Nation
Insecurity: Heed Counsel Of Statesmen, CNG Tells Buhari
Following the alarming insecurity in northern Nigeria, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the counsel of genuine statesmen instead of relying on those it called close-knit circle of family, friends and psychopaths.
They lamented that the North “has been abandoned at the mercy of a murderous insurgency, rampaging banditry, dare devil kidnappers and marauding rapists.”
These were contained in a letter to the President presented to Katsina State Governor, Hon Aminu Masari, when students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, were abducted.
According to the letter signed by BoT Chairman, Nastura Ashir Shariff, CNG said the millions of young people who followed the President with faith that his leadership will address their hopes and aspirations, have lost confidence in his ability or willingness.
The letter reads: ”It is worth recalling here that in 2015, Nigerian voters trusted you to lead our nation through and out of its limitations, into a future in which we will live secure lives and pursue livelihoods in a united Nigeria whose resources will be protected by leaders.
“The North in particular, voted you massively hoping for the possibility that we could look to a future without Boko Haram; that our young will get good education, acquire skills and get jobs; that corruption will be arrested, contained and eliminated. Unfortunately, five years afterwards, we regret to say that we celebrated what we presumed to be an end of poor governance and to leadership that run away from threats, much too early.
“Whereas the foundations of a nation are rooted in the perceptions of citizens that its leaders can address at least their minimal needs which are security, for us in the North today, policing lives and livelihoods of communities is now a major problem. We make bold to remind Your Excellency that with security, we can feed ourselves and feed the rest of Nigeria, but when, as is the case today, threats to lives limit productive capacities, people are killed and kidnapped, herds are stolen or limited by hostile and damaging political interests, cost of living generally become prohibitive, the entire Northern viability suffers.
“The prevailing scenario in the North today is such that the general population feel genuinely betrayed and abandoned at the mercy of a murderous insurgency, rampaging banditry, dare devil kidnappers and marauding rapists with no sign of political will and capacity by your government to challenge them.
“This informs the audacity with which school children of Kankara Science Secondary School in Katsina were abducted in hundreds right under your nose. Heightening the concerns that top administration officials drive pecuniary interests in the general and pervasive insecurity that has been going on ceaselessly across the country, especially all over the North. This is confirmed by the trend of mobilizing and arming non-state actors against any attempt to find solutions to the deadly security situation as happened to the Security Review Meeting planned by the CNG in Kaduna recently.
“While we respectfully remind you of your primary responsibility for the protection of citizen’s lives, we regret to note however, that the current structure of the national security is not in any way serving that purpose. At this point, we wish to call your attention to the reality that the millions of young people who followed your campaign trails, pledging to you their unquestioning support and loyalty with full faith that your leadership will address their hopes and aspirations, have today lost confidence in your ability or willingness.
“Northerners today wonder how it has become possible to quickly forget the picture of hundreds of thousands who turned up in Maiduguri defying the threats of bombs and bullets, to register their faith and support for you; to forget adolescents and children who defied parents and security agents to catch a glimpse of a Buhari they had been brought up to believe had the solution to Nigeria’s problems. We conclude by reminding you that every leader shall ultimately be called by posterity to account for the manner he discharged the responsibility and trust saddled on him.
“In this regard we call your attention to the general feeling that neither you nor any official of your government is particularly having the slightest concern over the theft of the Katsina children and it will take much more than talking from the confines of the Villa to reclaim that lost public confidence.
“It is our hope that Your Excellency would begin to give listening ear more to the public and heed counsel from genuine statesmen and not concentrating attention to a handful of aides and close-knit circle of family, friends and psychopaths.
“Meanwhile Sir, we restate here that our willingness and commitment to sustain the struggle for a peaceful Northern Nigeria in the context of a nation that operates unencumbered by problems it should not live under will be sustained even in the face of severe challenges.”
An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre is set to be established in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The initiative is being championed by the Omoku People’s Forum, a global association of Omoku elites, under the leadership of its President-General, Dr. George Ada Ubah.
