Eradicate Poverty, Diseases, Hunger From Our Land - Northern

from All Africa

Leadership (Abuja)

By Abdullahi Olesin
Ilorin

Speakers of the 19 Northern Houses of Assembly yesterday appealed to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to urgently address the pervasive poverty, hunger, illiteracy and diseases devastating the people of the North.

Chairman, Northern Speakers forum, Isa Ibrahim of the Kwara State House of Assembly, who made the call in Ilorin at the 13th conference of the forum, described as disheartening the collapse of major industries in the North.

He also called on the National Assembly 'to commence without delay the process of amendment of the constitution, assuring that "on our part as a forum we have pledged our readiness to work with the National Assembly on the amendment process".

According to him for the federal government to be able to attain the goals of 2020, and rescue the industrial sector, the presidency should as a matter of urgency address the issue of epileptic power supply in Nigeria

He expressed great concern over the rising wave of insecurity of lives and property, stressing that" a situation where it is no longer safe to transact business due to frequent bank raids highway and home robberies with their attendant high death tolls need the attention of Mr. President"

He encouraged northern governors "to as a matter of priority invests in agriculture, which, hitherto, had been the mainstay of our economy so as to reduce the over dependence on the oil revenue".

Governor Bukola Saraki, in his address while declaring the conference open, commended the founding fathers of the north for the unity of the north, and the forum for the initiative to keep the vision alive. ' I, therefore, charge you to ensure the sustenance of this vision for the benefit of the entire region" he stressed.

Governor Saraki who was represented by his deputy, Chief Joel Ogundeji also expressed the need for both the legislative and the executive arms "to work in harmonious and cordial relationship for the common good of both"

He further commended the forum "for the cordial relationship existing in your respective Houses of Assembly," stressing that "I need not remind you that it is only in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility that people can witness development."