From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A forum of young northern professionals and politicians as well as young religious leaders under the auspices of Unity in Diversity Forum (UDF) has called on government to deploy special elite force on major roads and highways across the northern part of the country to tackle insecurity in the region.
The forum also appealed to governments, at all levels, to give traditional rulers key roles to play in governance.
In a communique issued at the end of a one-day round table meeting, yesterday, in Abuja, the forum emphasised the need to clear bushes by, at least, one mile away from highways as part of efforts to curb insecurity across northern states.
The forum in the communique entitled: “Survive or surrender: The northern nexus,” jointly raised by Ismaeel Ahmed and Alice Asajie, also blamed the discriminatory practices for the endemic poverty in the North.
While lamenting the disenfranchisement of women in the North, the forum argued that the involvement of traditional rulers accessible to the grassroots would assist in tackling the security and socio-economic challenges in the country.
It called for reform in the election at the local government level, stressing the need for more inclusion of women in politics since their voices give national discussion an equilibrium.
“There is a need to massively advocate education and using instruments such as governors’ forum and other influential bodies to push this agenda.
“The North has vast arable land which means agriculture drives our economy so the nexus should be formed between provision of infrastructure and the economic value so that instead of giving waivers to business men, they are compelled to provide a social infrastructure that their businesses take advantage of.
“There is a serious challenge about national and regional identity where we are classified based on religion and/or ethnicity which has caused division among northerners.
“A northerner is identified by his state of origin than his state of residence where he/she is more socio-economically active.
“There is a breakdown of and weakening of institutions that handle security, economy, education and infrastructure there is absence of governance at the local government level and the traditional rulers are weakened.
“There is a need to massively advocate education and using instruments such as governors forum and other influential bodies to push the agenda,” the forum noted in the communique.
