From Mathew Jwantu,
Minna
Critical Stakeholders in Niger State have sent a ‘Save Our Souls’ (SOS) to the federal government to stop all forms of banditry and kidnapping that have made life unbearable for the people of the State..
The appeal was made at a a critical stakeholders meeting Thursday at the instance of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Zubairu Dada, acting on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to all federal cabinet members.
The stakeholders’ meeting was held in at the main auditorium of the Government House with the Deputy Governor Ahmed Mohammed Ketso presiding on behalf of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.
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In a communiqué issued after the meeting, it was resolved that: “The federal government should as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency on federal roads in Niger State.
The meeting believed that the high rate of insecurity in the state has made the youths jobless which could lead them to embarking on illegal actions.
A resolution taken at the end of the meeting also tasked the federal government to fix all federal roads traversing the state which are in the worst state of disrepair making movement through the state a herculean task.
They also decried the epileptic power supply by the Abuja Electricity Development Company (AEDC) in the state which has led to small, medium and large scale enterprises closing down in most parts of the state and consequently throwing able bodied men and women especially youths into an already saturated labour market.
According to the stakeholders, “There is the need for federal government to without further delay investigate the N36 billion Baro Port dredging project for accountability in government transactions.”
On HYPPADEC, they called on President Buhari “to do the needful by appointing those that would take charge of the commission six years after assenting to the bill”.
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Earlier, the Niger State Governor, Bello, in a message to the meeting, said the town hall meeting was to identify and proffer solutions to the problems facing the state.
Bello, represented by his Deputy, Ketso, appealed to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dada, to convey their resolution to President Buhari “for prompt action”.
Dada reaffirmed the commitment of the federal government to tackle all problems bedevilling the country but called for support and understanding of Nigerians for the government to succeed.
Youth leader Shariff Bello while making his contribution at the meeting, described that Baro-Port recently commissioned by President Mohammadu Buhari as a scamp.
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He said if the Baro port fully commence in earnest, it is suppose to give reasonable number of youths jobs and that will take the off the street.
Other critical stakeholders at the meeting included the senator representing Niger North Senatorial zone, Sabi Abdullahi, members of the state House of Assembly, commissioners and some traditional rulers as well as Religious leaders.