The Executive Director Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Socially Development Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi has called on the Governors of the North West geopolitical zone to redouble commitment in accelerating the development of the zone through education, wealth creation and social amenities that will impact the lives of the people.
The leader of the group also argued that the region has all it takes to end the excesses of armed bandits only if its Governor can focus on home-base solution not regional and international security summit that produces no result to ending the killing and brutality on the people of the region.
Wamban Shinkafi who canvass the argument in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja on Thursday stated that the region based on record has the highest number of registered voters and produced three democratically elected presidents – Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and General Muhammadu Buhari. It also produced three military heads of state—General Murtala Mohammed, General Muhammadu Buhari and General Sani Abacha.
He also stated that the region has produced the highest number of Inspector Generals of Police – MD Yusuf, Ibrahim Commasie, Hafiz Ringim, MD Abubakar and Suleiman Abba.
He also recalled that three national security advisers inclusive of It produced National Security Advisers – Umar Shinkafi, Samaila Gwarzo and General Ali Mohammed Gusau.
This according to him is an addition to various number of senior military officers including Chiefs of Army Staff, Chiefs of Defense Staff, Air Vice Marshalls, Air Marshalls and other senior paramilitary officers.
As for the rank of Defense Ministers the group argued that the region has equally produced the highest number of Ministers of Defense since return to civil rule in 1999 citing the likes of General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau, General Bashir Saluhi Magashi, General Mansur Danali, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Hon. Dr Bello Matawalle, the incumbent Minister of State for Defence.
The group expressed regret that despite these personalities of highest repute, the region of the North-West has been left behind and grossly underdeveloped, especially in the area education.
The group argued “zone has the largest number of out of school children and the highest number of Almajiris, poorly equipped schools, hospitals, bad roads etc”.
The group also argued that agriculture which is the mainstream of the region has also been neglected despite abundant, adding that lack of political will to engage in large-scale farming became responsible for the economic crises in the region.
The group also argued that, even though the region has abundant solid minerals including gold, copper, rhodium, gemstones, kaolin, berates and lithium noting as sad that there is no political will by the leaders of the region to develop these mineral resources since the discovery of oil.
