Gombe State Governor, and Chairman of 19 northern states, Muhammadu Yahaya, has reiterated the commitment of Northern Governors to addressing the challenges facing the region and leveraging its vast resources for accelerated development.
The governor stated this on Monday when he chaired the 11th Annual Memorial Lecture of Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto), which held at the Banquet Hall of the Bauchi State Government House.
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 governor in a statement obtained by our correspondent signed by Director-General Press Affairs Gombe Government House Ismaila Misilli said, “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 Northwest; ethno-religious crises in the North-central; and insurgency in the Northeast.
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.”
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 Northern State Governors’ 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 the 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 himself and other governors in the region would heavily inject funds into the company to support its growth for the development of the region.
The Northern Governors’ Forum Chairman 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, Sen. Bala Mohammed 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.
In his speech, the Guest Speaker, a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mansur Mukhtar, who delivered a paper on the theme for this year’s lecture: ‘‘Nature’s Bounty: Turning Northern Nigeria’s Untapped Resources into Sustainable Prosperity’’, said Northern region is blessed with vast resources which if wisely harnessed, could solve a great number of the challenges in the region.
He reminisced about the era when agriculture was the backbone of the region’s economy, providing sustenance and employment to over 70% of its population, while recommending the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and sustainable farming practices to enhance productivity, ensure food security and jobs creation.
Mukhtar further stated that prioritizing human capital development by placing strong emphasis on education, health, and women’s empowerment, the North could harness the full potential of its greatest asset which is its people to drive socioeconomic growth and development.
Speaking, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, promised that the foundation will continue to uphold the legacies of Sir. Ahmadu Bello especially his “one-North” philosophy.
