A fresh initiative by northern governors to address the turbulent developmental challenges in the region gets underway today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where the governors are commencing talks with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
Leading the governors’ delegation at the three -day talks is Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State who doubles as Chairman of the Northern States Governors ‘ Forum (NSGF).
The decision to seek critical development partnership with the IDB was taken at the governors’ meeting last September in Kaduna.
Governor Shettima’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, confirmed that the Nigerian delegation arrived Jeddah yesterday.
He said they will hold discussion with the IDB President, Ahmad Mohamed Ali and the bank’s Vice President, Operations on a wide range of possible areas of collaboration.
They are also scheduled to meet with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD); International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC); Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment & Export Credit (ICIEC); Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD).
Focus will be on agriculture, poverty eradication, education, maternal mortality and other problems most prevalent in the north.
Also on the delegation are Governors Tanko Almakura of Nassarawa; Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State.
Others are top officials of the New Nigerian Development Company owned by the 19 northern States, selected Commissioners of Agriculture, Education, Post Insurgency Reconstructions, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Home Affairs, Economic Planning, former Presidential Chief Economic Adviser Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, some technical resource consultants and facilitators engaged by the NSGF.
Established 41 years ago, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is an international financial institution involved in equity capital, finances productive projects for the economic and social development of the 56 member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The Bank also promotes foreign trade in capital goods; provides technical assistance to member countries; and extends training facilities for personnel engaged in development activities in Muslim populated communities around the world.