved by the Federal, the States, the Local governments and relevant NGOs.

“Poverty and lack of job should not be the foundation for other problems,’’ he said.

Vice President Namadi Sambo and some Presidential aides were present at the meeting.

Governors who attended the meeting included Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Idris Wada (Kogi), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi), and Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarrawa).

Others are Patrick Yakowa (Kaduna), Jona Jang (Plateau), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Kashim Shettima (Borno), and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).

The remaining State Governors were represented by their deputies except Taraba and Sokoto States. (NAN)