By Gambo Abubakar Kaduna
The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial foundation has organised a two Days Interactive session on Government -Cetizines Engagement, which in attendance with top federal government officials and political office holder’s.
The two days summit which recently held at Arewa house in Kaduna, advocated substantial investment in education to address the out of school children crisis in the North.
In a statement issued in a Communique by the Director General Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Engineer Abubakar Gambo Umar, at the end of the summit.
According to the communiqué however, explained that, “the problems of out of school and Almajiri in the Northern region had reached alarming proportion, hence the need for a proactive approach to tackle the situation.
The statement also stressed the need for regional collaboration among Northern States to drive greater interface with the federal government.
There is also the importance of strengthening agricultural value chains, livestock development and establishment of agro-allied industries for socio-economic diversifications.
The Communique further advised for continued support for economic and security reforms with inclusive community driven non kinetic approach.
The statement however calls for industrialised periodic Government-Cetizines dialogue platforms at the national and state levels, as the way forward for the country.
In his addressed the Chairman Arewa Consultative Forum Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Wazirin Dutse, Said “As the title of this programme indicates, its an interactive session between the delegation of senior leaders of the Bola Tinubu administration and the representatives of the key civil society organisations.
“Our biggest concern was and remains insecurity in Northern Nigeria.over the last decade, widespread violence, characterised by massacres, bombings, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other manifestations of conflict and insecurity has swept across North, crippling almost all productive economic activities.
the President needs to demonstrate to the Northern public that he is truly concerned with the raging conflict and is determined to bring it to an end.
The communiqué also noted that, Agriculture constitutes the backbone of Nigeria’s economy as it contributes some 40% of the GDP. Northern states provide over 75% of Nigeria’s landmass and own 95% of the livestock industry
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Agriculture remains one of the more neglected sectors in the economy, it is a cause for great concern to the North. the federal government’s allocation to agriculture in the last two years remains below 5% of the total budget. The target set by the FAO is at least 25%.
Federal budgetary allocation to agriculture and food security should be scaled up to at least 20% of total That way, the government could expand its support to farmers. Providing tractors and other mechanical equipment to farmers at subsidised prices.
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For example, this year’s federal budget on roads is N1.013 trillion. But of that, a mere N24 billion (or less than 1%) was allocated to projects in the Northeast.
