The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has asked President Bola Tinubu to review his economic reforms and give it the need human face.
The forum stated this in a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Kaduna.
The forum expressed displeasure over continuing improverishment of the masses due to the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.
The meeting noted in particular that Northerners remain at great disadvantage, being already relatively worse off economically, compared to other parts of Nigeria.
The communique signed by Tukur Muhammad-Baba, spokesperson of the forum said, “Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities.
“The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; 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 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.
“Succinctly stated, economic reforms while indeed desirable, should not impoverish the same people that they are meant to serve;
the people may not be alive to reap the putative benefits”.
The forum therefore, called on President Tinubu “to review, reassess, reevaluate and re-order the direction of his economic policies with a view to giving it the needed human face”.
The communique also called on governors of the Northern States to adopt a strong, coordinated approach to policy planning and implementation of security, education, skills acquisition, agricultural production, health services, etc
The forum urged 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 ultimately benefit of the people”.
The communique called 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.
“The growing food crisis with every through short and long term measures, including imports where needs be but the ultimate solution is to achieve food self-sufficiency;
“People should take responsibility about 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”, the forum stated.
The communique observed that, “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.”
