Jang, Yuguda, 7 Others Shun Northern Govs Meeting,While Gov Gabriel Suswam Returns After Leaving The Forum.

Bauchi State governors Alhaji Isa Yuguda, his Plateau State counterpart David Jonah Jang and seven others yesterday stayed away from the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) meeting held in Kaduna.

Governors Umar Garba (Taraba), Umaru Tanko Almakura (Nasarawa), Abdul’aziz Abubakar (Zamfara), Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe) were also not present at the meeting the lasted for over five hours.

Though the reasons for their absence were not known to journalists, LEADERSHIP gathered that the reason for the absence of the duo of Isa Yuguda and Jonah Jang may not be unconnected to the crises rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

Only governors Muhktar Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Usman Dakingari (Kebbi) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano).

The governor, who spoke in Kaduna while declaring the meeting of the Forum open, told the federal government to be more serious about the war against insecurity.

Speaking on the clashes between Fulani herdsmen and famers, the NSGF chairman said the meeting would also look at the issue with the hope of finding a lasting solution.

He said: “We must make converted efforts together. Many of us are beginning to think that we even need to settle nomadic people in our states. Many countries have had this similar nomadic movement of cattle but they have been able to settle them, some of them over 100 years ago, and we should begin to think in that direction.

“We must begin also to protect those who rear cattle and livestock generally because of what we notice is happening all over the northern part; cattle rustling has become an issue.”

On education, he spoke on the need to streamline the almajiri system.

“We need a concerted effort and coordinated effort on the transformation of the almajirai system of education in northern Nigeria. I think the time has come when we must say the proper integration beyond just building primary schools and schools generally, but to find a way of integrating them properly through, so that in the next five years at least that system will have been properly integrated in our system,” he added.

Presenting the communique of the meeting, Governor Aliyu said that resolving the insecurity in the North East should be seen as a national priority and appealed to the federal government to implement all past reports on security challenges in the country.

The communiqué of the meeting which was signed by its Chairman Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu also appealed to the Federal Government on the need to provide urgent and adequate funds to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States afflicted with insurgencies in order to properly address related issues.

The communiqué reads in parts; “concerted efforts be put in place by all member states to further ameliorate the fast growing security challenges being pose by cattle rustlers/rearers and the proliferation of Armed Banditry in most parts of the Northern States, furthermore, the forum called on the Federal Government to consider national policy to settle Nomads and providing adequate Grazing Reserves and cattle routes.”

The forum also called on the Federal Government to secure the country’s porous borders by restricting trans-border movements especially in the North-East States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

On the national conference, the forum resolved to nominate the best brains from the north with a united Agenda to represent it at the forthcoming National Conference.
The forum also frowned at the continuous collection of multiple taxations on Agric produce and cattle’s being imposed by various states on the Highways, and called on such states to obey the High Country judgment on taxes on Agric produce on high ways, while commending the efforts of Kano State Government towards banning the almajiri activities on the streets and encouraged other states to follow suit.

On the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, the forum directed the Foundation to establish improved communication and relationship with the offices and secretaries to the Governments in various States for effective and efficient discharge of its programs in member states, and to articulate tangible projects such as learning institutions in addition to its current efforts at social and intangible interventions that should be brought to the attention of the forum for support.

The forum expressed concern over the inability of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) to actualize the Mission and Vision for which it was established, noting that it must be refocused strategically to address critical issues affecting the North, particularly human capital deficit, economic regeneration and infrastructural deficit.

It therefore directed the investment committee of the Board to meet with the management of the company with a view to re-priotising the company’s proposed 5-year strategic plan.

On the Ombatse victims, the forum called on the Federal Government to adequately compensate the families of Security personnel who lost their lives in the ombatse crisis in Nasarawa state.

Source Leadership Newspapers.