The socio-cultural mouthpiece of the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has applauded President Bola Tinubu for signing the bill on the Northwest Development Commission (NWDC) into law.
This was contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Professor Tukur Muhammad Baba which was made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday.
The statement noted that “It is very warm hearts that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) welcomes the recent signing into law of the Bill establishing the Northwest Development Commission into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“It is confident that this law marks a new watershed in what will surely be a new lease of life for the people of the geopolitical zone, ACF extends warm appreciation and gratitude to Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As well as the Deputy President of the 10th Senate of the Federation and indeed all who contributed to the enactment of the law also deserve our gratitude.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the seven states that together comprise this region, i.e. Kebbi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara, have been developmentally challenged.
“With an estimated total population of 49 million (or 28% of Nigeria’s total), 45.5 million (93%) remain in a state of multidimensional poverty, with an intensity ratio of 42.7%, as of 2022, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
“Thus, the Northwest remains at the very bottom of all Nigeria’s developmental indices and living conditions. The region continues to be devastated by insecurity, banditry and associated challenges, and indeed forming the ground zero of insecurity and terrorism.”
According to the statement, it remains to be said that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the new law will utilize the resources allocated to the Commission to make a visible impact on the lives of the people.
ACF also calls on state and local government area councils in collaboration with the federal authorities, the law marks a new vista in the socioeconomic and political development of the zone.
“All hands must be on deck, to see to it that the teeming and largely agrarian people of this area will have the dark clouds of underdevelopment removed from their environment in its totality. Once again, thanks to Mr President and all who ensured that this law sees the light of day. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
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