The Federal Government sai it is resolute in its commitment to the ideas of progressive unity and socio-economic development across all states of the federation.
This, according to the government, is evidenced in the creation of regional commissions to promote and facilitate faster development at the grassroots throughout the country.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, in a goodwill message to the 11th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Merit Awards on Monday in Bauchi, reiterated his support to the regional body, saying its leadership and wisdom are invaluable assets to the nation and indeed the North.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Simeon Tyungu, Akume said, “Our nation’s strength lies in our diversity and our collective ability to harness our resources for common good. As we converge in Bauchi for the 11th annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial lecture and Merit Awards, let’s reflect on the profound significance of this event which would take among our states to fortify the bounce of unity that binds us together as a nation.”
He noted that this year’s event held in Bauchi but shall converge in due course later in Jigawa State. “This rotation is not just a ceremonial gesture, it is a deliberate strategy to foster mutual understanding, collaboration and national cohesion among our people”.
The SGF paid special tribute to the nation’s founding fathers, among whom are Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto; Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Kashim Imam, Alh. Yahaya Gusau, Alh. Shehu Shagari, Mallam Aminu Kano, and many others, who saw the need for northern Nigeria to be united as one indivisible entity.
Akume recalled that Sir Ahmadu Bello played a significant role in promoting national cohesion and unity in Nigeria as the first and only premier of Northern Nigeria who worked tirelessly to ensure development with other regions, and was instrumental to forming alliances with other regions to promote national unity.
“Sir Ahmadu Bello recognised the need to develop economic potentials of northern Nigeria, this led to the establishment of institutions such as Bank of the North and Northern Nigeria Development Company (NNDC)”, the SGF noted.
He explained that the federal government is actively implementating policies designed to develop the country’s abandoned natural resources by prioritising local production and reducing reliance on import, part of which is through agricultural innovations which has achieved remarkable increase of 30 percent increase in local productions.
For his part, the chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, reiterated the forum’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the region and leveraging its vast resources for accelerated development.
He acknowledged the challenges bedevillig the Northern region such as inadequate infrastructure, high unemployment and persistent poverty among others, urging collective efforts to address them.
“The issues affecting our region are profound, but I want to assure you that as individual state governors and collectively as the Northern Governors Forum, we are committed to addressing these challenges head-on.
“I believe we can all concur that Northern Nigeria is a treasure trove of untapped and underutilised human and natural resources. By harnessing these assets, we can effectively address the issues and propel the region onto a path of sustainable development”, he stated.
“The North faces both common and peculiar challenges across states. Take insecurity for instance, it varies from one sub-region to another. Banditry and kidnapping in the North-West; ethno-religious crises in the North-Central; and insurgency in the North-East. Many of these issues originated from competition on resource control either by individual, or by a group. For example, farmers fight for control of land, while herders for grazing land for their cattle.
“At the center of these problems is the unequal distribution of resources. Therefore, to create a prosperous and economically self-reliant region with vast opportunities for wealth and job creation, we must develop state-peculiar solutions which aligned with our collective goals at the Northern Governors Forum”, he added.
Governor Yahaya further noted that development agenda for the North is very necessary to achieve the goals of the region, referencing his 10-year development plan tagged “DEVAGOM” which wholly aligns with the goals of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a guide for which his administration uses in implementing policies and programmes that propel socioeconomic growth.
He assured the stakeholders and other participants at the meeting, that as Chairman of the Forum, he would use his influence to ensure every state that does not have a development plan creates one, as the issue will become part of the key agenda of the forum’s next meeting.
The governor also announced that Northern Governors have revived and reformed the New Nigeria Development Company, saying it has now been transformed into a purely profit-making company while pledging that the governors in the region would heavily inject funds into the company to support its growth for the development of the region.
He commended the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for its resilience in upholding the legacy of the late premier, particularly through the annual lecture series, saying, “I must commend your doggedness and resilience. Since its establishment in 2009 by the Northern States Governors’ Forum, the Foundation has steadfastly upheld the vision and principles of our revered leader through the Annual Lecture series.”
In his remarks, the host Governor, Bala Muhammed of Bauchi state, said the North must unite in addressing its challenges regardless of all forms of divides that exist within the region, commending his Gombe counterpart for his exemplary and quality leadership in the region and the Governors’ forum.
He lauded the foundation for keeping alive the spirit of Sardauna and promoting the unity of Northern Nigeria, conveying the governors’ collective stance in deepening regional integration to address the challenges of the North.
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