As part of efforts to ensure the successful execution of the project, a prominent son of Omoku, Chief (Barr.) Dennis Masi, has been appointed by the Forum as the Chairman of the ICT Centre Project Committee, entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating and driving the initiative to fruition. Upon completion, the ICT Centre is expected to serve as a major hub for the training and empowerment of youths in digital and technological skills, equipping them to actively participate in the increasingly technology-driven global environment.
The project is also widely regarded as a significant step towards positioning Omoku as an emerging ICT hub within Rivers State, fostering innovation, digital literacy, and economic development in the region.
Concerned Rivers Chiefs For Peace And Development has said it formation was not politically motivated or has any links to political parties or candidates.
The group which said this at a media briefing at Abuloma in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area said it’s formation has nothing to do with politics.
According to the text for the briefing jointly signed by Chief Boma Kele Oyika it’s chairman and Chief Inemo T Ikama Deputy Secretary General said the organization is expected to focus on conflict Resolution, community engagement, collaboration with government and private sector actors
‘it mandate also includes promoting peace building initiative, supporting local economic empowerment programms and strengthening traditional institutions in our state and beyond as partners in governance ”
It said the body is led by a team of respected traditional leaders serving as trustees
“Their collective leadership reflects a blend of experience cultural authority and grassroots connection
“Key elements considered vital for addressing long standing,socio economic and security challenges in the region”
The release further says ” the formation of this organization comes at a time when communities in Rivers state continue to navigate between issues ranging from youth unemployment, environmental concerns and intermittent conflicts amongst the traditional rulers and beyond
“By bringing together influential traditional figures under a unified platform, the group aims at serving as stabilizing force while advocating for inclusive development policies ” it said
It also described its emergence as a new chapter in grass roots leadership and regional development
Earlier, chairman of the body, Chief Boma Kele Oyika said the organization will work with relevant authorities to promote peaceful coexistence in the state, reduce crime and promote economic development.
He said it is open to all Chiefs from the 23 local government areas.
The Chairman of The Nigeria Delta Chamber of Commerce, Trade, Mines and Agriculture NDCCTMA,Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) Dr Samuel Ogbuku have challenged Niger Delta entrepreneurs to close the gap in Gross Demostic Products (GDP) differences between the region and that of the South Western part of the country by coming home to invest.
The two leaders spoke at a business round table organized by NDDCTMA in Port Harcourt
Chairman of NDDCTMA Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan, said to close the gap between the south west region which he said has a GDP seize of about #59 trillion and that of the Niger Delta which is about #34 trillion was to massively invest in the region.
He said no other persons can do this except sons and daughters from the region.
“For me I believe in statistics,I believe in data and everyday I looked at the data concerning development in Nigeria and from the GDP point of view, the South West has #59 trillion, that is the seize of the south west region economy, the second region following them is the Niger Delta region with GDP seize of #34 trillion,so there is a yearning gap of #25 trillion that separates the south west and the Niger Delta region, that is why we are here”
Ogan said the region has the capacity to close the gap and even surpassed it but regretted that indigenes of the region have chosen to ignore it in terms of investment.
“We need to close that gap .If we close that gap and even surpassed it,all the negative problems of militancy and unemployment will automatically erase “he said
Ogan said the event was organized to remind the people that past efforts of militancy and agitations have not led the region to any where
“That is why we are gathered here in this room “he said.
Also speaking Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission( NDDC) Dr Samuel Ogbuku urged indigenes of the region not to use the problem of insecurity as an excuse to continue to deny the region of investment as every part of the country have in one time or the other experienced crisis.
Ogbuku said most indigenes have displayed high level of unpatriotism towards the region by taking investments that would have benefited the people to either Lagos or Abuja.
“With little threat we have left the city,we have gone to Lagos,we have moved our families to Abuja and Lagos
“If you go round GRA all the property, you will see,”to let to let”most of them are now empty “he said.
The NDDC MD said despite the fact that people from the region are doing well in the oil and gas, banking and other sectors, its impact are not being felt at home because they are stationed outside the region.
He said time has come for potential investors from the region to have a change of heart by coming home to invest.
John Bibor