The North Central Development Initiative (NCDI) yesterday in Abuja inaugurated nine standing committees to ensure successful implementation of its programmes for 2024, with a resolve to speak for the region’s development and move against attacks on its people and interests.
Subsequently, the group, apart from the inauguration of the committees, set up an active think-thank otherwise known as the Vital Contact Group as an advisory body to ensure the realisation of its objectives by mobilising to liaise with members of the National Assembly, governors and critical stakeholders in the region to pursue their goals.
The committees set up were on secretariat services, planning and organization, contacts, mobilisation and courtesy visits, media and publicity, constitution and bills drafting, budget, finance and fundraising, patrons appointment, elders advisory and non-indigenes mobilisation.
Speaking at the event, the director general/national coordinator of the group, Comrade Musa Otigba, outlined the country’s numerous problems including the current economic hardship, rising insecurity, especially in the North Central and its devastating effects on the economy and lives of the people, and urged people of the region and their representatives in the National Assembly to unite and support the agitation for the establishment of a North Central Development Commission which he proffered as the only solution to address the developmental challenges bedeviling the region and to fast-track the rebuilding of homes and economic activities which have been under constant attacks by bandits and armed men.
“The region is reputed to be the food basket of the nation, there are many mineral deposits in the region which are yet to be mined in full scale to benefit the region and its people. Therefore, the role of North Central in Nigeria’s national development cannot be over emphasised. But unfortunately, the region has been bedeviled by acute security challenges and has been under constant attacks by bandits and other criminal elements since the last two decades.
The region has suffered significant damages due to kidnappings and frequent attacks on the citizens of the states that make up the region by insurgents and armed bandits as well as communal clashes,” he said.
He urged governors of North Central to urgently work out modalities for the establishment of a North Central Joint Security Network to curb insecurity in the region, just like the ‘Amotekun’ in the South West, ‘Ebubeagu’ in the South East and other such security outfits in other regions.
Comrade Otigba reminded the federal government of issues raised in the world press conference on October 30, 2023 wherein the group drew the attention of the government to the non-inclusion of the region in the national security architecture, leadership of the National Assembly, removal of the position of national chairman of the APC from the region and the non-appointment of party stakeholders who worked for the victory of the party.
