Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, yesterday received a federal government delegation led by the Minister of state for Works, Power and Housing, Hon Mustapha Baba Shehuri, who is in the state to handover grains to the state government for onward distribution to IDPs and also inspect road construction projects in the state and beyond.

Speaking on his mission to the state, Shehuri recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had asked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to release 300 trucks of grains for the people and that Borno was allocated 113 trucks around April this year and a committee was set up, chaired by him, to deliver the grains.

“But on coming here about 2 months back, we discovered that about 60 trucks were diverted by the contractor who was to convey these trucks to Borno State. We reported that, and I think the case is now before the EFCC as it is under investigation. I also learnt that 23 trucks have so far been recovered and I think there are also some funds recovered which are in the hands of the EFCC,” the minister stated.

The minister further stated that the delegation will also inspect some federal roads during the visit.

Gov. Shettima had while receiving the delegation commended the efforts of the federal government in the state and called for inclusion of some roads in the state in the 2017 budget.

“We are going to hand over the grains to Borno Flour Mills to fortify it with vitamin A and add value to it, so that it can be edible and for us to distribute it to our people because distributing it raw is not the ideal thing to do now due to the fact that our people are poor and so many of them cannot process it.

“We are also negotiating with Kebbi State government to procure 200 trucks of rice for distribution to our people,” Shettima added.

On the roads, the governor said, “it is gratifying to note that under the current dispensation, some roads that have been abandoned for ages are going to receive the much desired attention. Especially, vitally important link roads like the Biu-Gombe road, the Maiduguri-Gamboru which is an international road through which goods reach as far as Central African Republic.

“Intervention along that road in next year’s budget is timely, politically expedient and would bring about a real change in the lives of our people and economic activities of this sub-region. I also call on the Minster to extend it to Bama-Gwoza road because it was in terrible shape when last I went to Gwoza. Maiduguri-Monguno-Kukawa road and the Damasak-Gashigar-Malum Fatori roads should also be capture in the 2017 budget.

“I believe Nigeria goes beyond Lagos-Ibadan expressway: there are other parts of this country that acutely needs development, that deserve to be developed as well because politics is a game of numbers, it is a game of loyalty and any constituency that appreciates and identifies with the government, that constituency needs to be taken into cognisance as government spreads developmental initiative across the length and breadth of this country.”