By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger state has reviewed the outgone year 2025, explaining that the administration made remarkable progress in developments across all sectors which had improved the living standards of the people.
The Governor in a statement issued on Thursday in Minna described 2025 with mixed feelings considering the achievements and unfortunate incidences that characterised the year, adding that, ” our administration however worked tirelessly to drive development and improve the quality of life of the people of the State”.
He said, “some significant progress made, driven by a heavily sustained effort in the year under review, include the construction of both urban and rural roads as well as the constant monitoring and evaluation of the projects to ensure speedy execution of the numerous ongoing projects across the 25 Local Government Areas”.
Bago stated that the administration is making steady but significant progress in its resolve to boost agriculture as the foundation of its economic revival strategy, adding that, ” the state government has in collaboration with Niger Foods, signed a N1.8 trillion paddy rice production agreement with Dangote Group”.
He explained that the administration intends to increase the production of seedlings and paddy rice from 1.5m to 10 million metric tons by 2030. “We have signed another agreement with the Africa Rice Center in Côte ‘d’Ivoire to support the state government”.
The Governor also disclosed that the state government also has a N500 billion agreement to produce foods for the Lagos State government.
Bago acknowledged some obvious security challenges that characterised the year 2025, especially the abduction of the Papiri School children, who were later reunited with their parents unhurt, whike lamenting the disturbing banditry and kidnapping activities in some parts of the state.
“The 2025 Mokwa flood disaster, which claimed many lives and rendered hundreds of people homeless, was indeed very devastating. Although a natural occurrence, we are making frantic efforts to ensure it doesn’t happen again”.
Bago also expressed sadness over the petrol tanker explosions that claimed many lives at Diko, Agaie and Essa, insisting that such disasters could have been avoided if the people put the safety of their lives first instead of illegally scooping fuel from a fallen tanker.
