An NGO, Sokoto Advancement Forum (SAF), has inaugurated 11 sectoral working groups to address security concerns and other pressing challenges in Sokoto State.
Interim chairman of the forum, Prof. Ahmad Wali, made the announcement during SAF’s third stakeholders’ meeting held yesterday in Sokoto.
According to Wali, the working groups will focus on key sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture, security, governance, finance, ICT, youths empowerment, gender inclusion, environment, infrastructure, and business development.
“I am pleased to announce that our sectoral working groups have commenced operations and will soon present their preliminary assessments and strategic blueprints,” he said.
Wali added that the committees, composed of merit-based, sector-focused experts, who were dedicated to developing evidence-based solutions for the state’s most urgent problems.
“These committees will design a comprehensive strategy to address the issue of out-of-school children and enhance the quality of education.
“They will also propose innovative solutions to end banditry and ensure public safety, as well as craft approaches to improve healthcare delivery across all parts of the state,” he stated.
Wali further explained that the groups would develop sustainable interventions to boost food security, rural prosperity, and other development priorities.
He emphasised that each committee reflected SAF’s mission to empower citizens, promote accountability in governance, and drive transformative change based on data and inclusive participation.
“Imagine a Sokoto where every child has access to quality education, where our streets echo with the laughter of learning, not the cries of Almajiri children.
“The statistics that brought us together still haunt our conscience. Sokoto’s ranking as the poorest state in Nigeria in 2022 is not just a number — it represents the unfulfilled dreams of millions of our people,” Wali said.
He described the sight of children begging on the streets as more than a social issue, but a call to action requiring an urgent and sustained response.
“We have the tools, the talent, and the tenacity to change the narrative. Sokoto has the people and potential — and SAF is here to harness that collective strength,” Wali added.
Also speaking, SAF co-chairman and former vice-chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to providing sustainable, long-term solutions.
“We make a solemn commitment. We are not politicians, and this forum is not working for anybody — but for everybody,” Shehu said.
He stated that SAF comprises a diverse range of stakeholders, including intellectuals, business leaders, academicians, retired civil servants, politicians, youth groups, and farmers. (NAN)
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