The Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) has lauded President Bola Tinubu for making moves to get to the roots of the security crises in Plateau and Kaduna states, with the aim of preventing future occurrences.
The chairman of the forum and Gombe state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, who gave the kudos, speaking in Hausa language, on behalf of the body on Thursday, also thanked the President for providing support to survivors and victims of various crises.
Governor Yahaya, who gave the kudos while speaking to journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a meeting with President Tinubu, also appealed against interactions tending to create divisions among communities and neighbours, blaming the bloody clashes and needless killings on these divisions.
“In my capacity as the chainman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, I praise the steps taken by the President in order to get to the root of what happened in these two states and the pledge he made that the right action would be taken to prevent future occurrences of these incidents. Above all, I am thanking him for the support given to victims or survivors.”
Speaking specifically about the Plateau crisis, the governor said it is not a new thing, but there is a need for a review of the immediate and remote causes in order to find a lasting solution.
“Despite the fact that this matter has been there for a long, it is time for stakeholders to have a round table and tell each other the truth, and then take deliberate steps toward loving each other. Before now, the people were living in peace and going about their normal businesses.
“Some of the major issues that seem to allow the problem to persist include issues like farmer-herder clashes and the clamour for indigenes versus settlers, but the world over, if any society or country doesn’t welcome visitors, such a nation will not progress. After all, we here are one and the same family.
“Therefore, we are commiserating with those who lost their loved ones. There should be no reason why anyone should go and kill or take the life of a fellow human being since it is not a war situation.
“Reprisal attacks have not taken us anywhere, so what we need to concentrate on doing is to understand ourselves and know that we have leaders at all levels whom we can lodge our complaints with. We should imbibe the habit of loving one another and living in peace for the progress of all of us,” the Gombe state governor advised.
Commenting on the importance of agriculture to human development and attaining food sufficiency, the governor said there is a need for farmers to embrace modern techniques in order to boost their production.
“The way it is now, people have to understand that we must modernise. There is a need for machine tools; there is need for processing; and luckily, Gombe is among the states that have been approved to be part of the Special Agric Processing Zones.
“We have set up an industrial park where we can process all the raw materials or agricultural produce that we have in the state. I think if all states will key in work in tandem, and work with the federal government, we shall easily reach the desired destination for Nigeria,” he added.
Governor Yahaya also sought more collaboration between the federal and state governments in Nigeria, saying doing so would help a lot in achieving development in all sectors, thus bettering the lot of citizens.
“There were several engagements between us towards the end of 2023, particularly pertaining to healthcare, enabling business environment reforms, and many more. Without the economy picking up and doing well, we will continue to be where we are, or even worse.
“Collaboration of the states and the federal government—in fact, including the local governments—is very key and fundamental for us because if there is any disconnect, we may not deliver on what we have to do for the people,” he said.
The governor told journalists that he was in the State House to inform the Nigerian leader of the achievements the state has made under his leadership as governor.
He said the state government is ready to put more words into action in order to bring about faster development in the state known as the Jewel in the Savannah.