THE Northern Reform Organisation has urged President Bola Tinubu to use the anniversary of his first year in office as an opportunity to reflect and proffer solutions on a slow march to national development.
The northern elders group also call on Nigerian leaders to consider this period for powerful rumination on our match for peace, progress and development.
NRO in a statement signed by its Director, Publicity, Mahmoud Adnan Audi and Director, Research and Planning, Hamisi Isa Sharifai, said, “our development journey has been hampered by a lot of obstacles both homemade and foreign inspired. Our leaders need to redouble their efforts in takling these obstacles so that we can join other nations in the pursuit of modern development.
See full statement below:
Press Release
ONE YEAR ANNWASARY OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU (GCFR)
The Northern Reform Orgarization (NRO) congratulates President Bola Ahm€d Tinubu (GCFR) on his one year anniversary as the President and Commander in Chief, Federal Republic ofNigeria.
We also extend our felicitations to elected Governors, Senators, Mernbers of the House of Representatives and Members of State Assemblies. We also congratulate Nigerians for witnessing another 29th May Celebrations for return to Civil Rule’.
We in the NRO call on Nigerian leaders to consider this period for powerful rumination on our match for peace, progress and development. It is time to make sober reflection on our rather slow match to national development.
Our development journey has been hampered by a lot of obstacles both homemade and foreign inspired. Our leaders need to redouble their efforts in takling these obstacles so that we can join other nations in the pursuit of modern development.
Looking at the condition of our part ofNigeria, which is the North, it is sad to see that it is littered with so many uncompleled projects, unfulfilled promises and dashed hopes- Our representatives at Federal Executive Council, Senate, National and State Assemblies must *uk” up to their responsibilities to see atl projects sited in the North are carried out to their logical conclusions.
Projects like River Niger dredging which was conceived in the 1950s is still on its Snail Course. Northern leaJers at alt livels must work together to make sure the Project is completed, af;ter afi 7A years is more than enough time for important project like this. The same with Ajaokuta Steal Project, which was started in 9179 and u still laying in partial fulfillment.
The discovery of over one billion barrels of oil in Kolmani River II well in Bauchi-Gombe axis has broken the jinx regarding oil exploration and discovery in the North. The NNPC and their partners in tfre Projecg NNOC and Sterling Global Oil, are now silent regarding the commercial activity on the Project.
This should not be allowed to continue. What more, other areas should also be explored for more discoveries of crude oil, gas and other mineral resources.
There is also the Mambila Hydropower Project which for more than 40 years is bedeviled by so many problems hampering its progress and completion. Our political leaders should p.rt utt difierences aside and pursue this extremely important project. Other infrastructural project are also crying for attention.
For instance; the Kaduna-Kano-Maradi Rail Project which the Minister of Transport was reported to have commended the contractors for attaining 80 per cent of earth work and bush clearance, but other sectors of th3 project, like the coriponint linking Kano to Dutse is yet to start. Similarly none of the frve (5) maintenance workshops and yards is on ground. All the same, stakeholders should tighten their belts to see that the project is delivered on schedule.
Like the Rail line project, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline is also another very important project which will bring compressed natural gas to big companies as well as residential users in the North. Work on the project started in the year 2020 and it was scheduled to be inaugurated in 2023,but up to now it is still ongoing.
Our Road infrastructure is also in a state of disrepair. There is need to complete other on- going road projects like Maiduguri-Kano Road, Abuja-Kano Road, Kano-Katsina Road, Lagos-Ilorin-Kaduna Road and other Road Projects in the North.
Finally we call on authorities to take proactive measures and bring to an end the crippling insurgency problem which is hurting the North terribly, Curtaiting Boko Haram, dealing with irsurgents and Kidnappers is one ofthe biggest problem confronting the North today. Leaders must do everything possible to end this menace once and for all.
May God in His infinite Mercy come to our aid in changing the current negative trend in the Norlh and the Country in general.
Long live the Federal Republic ofNigeria.
Signed:
Mahmoud Adnan Audi, Director, Publicity.
Hamisi Isa Sharifai, Director, Research and Planning.