Chairman Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Gombe state Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has called for decisive action on insecurity, youth unemployment, and economic hardship facing the North.
He spoke Monday at a two-day meeting of the northern governors and traditional rulers in Kaduna, Kaduna state.
Addressing attendees, Yahaya expressed condolences to victims of recent flooding in Maiduguri, Borno state, and the tanker explosion in Jigawa, as well as families affected by terrorism and banditry across northern Nigeria.
He urged increased collaboration with the federal government to deliver essential relief and support to the affected communities.
Governor Yahaya highlighted the region’s persistent challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping, and farmer-herder conflicts, emphasizing the need to strengthen security efforts and not to become complacent.
“We cannot afford complacency. We must sustain gains against bandits and terrorists to ensure lasting peace. Recommendations from the Coalition of Northern Group’s Security Committee would be thoroughly examined,” he said.
The governors also stressed the importance of addressing youth restiveness, linking it to illiteracy, poverty, and limited economic opportunities.
He acknowledged recent “End Bad Governance” protests as a wake-up call for northern leaders, underscoring the need for increased investments in education, skills development, and job creation to channel youth energy into productive avenues.
They raised concerns over economic inequality between northern and southern Nigeria, calling for targeted welfare programs, support for small businesses, and policies that attract investment to the region.
He also noted the urgent need to restore electricity in the northern states affected by vandalism of transmission infrastructure, and proposed diversifying the region’s energy supply to improve resilience.
On environmental issues, Yahaya highlighted the importance of flood control and sustainable practices, urging northern leaders to partner with federal agencies to build irrigation systems and prevent communal conflicts related to resource scarcity.
Yahaya however called for “cohesive, robust, and actionable plans” to address the region’s needs, stressing that the NSGF reforms and restructuring of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) would provide a framework for northern economic revival.