By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) under the Chairmanship of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State have resolved to scale up efforts to address youths restiveness following the end bad governance protest that shook most parts of the country in August.
They resolved to particularly invest in education, skills development, job creation and other pathways for the youths to channel their energy into productive ventures in their various States.
This was part of a Communiqué issued Monday evening at the end of a joint meeting of the Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council held in Kaduna.
The brief meeting which also had in attendance the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, deliberated extensively on the bedeviling security challenges in the region and other matters of common interest.
The Forum believes that if concerted efforts are channelled towards the youths, it will go a long way in reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices.
It agreed to support and key-in to any initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of out-of-school-children and improving educational outcomes in the sub-region.
On the present economic hardship affecting the Country, the Forum appealled to all citizens to remain calm, as the States and Federal Government are working hard to implement measures that will cushion effects of the hardship.
The Forum emphasised that Traditional Institutions are critical in the quest for lasting peace and security in the region, acknowledging their commitment in bridging the gap between the Government and the people.
It advocated for increased roles for the Traditional Institutions to maximize cooperation with security agencies in the fight against kidnap for ransom, banditry, cattle rustling, communal clashes, farmers/herder clashes and other forms of criminality.
While acknowledging the recent gains made against criminals, especially the elimination of bandits and terror leaders, the Forum resolved to sustain these gains in order to ensure lasting peace and stability in the sub-region.
It commended the Federal Government and security agencies for their commitment in ensuring that its communities are safe and secure.
Part of the Communiqué stated thus: “Particularly we commend the untiring commitment of the Chief of Defence Staff General C. J. Musa whose professionalism and innovative approach has made difference in security architecture of the Country at large. Nevertheless more need to be done to address pockets of challenges that abound in the Northern Region”, it appealed.
Earlier at the opening ceremony before the meeting went into a closed door session, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who led the traditional rulers, emphasized the critical role of traditional institutions in promoting peace and stability in the region.
He highlighted the need for honest discussions about the root causes of insecurity, including poverty and unemployment, calling for decisive actions from political leaders to address these issues effectively.
Sultan Saad commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya, Chairman of the Forum for constantly engaging with stakeholders across multiple sectors and galvanising his colleagues towards implementing actionable strategies towards addressing the region’s numerous challenges.
