Abdullahi Sule, chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum and governor of Nasarawa State, stated that it is time for the zone to assert its political and economic relevance in the country.

Sule made the remarks while hosting officials from the North Central People’s Forum, led by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Lt. Gen. (rtd), Jeremiah T. Useni, at Government House in Lafia.

According to the governor, the North Central geopolitical zone can no longer afford to fall behind. It must instead grow its economy in order to compete favourably with the rest of the country.

The governor stated today that the North Central is an oil-producing zone, with the completion of the drilling of the Ebenyi-A oil well in Obi, Nasarawa State, as well as other wells in Keana.

He stated that the zone intends to hold its economic summit immediately following the security summit in Jos, Plateau State.

He assured forum members that the North Central zone governors would work with them and support the forum in repositioning the zone for the better.

Earlier, the forum’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Lt. Gen Jeremiah T. Useni (rtd), explained that the forum was born out of necessity in the zone, with the responsibility of ensuring the zone’s people’s political and economic liberation.

Lt. Gen. Useni urged the chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum to view his organisation as a valuable resource for the zone’s development.

In a speech, former Agriculture Minister Chief Audu Ogbe lamented the North Central Zone’s dwindling economic and political fortunes, which had previously been reckoned with even during colonial times.

He stated that the only way to save the naira from further depreciation is to export goods and services rather than import them.