The federal government has disclosed that it is considering the deployment of forest guards with better training, modern technological gadgets and weapons to strengthen security and secure solid minerals and marine economic sectors by special police.
The President, Bola Tinubu made this known while receiving members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) at the State House in Abuja.
In a statement by his presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, who stated that the development policies would only find full relevance in people’s lives when there is inclusivity, ownership and sustainability.
“We have a big marine economy, and I do not see why we should not have the marine police. We will have the same in solid minerals to keep the scavengers away. I am ready to invest in security. We will buy our own minerals and keep them in reserves, especially gold which will be effective in our foreign exchange reserves,’’ the president told the governors.
He implored governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to design and implement policies that prioritise all Nigerians and to always consider the national interest above political affiliations.
Tinubu also tasked the governors to come up with a framework that would make the implementation of the school-feeding programme more comprehensive and successful across all states.
“We have children of school age who are out of school. The way to promote education is to get all governors, including the opposition governors, involved in the school-feeding programme. Please, take it seriously,” he said.
The president added that the school-feeding programme would encourage more investments in agriculture, particularly in livestock farming and dairy, adding that the former Kano State governor and APC chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, had already worked on a proposal that would be shared for input and implementation.
Governor of Imo State and chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodinma, thanked the president for involving governors in the design and implementation of policies, as well as for intervening with financial support in the states.