From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Northern mouthpiece, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday, lashed northern governors, saying they have over the years refused to address the negative socio-economic situation youths from the zone were going through which had pushed most of them into criminality.
ACF said the situation has rendered the youths a time bomb, which if urgent steps are not taken to address, would explode any given moment.
ACF Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Shehu Malami, in an address at the second meeting of the board in Kaduna, tasked the northern governors to industrialise the region and establish financial institutions to facilitate employment and development.
The BoT chairman also lamented over dwindling economic fortunes of the country, saying its negative effects is more pronounced in the North than any part of the country.
He, however, blamed the bad economy on ineffective and inefficient monetary policies of the government which led to the current, “hyper-inflationary trends stiffing the economic and industrial growths and well-being of our people. It appears that our leadership in the North is yet to understand and appreciate the bad situation of our youths. They are a time bomb which can explode at any given moment.
“It is utterly injurious and catastrophic to delay any action to salvage them from lethargy, drugs and substance abuse and despondency, banditry and many more vices we can think of. No sensible being will be happy to rely on any form of palliative. Every average person wants to earn his living.
“Our leaders must show enough seriousness on the future welbeing of the youths. They must find the way and means to encourage them in productive activities.
“As critical stakeholders, it behooves on us to conscientiously address our state governments in the North to take decisive actions towards industrialising the region.
“Northern governors and persons of means should be in a position to establish banking and other financial institutions to facilitate growth and development.
“Solid minerals and other resources abound in every state of our region which should be tapped as a matter of priority and urgency for our collective good.”
Malami regretted that despite ACF’s concern to ensure security of the people and the nation,
“Boko Haram insurgency, Fulani wanton killings and kidnappings, herders/farmers face off, and other insurgent group masquerading as the Fulani, have continue to pose a more security challenges to the government and citizens, particularly in the North.”
The BoT chairman also took a critical look at various agitations for restructuring and the demands for the separation of the country as well as resource control, saying: “While we do not harbour any fears for all these gimmicks, we must seriously be on our guard to stem any untoward moves from any group on our region. We need proper preparation even if dialogue is preferred against any form of physical confrontation.”