The North East Governors Forum has pledged to boost small-scale irrigation farming to mitigate the negative impact of climate change in the region.

The Chairman of the forum, Governor Babagana Zulum, said this at the opening of the ninth meeting of the NEGF in Yola on Saturday.

He said that agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and livelihood in the region that needed bolstering.

Zulum also expressed the need to engage critical stakeholders to assist in an industrial development programme that would encourage the development of local resources in the region.

He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his determination to bring peace and security to the region and country at large.

According to him, the region is faced with different challenges in protecting lives and property, poverty, and unemployment, among other challenges too enormous to handle individually.

“We should be more committed to creating wealth for our people with a view of expanding sources of income and wealth creation to reduce the rate of unemployment by looking at various options by engaging the youth.

“I sincerely hope that with the support of the Federal Government, we should overcome these challenges,” he said.

Host Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, said the forum has placed the region on a pedestal for sustainable development.

He said that in the past four years of the forum, a lot of successes and developments have been recorded in the region.

(NAN)

Queen Dami, who was formerly married to the late Alaafin of Oyo State, has a message for those who criticize her new relationship with singer Portable.

It is no secret that the two are now involved as they have openly expressed their love for each other.

The singer, who is also a father of five, confirmed his relationship with the Queen after controversial blogger Gist Lover alleged that she was in a relationship with Portable by sharing screenshots of their interactions.

Speaking about their romance, Portable revealed that Queen Dami was only a fan before the death of her husband, the King, but their relationship has since evolved.

Their relationship has faced criticism, especially because Queen Dami was one of the wives of a Yoruba monarch.

In a recent post, she shared a video of herself on Facetime with Portable, who is currently in London for a show, as they expressed their affection for each other. Dami referred to Portable as her husband and expressed how much she missed him.

The video received heavy criticism from many, prompting Queen Dami to react via her Instagram page, stating that before anyone advises her, they should check their transaction history.

She further emphasized that if her name is not in their transaction history, she does not see any reason to take their advice.

Some time ago, Portable demonstrated his love for Queen Dami by defending her against actor Lege Miami, who exposed the former Queen’s desperation for love.

Lege Miami revealed that he was still searching for a suitor for Dami when he learned about her relationship with Portable, and when he confronted her, she initially denied it.

With evidence, Portable criticized Lege and exposed the actor for asking for money from his wife.

Queen Dami’s marriage to the late monarch ended after she allegedly violated a palace rule.

Reports indicated that the Queen was detained after allegedly disobeying a palace rule, which led her to leave her marriage and the palace.

She later attributed her actions to frustration and wrong advice from friends. Unfortunately, her relationship with the monarch could not be repaired before his passing last year.

Actress Sarah Martins has reversed her previous statement about body shaming Blessing CEO over her bikini photos.

Last Friday, Blessing CEO caused a stir on the internet by flaunting her well-toned body in a two-piece crochet bikini, baring her recently transformed physique. In the photos, she proudly displayed her belly tattoo, featuring two Bible verses from Mathew 11:12 and Proverbs 31.

Her bikini photos drew criticism from many, including Nkechi Blessing and Sarah Martins, who both expressed disapproval of her body.

Sarah Martins made disparaging remarks about Blessing CEO’s physique under a blog’s comment section, leading to Blessing CEO blocking her on Instagram.

In response, Sarah took a jab at her for the block, mentioning how her fans, whom she referred to as “Oloshos,” were attacking her on her page.

In what appeared to be a challenge, she shared her own bikini photos while admiring her tattoos, which she boasted were classy and not tacky like Blessing CEO’s.

Now backtracking on her previous comments, she declared that she never body-shamed Blessing CEO and would never body shame any woman, especially one who has given birth. She clarified that her comment was focused on the tattoo, which she found tacky, not the body itself.

While admitting that she shouldn’t have made the comment, she insinuated that Blessing CEO would have done the same or worse if the roles were reversed.

“Y’all coming to my page to cap dust. I never body-shamed Blessing CEO! I only made reference to her full book coverage belly tattoo and yes, that her belly tattoo looks tacky! I will never body shame a woman for being a mother! I am a mother too, a clean sexy one at that so shush!

Maybe I shouldn’t have dropped that comment tho but Blessing would have dropped the same comment or even worse it was someone else! And YES, that her belly tattoo is TACKY! Go to Court! She added, “Go to court”.

This isn’t the first time Sarah Martins has taken a dig at Blessing CEO.

Last week, while cautioning ladies against relying solely on social media advice, Sarah indirectly criticized fans and admirers of Blessing CEO.

She emphasized that she considers productive women to be the only ones truly sexy and expressed her disdain for women who advocate for dependency on men.

Sarah clarified that her statement was not directed at the followers and supporters of relationship expert Blessing CEO, stating that she believes the internet is misleading young people.