22nd August, 2015
Northern Youths under the auspices of Arewa Defence League has urged Northern Governors to revamp the New Nigerian Development Company (NNDC) and its subsidiaries to hasten economic development in the region.
This is contained in a communiqué signed by its president, Mr Murtala Abubakar, and made available to NAN in Kaduna on Friday.
According to the communiqué, resuscitating the company owned by the 19 northern states has become necessary in view of its enormous economic impact in the lives of the people.
“We should be concerned that after 58 years of operations, the NNDC is performing epileptically when similar companies in the other parts of the country have grown into gigantic business conglomerates.
“If resuscitated, it will give a ray of hope to the electorate who expect nothing less but a turnaround in the economic fortunes of the north and Nigeria at large,” it said.
The youths equally called on the northern state governors to tackle corruption, unemployment and improve energy supply for industries in the region for inclusive growth.
It added that the youth have designed strategies to check the performance of public officers with a view to ensure transparency and accountability for good governance.
“A committee is being put in place to liaise with traditional rulers and other institutions to support the struggle towards good governance.
“The committee will also put in place a compendium of elected officers’ manifestos and campaign promises for periodic evaluation vis-à-vis actual performance,” said the communiqué.
Besides, the group called on the northern governors to intensify effort in giving agriculture a strong boost, saying “it is the economic main stay of the north”.
“Education and mineral resources development must also be given due attention,” it said.
NAN recalls that the Northern States’ Governors’ Forum (NSGF), under the Chairmanship of the immediate past Niger governor Babangida Aliyu, had advised NNDC to sell 49 per cent of its equity to the public.
The step was part of strategy to improve the company’s performance in order to survive.