The Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Thursday decried the economic hardship the region is embroiled in despite the abundant natural resources, saying that it can measure up with the rest.
Yahaya made this disclosure at the Government House chamber while playing host to Arewa Consultative Forum.
He said, “The differences that emanated whether for political, social or economic reasons have to be addressed rightly. We need to go back to the drawing board and that we need to do in two ways one a backward integration; look at what we lost, the values and the norms, the social interaction we need to revisit them and copy the good ones.
“Two, compare ourselves to our competitors, the resources available in the North are quite adequate for us to compete shoulder to shoulder with any part to meet needs and expectations of our people we can’t afford to fail not at all not by one second, one day if it means doubling up to do the needful and move fast.”
Speaking further on the tax reform issues Yahaya added, “Whether we like it or not overtime, there is need for us to review the laws and improve upon where there are shortcomings with a view to getting it rightly and doing the needful most especially when compared to other sub regions in the country. Consider that one on one we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with whoever in a bid to getting whatever rights and privileges of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If we are not able to salvage the situation and change the tide I can’t imagine a situation where three quarters of the Nigeria land mass maybe with 55 per cent of the population or more.”
On prevailing security situations Yahaya urged the region to look inward, “The current situation that is prevailing in the North-East, with the issues associated with insurgency and Boko Haram which started about 14 years ago. What befell North-West where brothers are killing brothers, fighting about the scarce resources that we have not been able to manage. There is need to wake up from slumber and do the needful, the North-Central is not as peaceful as it should have been during the regional government of Sudana of Sokoto,” he added.
Yahaya promised to support the Forum’s 25th anniversary, “Myself and my colleague governors will stand by you and we will give you the required support in order to achieve your noble objectives. I want to equally assure you that we will support you as you celebrate this 25 years of unity and solidarity,” the governor said.
Speaking earlier, ACF Chairman, Mamman Mike, called for concerted efforts towards achieving development, urging residents of the region to support governors.
He said, “We can achieve this because we have the conviction we need to survive within the context of Nigeria and bear the contribution of our forefathers particularly the late Saudana and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
“We are upstanding guided by our governors to operate in a no relentless manner to achieve the positive ideals to keep our people safe. There is banditry in the country.
“The governors have done manifold in achieving security for the people in the 19 Northern States Governors’ Forum and we are sure that with their own strategies peace and unity will be achieved so that parents can go back to their farms.”
