JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja
Members of the North-West Caucus in the House of Representatives have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for signing the North-West Development Commission Bill into law saying that this has profoundly renewed the hopes of the people of the geopolitical zone in a better Nigeria.
The Caucus Leader Hon. Sada Soli at a press conference on Friday in Abuja on the signing of this Bill said that it comes on the heels of the recent policy decisions that underline President Tinubu’s fervent patriotism, and his determination to ensure that growth and development permeate every region of the country.
He noted that one recalls the recent Supreme Court ruling in support of local government autonomy which has been hailed by the Northern Governors Forum for its potential to energize development at the grassroots.
The House of Representatives North West Caucus members he said are particularly gratified with the signing of the North-West Development Commission Bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, in the effort to ginger the economic and social development of the geopolitical zone and restore parity to a people who for years were forced to watch as their lands were ravaged by the gratuitous violence of bandits and other miscreants.
The group expressed the hope that the Commission will cause the rebuilding of the ruined infrastructure, from roads, schools, health facilities and markets, to homes and places of worship, business premises and other social amenities.
The group further said that even more importantly, this Commission brings renewed hope to a geopolitical zone whose social fabric and mental well-being have been brutalized by a senseless violence that has been unabating and intractable.
The sporadic attacks have since escalated into a multidimensional crisis that has hampered agricultural activities and trade, and turned some of the most industrious and thriving communities in the geopolitical zone into ghost towns as people flee their homes and become refugees.
According to the lawmakers, this has manifestly impacted on the famous cross-border trade and flourishing agrobusiness between the geopolitical zone and neighboring countries.
“Most of our border constituencies, which were historically vibrant commercial centres, with massive large-scale farmers exporting produce to various parts of Africa, including Niger Republic, Mali, and Benin Republic, have since been abandoned by farmers, importers and exporters, due to this wanton violence. As a result, Internally Generated Revenues in these states have been negatively affected.
“Politically, in voting so overwhelmingly for President Tinubu in the last election, the North West geopolitical zone had hoped that the famous Asiwaju, who had shown himself to be a patriot of the first order and a man who believed in fairness and equity, would make policy decisions that will bring development to our states by rescuing them from the evils of banditry and cross border terrorism.
The lawmakers said that the commission is therefore a tremendous boost to the valiant efforts of the governors of the North West geopolitical zone and it has further justified their trust in President Tinubu’s commitment to help revamp this geopolitical zone and place it on a sound pedestal.
The group however, appealed to the President to intensify efforts in addressing the security challenges still prevalent in the geopolitical zone particularly, and other parts of the country at large.
It said that a broader security sector reform will enable our people to return to their normal lives, leading to positive changes in economic development and social order.
They thanked President Tinubu for his abiding efforts in leading this country through difficult times and to appeal to Nigerians to continue to give this government their unalloyed support.
The lawmakers further stated that it’s members and indeed other political, traditional and religious leaders in the North West geopolitical zone, do not support the scheduled nationwide protest planned by some elements to further disrupt the very delicate balance of the country right now.
They therefore urged peaceful and law-abiding people of the North West geopolitical zone, who have suffered enough disruption of their peace, not to join in this potentially destructive exercise, but rather to give governments at both the Federal and State levels more chance to look at the issues concerned.
They also thanked Deputy Senate President Sen.Jibrin Barau, House Speaker Rt.Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and indeed all members of the North-West Caucus in both chambers, including supporters across the country, for their contributions in seeing that this bill was passed and assented to as an act of parliament.
They added that the members of the caucus join voices with so many others in calling for similar commitment on the part of those who would be saddled with managing this Commission to ensure that they worked diligently to realize the goals of this bill and the promise it holds for the development of the North West geopolitical zone.
For a better society
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