Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, on Tuesday chaired a high-level engagement with the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in N’Djamena, Chad, marking his first official meeting as Chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum.
The meeting, held at the LCBC headquarters, brought together regional leaders to review strategies for strengthening peace, stability, and sustainable development across the Lake Chad region.
Describing the meeting as historic, Buni said, “Today’s inaugural engagement between the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum and the Lake Chad Basin Commission is very special to me, being the first since my emergence as Chairman. It places a greater responsibility on me to reinforce our collective resolve for peace, stabilization, and prosperity in our region.”
Buni noted that the outcomes of the fifth Governors’ Forum held in Maiduguri were anchored on pillars such as security, cooperation, humanitarian response, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
He highlighted key resolutions adopted at the forum, including enhancing the capacity of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), promoting cross-border infrastructure, expanding reintegration policies, and addressing threats such as youth radicalization and ecological degradation.
“We welcomed the validation of the Regional Strategy for Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience, and the initiation of transformative projects such as the ecological restoration of Lake Chad and the Early Warning System initiative,” he said.
The governor emphasized the importance of regional diplomacy and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to work closely with the LCBC. He also commended the Federal Government for its ongoing infrastructure efforts in the region.
“I am pleased to inform the Commission that His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reconstruction of key roads within the corridors, including the Dikwa–Ngala and Bama–Banki roads, under the Dangote Tax Credit Scheme,” he said.
Buni further called for renewed donor support for stabilization programmes, especially in the Niger Republic, and urged the Commission to sustain its coordination efforts to align investments and enhance accountability.
“As the rainy season sets in, we must collectively strengthen security and empower our communities with agricultural inputs to boost food security and economic development,” he added.
Earlier in their remarks, the Governor of N’Djamena, Amina Kodjiana, and the LCBC Executive Secretary, Amb. Nuhu Mamman, lauded Buni’s commitment to the goals of the Commission. They pledged full support for his tenure as Forum Chairman, noting that regional cooperation was crucial for sustained peace and progress in the Lake Chad area.
