The Northern States Governors' Forum (NSGF) has highlighted the economic challenges facing Nigeria's northern region, noting that it is bearing the brunt of the country's economic hardship.
Gombe State Governor and NSGF chair, Mohammed Yahaya, voiced these concerns
during a forum meeting in Kaduna on Monday. The gathering, which included
discussions with Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and traditional
leaders, focused on issues of insecurity, economic hardship, and power outages
affecting the region.
"We must continue to work
with the federal government and relevant agencies to provide the necessary
support and relief to those affected," Yahaya said, emphasizing the need
for concerted efforts to address these challenges. "As we gather today,
our collective resolve is being tested by the ongoing challenges that we
face," he added, listing terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, farmer-herder
conflicts, drug abuse, the Almajiri crisis, poverty, and unemployment as
critical issues in the north.
Youth restiveness, which Yahaya
attributed to economic hardship and insecurity, remains a pressing concern.
Referring to the recent EndBadGovernance protests in August, he warned that
"Youth restiveness is a growing concern, driven by illiteracy, poverty,
and lack of economic opportunities. Our young people are calling out for
change, and it is our responsibility to listen and act."
The Gombe governor urged fellow
northern leaders to scale up efforts to combat these issues by focusing on
education, skills development, and job creation. "Let us focus on creating
pathways for the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures,
thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices," he said.
He also stressed the need for
targeted interventions to address regional economic disparities, pointing out
that the economic hardships are especially pronounced in the northern part of
the country. "This calls for urgent intervention. It is essential that we,
as leaders, adopt measures to alleviate the suffering, such as targeted social
welfare programmes, support for small and medium enterprises, and policies that
attract investment to our states," Yahaya noted.
Power outages and electricity
infrastructure were also on the agenda, with Yahaya highlighting that most
northern states are currently experiencing severe power shortages due to
vandalized transmission lines. "As we speak today, most of our Northern
states are in darkness due to vandalisation of electricity transmission
infrastructure," he said, calling on the federal government to build
additional transmission lines and improve the region’s energy resilience.
Yahaya also urged northern
governors to prioritize environmental conservation and sustainable agricultural
practices. He pointed to the region's vast agricultural potential, saying,
"If fully harnessed, [this] can significantly alleviate hunger and boost economic
growth." He emphasized the need for grants, modern farming techniques,
improved security, and irrigation systems to support farmers.
In closing, Yahaya called on
his colleagues to support industrialization efforts by reviving defunct
factories, particularly in the textile and agro-allied sectors, to create jobs
and drive economic development in the region.
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