The well-attended NEC meeting, chaired by Mike Mamman Osman (SAN), added that NEC unequivocally supports Nigerian security agents in their determined efforts to rid the country of criminality, insecurity, and instability and pray that they very soon enough prevail over insurgents, terrorists, and bandits.
In the communique issued at the end of the NEC meeting and read to journalists by its national publicity secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF argued that the removal of subsidies from petroleum products, floating of the Naira, and astronomical hike in the cost of poorly supplied electricity were responsible for the hardship facing Nigerians.
While it also noted that there are widening regional disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, health public, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, and living conditions, ACF called for urgent action and definitive attention, by the government at all levels, to confront a rapid decline in living conditions of Nigerians.
The communique reads that; “The National Executive Committee of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) rose from a well-attended meeting Tuesday, 21st May 2024; preceded by a meeting of the organizations National Working Committee (NWC) which earlier held on Monday, 20th May 2024.
“The Meeting undertook a comprehensive review of ACFs activities, programs, projects, finances, state chapters of ACF and miscellaneous related issues as well as take a general look at the state of the nation and polity.
“Arising from the meeting, NEC noted with satisfaction the unfolding image of a rejuvenated ACF, under a new leadership, that is steadily re-inserting and re-asserting itself as a credible, active, responsive and visible pan-Northern political but non-partisan, pan-ethnic non-religious organization, dedicated to articulating and defending the interests of the peoples of the Northern states of Nigeria, through consultation, research, and advocacy.
“On the national front, and specifically applicable to the Northern states, NEC notes that the times continue to be tough and challenging for the average citizen who is daily confronted with runaway inflation, unemployment, and rapid deterioration in standards of living, all in the face of incidents of insurgency, terrorism, and banditry, etc. These problems have remained dire, acute (or even chronic in some places) in the North in particular.
“The immediate causes of the problems have been policies put in place by the government over the past months, including but not confined to removal of subsidies from the prices of petroleum products, floating of the Naira, and astronomical hike in the cost of poorly supplied electricity, increasing tariffs and taxes against the seemingly insensitive profligacy in spendings by public officials, to list a few.
“NEC acknowledges the efforts of the Federal, state, and, to a little extent, local governments have been making efforts to tackle the problems identified above. However, overall, it is undeniable, perhaps due to the quantum and widening dimension of the problems, that public policy response to the problems remains weak and ineffective at best.
“NEC noted with grave concern, regrets, and decries the continuing, deterioration or escalation in the spate of insecurity-related incidents in all three (3) geo-political zones under which the northern states are grouped. These problems reflect the region’s cascading political, social, and economic challenges.
“NEC reiterates ACF earlier expressed the position that the emergent protracted dimension of these problems, if untamed, are harbingers of citizens’ discontent, and social chaos.
“Equally worrisome to NEC is the widening regional disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, health public, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, living conditions, etc.
“Governments must move to curb such disparities to ensure that Nigeria does not become two-states-in-one. Factors that unify, rather than divide citizens along any lines, should attract the attention of all concerned, government and citizens alike.
“As it has severally reiterated in recent public outings, ACF calls for urgent action and definitive attention, by the government at all levels, to confront the rapid decline in living conditions of citizens.
“The imposition of new taxes and levies is becoming increasingly too burdensome for ordinary Nigerians. The need for a rollout of public policy programs and projects aimed at addressing low purchasing power challenges is indicated.
“ACF calls on citizens to rally around government and offer prayers for God Almighty’s intervention in our various tribulations such as will translate into a new, prosperous Nigeria where justice, equity, love, righteousness, and hope emerge to replace the current despair and hopelessness.
“To inspire the spirit of needed sacrifices by citizens, NEC calls on public functionaries to shun profligacy and recklessness in spending public funds.
“As always, NEC unequivocally supports Nigerian security agents in their determined efforts to rid the country of criminality, insecurity, and instability and pray that they very soon prevail over insurgents, terrorists, and bandits. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the ACF said.
