Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has won the Nigerian Union of Journalists’ Good Governance Award 2024 on education.
At the event, which was tagged “NUJ Press Freedom and Governance Award”, 18 journalists and public servants who have distinguished themselves in their careers were honoured.
Presenting the award to Zulum, at an event held at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja, on Saturday, the National President of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo, noted that the award was in recognition of Governor Zulum’s laudable achievements in the development of the educational sector and good governance he has provided for the people of Borno.
According to the NUJ President, Zulum has over the years, embarked on innovative intervention and aggressive investment in the education sector of Borno State
The statement said Zulum has since 2019 executed 124 projects in the education sector, including the construction of over 30 new mega schools and the rehabilitation of 1,087 classrooms in several schools across the state.
Zulum has recruited over 4,000 new teachers, deployed strategies to reduce out-of-school children from 2 million children to 800,000 in 2024 and has approved over N4 billion as scholarship for local and foreign education to Borno indigenes.
Responding after receiving the award, Zulum, who was represented by the Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof Usman Tar, expressed appreciation to the organisers for finding him worthy of the award.
He said: ” It is amazing to be rewarded for managing a crisis and rebuilding a state like Borno State, which is coming out of a decade-long violent insurgency. The Borno restoration project focuses on bold and sustained investment in all sectors of society.
“Press Freedom constitutes an important booster of the Building Borno Back and Better initiative. In Borno State, journalists are granted free space and access to information to carry out their duties and write stories that will enlighten society and influence public policy,” Zulum said.
The event was attended by the Governor of Benue State, Rev Hyacinth Alia, the Speaker of Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas was represented by Chairman House Committee on Information and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris
Also present are Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission Abuja, Ms Gill Lever, DG VON; Mr Bernabas Gemade and Major Gen Lawrence Onoja.
