It is a known fact that the activities of the insurgents in Nigeria since 2009 has greatly destroyed the economic activities of the North East, this unfortunate activities, has led to the massive displacement of people and their means of livelihood, torture of persons, and absolute violation of human rights. So far, the heinous activities of the insurgents has led to the creation of Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camps in many states of the country.
Taken into cognizance of the deprivation, pain, agony, torture and all sorts of devastation being experienced by the people in the North East zone, there is the need for a methodical and we’ll planned rescue programme of action aimed at rebuilding the extensive destruction that occur in that zone. This can be done proactively and speedily through the creation of ministry of North East. The government has a lot to gain by the creation of a ministry specifically for the North East, which is akin to that of Niger Delta ministry. It will tremendously leverage on the resources that abound in the zone and work out modalities for harnessing such resources for the economic development of the zone and the country at large.
The creation of a specific ministry for the North East zone will greatly motivate the traditional rulers, community leaders and the people of the zone to give their full support to the security agencies currently operating in the area to ensure speedy return of peace and normalcy in the zone.
It is so obvious that the key challenges obstructing the economic transformation of the zone, are the activities of the insurgents, extreme poverty, inadequate and weak infrastructure, rapid desertification, among others.
Thus, the creation of a ministry to pilot the affairs of the North East zone, will pave way for the zone to meaningfully open its investment potential doors more wider so that untapped resources will have enhanced prospects of been significantly noticed and explored for the benefit of the people in the area and the country at large.
The creation of such ministry will usher in a new solid paradigm of handling major issues in the zone, for example, the ministry if created, will go into synergy with governors of the zone to establish strategies of revamping the agricultural master plan, this will create massive job openings for the teeming jobless youths in the zone.
By extension, it will also ensure that policies aimed at providing jobs for the youths are earnestly pursued, policies such as the establishment of vocational training and skills acquisition centre’s in all the local government headquarters in the North East States. such skills acquisition programme will help create skilled persons in rural and urban areas, who would in turn become not only self – employed, but also create employment for others, thereby creating wealth, reduction in poverty rate and crime in the zone.
These are the essentials for the creation of a ministry of North East, and the people strongly believe that it will positively change the fortunes of this fertile, unique and indeed blessed zone. The people are anxiously waiting for the realization of this noble goal. Will the government passionately hearken to the yearnings of the people? Time will tell.
– Nazif is the senator representing Bauchi North in the National assembly He wrote in from Abuja.