- In order to fully address the myriad of issues impeding development in the North, the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish a new Ministry of Northern Nigeria Development, similar to the Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs, according to New Telegraph reports.
The group President, Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, who spoke at a press conference in Kaduna State said the region needed a new ministry, to be called the “Ministry for Northern Nigeria,” because it was plagued by insecurity and other known problems.
Despite the region’s political advantage, Aliyu emphasised that it needs a stronger strategy to deal with the myriad of issues it faces.
He added that the creation of the Ministry will address the infrastructural deficits and challenges of decades of neglect.
He said, “Take for instance the North West, there are serious security breaches like banditry, kidnapping and rustling, in the North East, there’s the Boko Haram, and another related insurgency, while in the North Central, there are the herders/ farmers clashes.”
So why not create a ministry for Northern Nigeria Development like what we have in the South-South, where they have a ministry for Niger Delta with a senior minister.
“Despite the advantage of the region, in terms of politics, the mirage of problems confronting it deserves a better approach.
“The challenges of contemporary Northern Nigeria like in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, security, etc. have eaten into the fabric of our society, inflicting pain, suffering, and division on us, despite who is the head of government.
“We need to understand the nature of this political problem so that we can begin to develop much more leadership policies for the good of our Northern Society and people.
“The Northern Consensus Movement, haven critically evaluated the Socioeconomic challenges of the North, and we found it appropriate and made bold to demand the creation of the Ministry of Northern Nigeria.
“We have come to the conclusion that the creation of the Ministry will address the infrastructural deficits and challenges of decades of neglect.
“Once created, emphasis will be placed on specific project implementation, as in Education, Health, Security, Agriculture, Economy, Environment, Women and YoDevelopmentment on Skill acquisition activities Management, etc.”
