NGSF, Traditional Rulers Meet to Proffer Solutions of Challenges to Region
Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna Northwest Nigeria
Northern State’s Governors, Traditional Rulers today converged on Sir Kashim Ibrahim House to proffer solutions on challenges facing the north.
Chairman Northern States Governors’ Forum, Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed concern and called for a collective resolve to solving the problems.
“It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I address this combined meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council. This gathering represents the two supreme institutions charged with the political and moral responsibility to transform the social and economic landscape of northern Nigeria.
“Let me begin by extending our deepest sympathies to the victims of the recent flood disasters in Maiduguri and other parts of the North, as well as to the families affected by the tragic tanker explosion in Jigawa State. I equally commiserate with other victims of terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in the North and Nigeria at large. We stand in solidarity with them during these difficult times.
On security matters which the fora considers as top priority issue, it called on sustaining the temple of successes recorded in the elimination of bandits.
“We must sustain these gains in order to ensure lasting peace and stability just as we recently received the report of the Coalition of Northern Group’s Security Committee, we are going to carefully study and implement their recommendations.
Our engagements with security agencies and civil society groups must continue to chart a sustainable path for peace and stability in northern Nigeria.
Concerns was raised on the recent “End Bad Governance” protests. This is recognized as a wake up call for all northern leaders to address youth restiveness, poverty, and lack of economic opportunities.
“Our young people are calling out for change, and it is our responsibility to listen and act. We must scale up efforts to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness by investing in education, skills development, and job creation. Let us focus on creating pathways for the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures, thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices.
“The economic hardship faced by many Nigerians today is undeniable, and considering the North-South disparity in economic inequality, it is even more pronounced in northern Nigeria. This calls for urgent intervention. It is essential that we, as leaders, adopt measures to alleviate the suffering, such as targeted social welfare programs, support for small and medium enterprises, and policies that attract investment to our states. At the same time, we must work with the Federal Government to ensure that fiscal policies are sensitive to the realities of the day.
As we gather today, our collective resolve is being tested by the ongoing challenges that we face. These include but not limited to terrorism, banditry, kidnap-for-ransom, farmer-herder clashes, drug abuse, the menace of Almajiri and out-of-school children, poverty and unemployment. However, our unity and commitment to the prosperity of the people remain our greatest source of strength that will enable us to overcome those challenges.
As we speak today, most of our Northern states are in darkness due to vandalization of electricity transmission infrastructure. This not only underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, but also the need to build additional transmission lines and diversify our energy supply so as to better connect our region and improve our energy resilience.
The meeting had in attendance 19 Northern Governors, traditional rulers from the North led by the Sultan of Sokoto and other critical stakeholder.
