Political leaders and traditional rulers in the 19 Northern States have been charged to rise up and address the challenges affecting the region.
The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, gave the charge on Thursday while declaring open the meeting of the 19 Northern Governors with the Council of Emirs and Chiefs in the region in Kaduna.
Shettima, who is the Governor of Borno State, charged them to discuss and address the under-development of the region.
The Chairman of the Forum, who was represented by the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari, called on all stakeholders to proffer viable, sustainable and long term solutions to the problems affecting the region.
He noted that conflict between farmers and herdsmen have assumed dangerous and worrisome dimension, leading to destruction of lives and properties.
Shettima explained that the combined effort of governments was required to address the menace and the attendant effect of Boko Haram.
The Northern Governors Forum Chairman condemned provocative statements and utterances coming from some sections of the Nation, advising the people to desist from such to strengthen the country.
Shettima called on the meeting to adopt a position on restructuring to erase the view that the North was opposed to the issue.
The Governor urged Northern leaders to look into the future with all sense of responsibilities and advised them to develop the political will and implement the various policies initiated for the region to achieve greatness.
He challenged them to redirect the energy of the youths to productive ventures such as agro-based industries, trade and Commerce in order to be the shining light of the Nation.
In his opening remarks, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, urged them to make appropriate use of the abundant sunlight among others available in the region to generate electricity.
El-Rufai advised the region to outline its view and make necessary contribution to the ongoing Constitutional review to strengthen the Nation.
The Kaduna State Governor emphasized the need to break the region out of poverty to ensure its economy growth by making use of the best use of the available agricultural and solid mineral potentials.
He called on the leaders to address the security challenges confronting the region especially communal clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery among others.
Responding on behalf of the Traditional Rulers, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, pledged their support to peace and tranquility in the region and the Nation and efforts to pull the region out of poverty.
The Sultan explained that royal fathers are aware of the security challenges affecting the region and the Nation, stating that series of meeting had been going on with prominent leaders and groups to address it, particularly the threat to the Igbos.
Abubakar charged the political leaders to develop the commitment to implement developmental policies and ideas initiated at various meetings.
The meeting was attended by Governors from the 19 Northern States, including the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by his Deputy, Elder Peter Kisira.