The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) says the region is worst hit by economic hardship.

Mohammed Yahaya, governor of Gombe state and chair of the NSGF, spoke on Monday in Kaduna when the forum met with Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff, and traditional rulers over insecurity, and power outages in the region.

“We must continue to work with the federal government and relevant agencies to provide the necessary support and relief to those affected”, Yahaya said.

“As we gather today, our collective resolve is being tested by the ongoing challenges that we face.

“These include but are not limited to terrorism, banditry, kidnap for ransom, farmer-herder clashes, drug abuse, the menace of Almajiri and out-of-school children, poverty and unemployment.”

Yahaya said the youths are becoming restive because of the economic hardship and worsening insecurity in the north.

He urged governors in the region to collaborate witn the federal government to ensure that fiscal policies are sensitive to current realities.

“The recent #EndBadGovernance protests that took place in August serve as a wake-up call for all northern leaders,” he said.

“Youth restiveness is a growing concern, driven by illiteracy, poverty, and lack of economic opportunities. Our young people are calling out for change and it is our responsibility to listen and act.

“We must scale up efforts to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness by investing in education, skills development and job creation.

“Let us focus on creating pathways for the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures, thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices.

“The economic hardship faced by many Nigerians today is undeniable and considering the north-south disparity in economic inequality, it is even more pronounced in northern Nigeria.

“This calls for urgent intervention. It is essential that we, as leaders, adopt measures to alleviate the suffering such as targeted social welfare programmes, support for small and medium enterprises, and policies that attract investment to our states.”

He lamented the electricity crisis in the region and urged the federal government to build additional transmission lines to improve power distribution.

“As we speak today, most of our Northern states are in darkness due to vandalisation of electricity transmission infrastructure,” Yahaya added.

“This not only underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure but also the need to build additional transmission lines and diversify our energy supply so as to better connect our region and improve our energy resilience.”

Yahaya said northern governors must adopt policies that promote environmental conservation, sustainable agricultural practices, and responsible resource management.

The governor noted that the north holds immense agricultural potential, which if fully harnessed, can significantly alleviate hunger and boost economic growth.

He said adequate support must be provided to farmers, including grants and loans, modern farming techniques, infrastructure, improved security and irrigation systems.

The NSGF chair asked his colleagues to prioritise industrialisation by reviving moribund factories such as textile and agro-allied industries.

The Cable