Umaru Yakubu Kirawa pens an opinion piece from Maiduguri, setting the agenda for Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno representing Borno North Senatorial District.
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Northern Borno State has been one of the worst-hit regions in Nigeria due to the insurgency that has ravaged the area for over a decade. The region has experienced untold hardship, with thousands of people being displaced and others paying the supreme price.
A flip of a new page of hope as now many communities have been resettled and are on the verge of picking up the pieces of their lives and livelihood. However, with the emergence of Mohammed Tahir Monguno, a five-time Member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives and former Chief Whip of the Ninth House of Representatives as the Senator for Northern Borno Senatorial District, there is renewed hope for the region’s future.
Monguno’s election as Senator for Northern Borno is significant because he has a track record of delivering on his promises and representing his people’s interests. As a five-time elected member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, he has consistently advocated for the development of his constituency and Nigeria at large. Mohammed Tahir Monguno is a name that resonates with the people of Northern Borno and beyond, owing to his significant contributions to developing his constituency and Nigeria at large.
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Monguno’s journey into politics began in the early 90s when he contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives to represent his constituency. Since then, he has been a Commissioner of different Ministries in Borno State and re-elected four times as a Member of the House of Representatives, making him one of the longest-serving lawmakers in Nigeria, a feat that underscores his popularity among his peers in the legislature and earned him the respect and admiration of many, especially those in his constituency.
One of the significant contributions of MT Monguno to his constituency is his role in ensuring that the people of Northern Borno had access to basic amenities like water, healthcare, and education. He initiated and sponsored several bills and motions to improve his constituents’ lives. One of the 53 Bills sponsored by Senator MT Monguno during the 9th Assembly includes the Terrorism (Prohibition and Prevention) Bill, 2019, which he sponsored in the House of Representatives. The bill aimed at providing an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the detection, prevention, prohibition, prosecution and punishment of acts of terrorism and other related matters in Nigeria.
Another significant contribution of Monguno to his constituency is his role in resettling and rehabilitating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region. Monguno has been at the forefront of efforts to provide shelter, food, multi-million naira water projects and other basic necessities for the newly resettled IDPs in his constituency in addition to the concerted efforts by Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.
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Moreover, Monguno has been instrumental in the establishment and commencement of activities at the Federal Polytechnic Monguno, promotion of peace and unity in his constituency and beyond. He has initiated several peace-building and empowerment programmes aimed at fostering unity and providing opportunities to the people of Northern Borno and Nigeria as a whole.
The historical transformation in Nigeria’s quest for a better oil and gas industry through the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill remains a critical effort of Mohammed Tahir Monguno as the Ad-hoc Committee Chairman.
One of the ways Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno can salvage Northern Borno is by redoubling efforts to address the root causes of the insurgency that has plagued the region. Poverty, unemployment, and lack of basic amenities are some of the factors that have contributed to the insurgency. As a Senator, Monguno can initiate and sponsor bills that will provide job opportunities, improve access to healthcare, and ensure that the people of Northern Borno have improved security to commence full-fledged agricultural activities and, most importantly, support farmers and exploring ways to rejuvenate the well known Baga fishing and trading, enhanced access to basic amenities like water and electricity, in addition, network services in the hinterland Monguno and other areas.
Senator MT Monguno should also salvage Northern Borno by continuity of the socio-economic empowerment initiatives conceived by the lawmaker when he was Chief Whip of the 9th House of Representatives.
Monguno should also work with other stakeholders to provide shelter, food, and other basic necessities for the resettled IDPs and also initiate sustainable ways of promoting environmental conservation through the planting of trees, among others, to address the growing deforestation, desertification and rekindle the beauty of the arable lands for more agricultural produce and sustainable development.
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Furthermore, Senator Monguno can leverage his position as a Senator to attract foreign investments to the region. Northern Borno has vast agricultural potential, and with the right investments, the region can become a hub for agricultural production and processing. This will create job opportunities for the people of the region, reduce poverty, and contribute to the region’s overall economic development.
This is achievable, looking at how Senator MT Monguno glaringly stood firm at the Nigerian Senate to advocate the emergence of the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio and other connections he has with the government at the centre in the quest to realise the renewed hope of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
In a nutshell, the emergence of Mohammed Tahir Monguno as the Senator for Northern Borno is a ray of hope for the region’s development and the right peg in the right hole. His track record of delivering on his promises and advocating for the welfare of his people makes him the right person for the job. With his experience and expertise, Monguno can address the root causes of the insurgency, promote peace and unity, and attract investments to the region.
It is hoped that his tenure as Senator for Northern Borno will bring about the much-needed development and progress for the region and its people.
