Gombe 2019: APC Ex-Youth Leader Picks Nomination Forms
… Promises job creation
The immediate past National Youth leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Ibrahim Jalo Dasuki has attributed non-engagement of teeming youth population in North-east in business activities to the incessant insecurity challenges confronting the region, revealing his plans to end the vice.
Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Abuja after he obtained his nomination and expression of interest forms to contest governorship seat of Gombe state also disclosed why high maternal mortality rate is in geometric rate in his State.
“I want to equally say that we have to farm round the year not the season, because if you farm for four months and wait for eight months doing nothing, of course, you will be poor. These are the things bringing insecurity particularly in my zone (North East) because many people are not engaged in economic activities or businesses. So, we have to do something so as to ensure our people are better in terms of generating income.
“Those that know the history of Gombe will know that we used to have popular grain-market similar to what we have in Kano – the Dala Pyramid. We still have it till today in Gombe. This contains that Gombe is a centre of Commerce. So, we have to do as we can, as a government that will improve what we have and ensure that we do a lot in that area.
“Also very importantly, the issue of agriculture because our people are known for agriculture, particularly in the North. Most of our people engage in peasant farming, then, how do we improve from traditional way of producing crops and the rest of it, so, we have to devise a means to ensure that we improve the traditional system, so, our yield can be improved.
“If you look at the statistics, the average output we have today is about 2.5 tonnes per hectare while in some places, they are even about 10. So, how do we improve from what we have, how do we get something that help us to move away from the traditional system that we are? By doing that, you are improving the economy of our people and the State and also generating income instead of waiting for Federal government to send the money, how do you generate your own within your state in the federation? This is very important to me.
“I want to equally say that we have to farm round the year not the season because if you farm for months and wait for eight months doing nothing, of course, you will be poor. So, these are the things that is bringing insecurity particularly in my zone because many people are not engaged in economic activities or businesses. So, we have to do something so as to ensure our people are better in terms of generating income.”
The governorship aspirant stressed that the insecurity challenges in the zone can be curbed if teeming youths are properly engaged, adding that there are many potentials in youths if it can be brought out through sound education policy and programmes.
When asked why he has chosen not to decry the present governor of Gombe state, Ibrahim Dankwambo about his style of governance in the State, Dasuki said it is not in his nature to be criticizing people, noting he will definitely change his attitude on that.
He said, “Actually it depends on someone’s nature and upbringing. You know they say empty vessels make the loudest noise. I want to say, on that, people will begin to see the difference.
