Leaders of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have called on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to review, reassess, reevaluate, and reorder the direction of its economic policies with a view to giving them the needed human face.

The leaders who held its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Kaduna, yesterday,  also frowned at what they called  the worsening security situation and the rising population of out-of-school children and called on governors of the Northern states to adopt a strong, coordinated approach to policy planning and implementation, particularly in the areas of security, education, skills acquisition, agricultural production and health services.

The meeting attended by delegates from states in Arewa as well as the Diaspora chapter and presided over by the NEC Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, stressed that the interests of the North will be best served by Northerners and called on the region to take responsibility for its fast-growing population.

     The communiqué signed by Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum read in part: “Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring challenging economic conditions, the policies of current Federal Government has continued to make matters much worse, with little indications of needed sensitivity to the precarious existential conditions of Arewa people,” it said.

“Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of the Arewa people, which has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government; such that people have started to ask what the purpose of government is! That those whose responsibility it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable. The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.

“Leadership selection appears flawed, which allows so many people without competence and/or experience to rise to positions of power and authority. This has to be addressed. There is also a tendency to base politics on personalities, not issues, and this has compounded the sorry state of affairs. Arewa must ask how this came to be and what can be done to redress the situation.

“Not enough can be said about the sorry state of education in Arewa, secular and religious. Statistics of out-of-school children, of which Arewa has an overwhelming proportion, are cogent pointers to the situation. A lot has been done, but the truth is, far more needs to be done such that it looks as if nothing is being done. Indeed, Arewa may well ask itself if the insufficiency and inadequacy of education are not directly correlated to the multitudes of problems bedeviling the region.

“Members expressed displeasure at the current and continuing impoverishment of the proverbial common men and women in the country due to the economic policies of the current administration. The meeting noted in particular that Arewa people remain at great disadvantage, being already relatively worse off economically compared to other parts of Nigeria.

“Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities. The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity, and its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now. Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaringly challenging economic conditions, the policies of the current Federal Government have continued to make matters much worse, with little indication of needed sensitivity to the precarious existential conditions of the Arewa people.

“Strongly calls on the governors of the Northern states to adopt a strong, coordinated approach to policy planning and implementation, particularly in the areas of security, education, skills acquisition, agricultural production, and health services.

“Calls on the Federal Government to be receptive to criticisms and suggestions, not only in line with the principles of democracy but also because they improve, not retard, the policy process for the ultimate benefit of the people.

“Calls on Northern elites, in all spheres of life, to take it upon themselves to counter negative narratives about the North and also imbibe the spirit of community service, individually and collectively. The interests of the North will be best served by Northerners.

“People should take responsibility for our fast-growing population. Public policy and the law should be adopted to achieve a balance.

“Poor electricity supply will continue to hamper efforts to ameliorate poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment in the region. These have to be addressed with utmost urgency.”

In his opening remarks at the meeting, the ACF Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, said the North should not blame President Bola Tinubu but its leaders over the poor socioeconomic state of the region.

He noted that though some of President Tinubu’s policies are unacceptable to the region, the bulk of the blame over underdevelopment of the North should go to its leaders.

He acknowledged a newly founded Northern group, which according to him, has some members of ACF as its new members, and advised that their well-thought out charities should begin at home in the North.

The Forum said it has also concluded plans to float ACF Radio station to constantly communicate to the people as well as speak to prospective benefactors and governments for the development and progress of the region.

“I do admit that some policies of the current administration are repugnant and adverse to our interests as a region. ACF believes that certain policies and behaviours of our own leaders within our region need some critical evaluation

“Have our parents, religious teachers and the elites initiated an orientation and public awareness that will educate our people on the need for self-defence and self-preservation? Illegal minings by foreigners aided by our own people exist in some states. What local strategies are on ground towards arresting this vice?

“It is not in doubt that the North is currently under siege. Our dear region is not only being viciously attacked by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers but by sinister devices like disproportionate considerations and inequitable treatments. Not long ago, I received an invitation from a new body called the League of Northern Democrats. Attached to the invitation were seven pages wherein were listed 260 names most of whom were former governors, senators and known great sons and daughters from the North. I have read the objectives of the League of Northern Democrats.

“I commend the conveners of the meeting. I respect and appreciate their objectives which I must say are not a deviation from that of ACF.

“Their cause is worthy. My view is that while they tinker with the overall political issues that threaten our survival in our region, this still remains an auspicious time to look inwards.

“To avoid being misunderstood, the progenitors of this brilliant concept should organise symposia where current travails that depress and make lives unbearable in our Region are stultifying education and economic growth.

“The new regenerated and rejuvenated ACF is resolved to serve our downtrodden brothers, sisters and parents who currently are on the receiving ends of evil men and women classified as bandits and murderers. We are also determined to ensure that they are respected and served.

“To that end, ACF must be their voice and the source of their confidence. It is in this vein that ACF has expanded its infrastructure to include an ACF Radio. We will through our ACF Radio constantly communicate not only with our people but also speak to prospective benefactors and governments.

“Since my investiture as Chairman of ACF on December 12, 2023, my colleagues and I in ACF have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the quality and in its new number of distinguished sons and daughters from the North,”  Osuman stated.