Northern government resolved to jointly fight insecurity in the North

Pledge To End Southern Kaduna Crisis Soon

The 19 Northern Governors have resolved to fight the insecurity bedeviling the region as an entity, just as they pledged to end the crisis in Southern Kaduna soon.

Besides, the governors continued their meeting yesterday, which began with a parley with the traditional rulers in the north on Monday with a resolution mapping out plans on how to address the poverty and underdevelopment that the region is currently facing.

In a communiqué issued and read by the Chairman of the 19 Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, the chief exectives of the northern states said that they have resolved to join forces together to put an end to the insecurity ravaging the region, saying, “ the Forum resolved to collectively tackle the issue of insecurity as one entity”.

Shettima explained that “although there are pockets of challenges in some parts of Northern Nigeria, the Forum wishes to put on record the efforts made by the Federal Government in curbing criminality in the polity, indeed the greatest of our appreciation goes to Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari”

He said that the President must be commended “for providing the necessary leadership to the Country to subdue Boko Haram insurgency and the drive to rid the Country of all forms of vices that bedevil our society”.

While also commending Kaduna Government for the action taken to arrest the crisis in Southern Kaduna, Shettima added, “We wish to commend the efforts of Kaduna State Governments for the prompt actions taken so for in arresting the situation”.

“The Forum also wish to extend its condolences to the Government and People of Borno State over the accidental bombing at Rann of Kala-Balge Local Government whereby several lDPs lost their lives and thanks all those who have commiserated with the families of the victims. Similarly, the Forum sympathizes with the families of victims in Southern Kaduna who lost their lives during the unfortunate incident and assured all and sundry that the crises will soon be a thing of the past, as Kaduna State Government is on top of the situation. The Forum noted that the crisis is being aggravated by the activities of some mischievous elements within the State and outside the region”.

“The Northern Governors in pursuance of the primary objective of securing lives and properties of citizens in their respective States as enshrined to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended found it expedient to convene a Joint Extra Ordinary Meeting with Chairmen of the Council of Emirs/Chiefs of the respective Northern States”.

Governor Shettima further stressed, “the meeting resolved to accept the recommendations of the Body of the Attorneys General of the 19 Northern States to domesticate the model penal code, the model Fiscal Responsibility Law and the model Administration of Criminal Justice Law through the necessary legislative actions and subject to the individual peculiarities of the State in order to ensure transparency, prudent management of public funds as well as smooth dispensation of criminal justice in the region”.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to address the problems beddevelling Northern economy, he said that “ the management of NNDC presented the progress report of its activities with a detailed report on the 5 year Development Plan which seeks to transform the Company’s fortunes”.

“The Forum considered the progress report presented by the management of NNDC, noted the cornpany’s achievements in the Oil and Gas Sectors, its partnership with Savannah Petroleum in the exploration of Oil at the Chad Basin, the effort of the company towards resuscitation of Kaduna Textiles Limited, establishment of a financial institution, exploration of solar power as an alternative source of energy, as well as solid minerals”.

“The management of NNDC should evolve a comprehensive Business Plan and present to the Forum at the April, 2017 meeting; the Governors of Kaduna and Sokoto States should lead in the discussion on power and financial institution respectively and report progress at the next meeting; The Committee that undertook the Study of New Nigeria Newspapers Company Limited (NNNC) made their submission and the Forum resolved. It further resolved to restructure the company to a modern media outfit”.

Shettima also said: “ the Forum was briefed on the achievements of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation which includes, Free Medical and Scholarship Programmes, Vocational Training of about 2,700 youths in the North. The meeting expressed appreciation to the Foundation and noted the need to synergize the activities of similar organizations of Northern origin like Arewa Consultative Forum/Northern Elders Forum with the Foundation in order to achieve a common purpose”.