ACF Laments Insecurity, Poverty In North

The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has lamented that insecurity, poverty, and illiteracy tend to place the north at the deep end of the trough.

In his speech on Monday in Kaduna, during a courtesy visit to Governor Uba Sani at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, ACF chairman Mamman Mike Osuman urged leaders and citizens of the region to urgently change the negative indices without further delay.

ACF boss said: “In their wisdom, Northern leaders, including state governors, emirs, chiefs and other elders, decided to establish the ACF 2000. It was against the background of a similar crisis of widespread insecurity and strife.

“The intention was to bring together on one platform representatives of the diverse peoples of Northern Nigeria without regard to political, ethnic, or religious affiliation. ACF is to operate as a Citizens’ or Elders’ Council and keep its eyes and ears open. It is to look out for issues and developments that can potentially lead to disharmony, conflicts, or crises across the North and promote development.

“Today, however, despite our valiant efforts, the achievement of peace, unity and progress in the North remains essentially a work in progress. All the indices that track human progress – poverty, illiteracy, health and security of life and property – tend to place the North at the deep end of the trough. A great deal of work awaits all Northerners.”

According to him, the ACF was committed to articulating and defending the interests of the peoples of the North through their various activities.

“One of such was the recently constituted Technical Committee that reviewed the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by the ACF. The report of the Technical Committee formed the basis of ACF’s submission to the joint committees of the National Assembly on Constitution review. Our input will be formally made available to the Northern Governors’ Forum,” Osuman added.