The Northern States Governors Forum held an emergency meeting on Thursday in Kaduna to address the scourge of insecurity, farmer-herder clashes especially proper livestock management and almajiri and child destitution.
Addressing the Northern Governors at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House Kaduna, NSGF Chairman, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state, who listed the challenges facing the region as poverty, illiteracy, insecurity, and economic opportunities, said that the meeting will receive report on the resuscitation of New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) and commission the new NNDC shopping mall.
“During our last meeting, we deliberated extensively on many issues, particularly the nature of the insecurity currently bedeviling our region and how to deal with the situation.We consequently set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state, to inter-alia develop a comprehensive regional plan of action that could bring lasting solutions to the lingering crises.
“At this meeting, we shall receive briefing from this committee and also deliberate on their findings and recommendations.
“Another major issue we shall also deliberate on is the issue of livestock management in the country and in particular our region, which has continued to generate discourse, controversy, mis-information and even politicization. You are aware of the many attempts to find lasting solutions to the incessant Farmer-Harder clashes, cattle rustling and associated criminalities such as banditry, kidnapping among others.
“At this meeting, we shall deliberate on the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), which was commissioned by the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and seeks to support and strengthen the development of market-driven ranches in the livestock ecosystem for improved productivity through breed improvement, pasture production, efficient land and water utilization.
“As a region that holds the comparative advantage in livestock management as an economic and socio-cultural vocation, we need to come up with a common front on how to synergize and draw from the funds available for the programme and ensure that we derive maximum benefits for our people. We shall develop strategies on how best to deal with the misinformation about the NLTF, which is sometimes confused with the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) project.
“This is important because of the urgent need to cultivate the buy-in of all stakeholders and provide a conducive environment for nomadic herders and those who rear livestock using the private/public partnership model to key into the National Livestock Transformation Plan of the Federal Government.
“We shall commission the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) Shopping Mall which was awarded in 2014 with the aim of consolidating the investment portfolio of the Company and promoting its mission of advancing the commercial and industrial development of our region.
“You will recall that we set up a committee under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar to study the current structure, mission and vision of the company and come up with a road map on how best to resuscitate and re-invigorate the Company. We also have to continue our discourse on how to solve the Almajiri phenomenon which continues to be a social and security challenge that we cannot, but find solutions to.”
The governors are expected to come up with a communique at end of the meeting.
