ACF Is The North’s Intellectual Engine Room — Uba Sani

Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has advised the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to continue to serve as the intellectual engine room of the North, by guiding governance, shaping policy, fostering dialogue, and preserving unity.

The governor who gave the counsel in his remarks as Chief Host at the 25th anniversary of ACF, also reminded that the Forum remains a vital platform for the North’s stability and advancement.

He promised to ‘’work with the ACF, the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our sister states, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to build a North that is secure, inclusive, prosperous, and globally competitive.’’

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, also revisited the courageous origins of ACF, from March 7, 2000, in Kaduna.

‘’As we celebrate this historic milestone, let us recommit ourselves to the founding ideals of the Forum, which are unity, justice, dialogue, and the pursuit of collective progress.

‘’May the next twenty-five years bring even greater achievements, deeper cohesion, and a stronger, more peaceful Northern Nigeria,’’ he prayed.

The governor expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, ‘’who is leading, courageously and strategically, the drive to better secure Nigeria, promote national reforms, and ensure the economic reengineering of our nation.”

Speaking on Kaduna State, he said that ‘’our administration has embraced a leadership approach rooted in inclusion, transparency, reconciliation, and citizen participation. These principles are rebuilding trust and deepening engagements across communities.’’

Governor Uba Sani noted that his administration was confronting the security challenges of the state, using a combination of inclusive governance, community engagement and infrastructural development, which is referred to as the Kaduna Peace Model.

‘’The Kaduna Peace Model recognizes that peace is not enforced, it is engineered. It is built through the equitable distribution of projects, participatory budgeting, human capital development, and the deliberate redesign of public spaces to promote coexistence.

‘’It is anchored in the belief that design, planning, and governance are powerful instruments for social harmony,’’ he added.

The governor disclosed that calm has been restored across vulnerable communities ‘’through intelligence-driven coordination, robust support for security agencies, the empowerment of local institutions, and the integration of technology.’’

‘’Farmers have returned to their farmlands with renewed hope, supported by our programs in mechanization, modern inputs, extension services, and market access. Kaduna State continues to uphold its reputation as a food basket for the region,’’ he maintained.

The governor also listed his government’s achievements in the health and education sectors as well as infrastructural development since he assumed office.

‘’We have upgraded secondary hospitals, revitalized primary healthcare centers, and strengthened maternal and child health programs. Our vision is a Kaduna State where no citizen is denied healthcare because of distance or poverty.

‘’Our commitment to education is unwavering. We are expanding enrollment, improving facilities, training teachers, equipping schools, and strengthening technical and tertiary institutions.

‘’Education remains the bedrock of our long-term peace and development strategy.

According to Governor Uba Sani, ‘’infrastructure development is being delivered equitably across all 23 Local Government Areas, with a strong focus on rural–urban balance.”