Nigeria showing signs of failed state — Northern governors
By Segun Olatunji, Kaduna, Published: Friday, 26 Mar 2010



The governors of the 19 Northern states on Thursday in Kaduna expressed worry that Nigeria was exhibiting the characteristics of a failed state.

The Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, said this while delivering his address at the regular meeting of the forum at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna.

The NGF said it was regrettable that almost 50 years after independence, Nigeria was still witnessing the kind of self-inflicted carnage as experienced in Plateau State and elsewhere in the country.

He said these unfortunate incidents were happening when developing nations such as India and Brazil were manufacturing aircraft and automobiles.

He said, “May I reiterate that our nation is indeed going through very interesting and challenging times, requiring our collective sense of patriotism, political maturity, dexterity and innovation in governance. We must therefore continue to appreciate the norms of our society while we also continue to respect our constitution and play according to the rules of the game, to engender political stability and sustenable development in our great nation.

“While we sympathise with the people and government of Plateau State over the unfortunate situation, we urge that all culprits be brought to justice in fairness to the innocent victims and their relations. Indeed, we must continue to confront the security challenges in our various states with the seriousness they deserve.

“This is indeed a moment for sober reflection as a nation and as leaders; for, almost 50 years after political independence we are still witnessing carnage of the kind in Plateau State when other nations in the same league with us at the time of our independence are today manufacturing aeroplanes and automobiles.

“ I am sure we should feel ashamed that nations like India and Brazil that in 1960 looked up to Nigeria as the emerging leader of the developing world have left us behind long ago. Time has therefore come for us to act more reasonably and stop politicising every issue and abandoning our responsibility to the people that we have sworn to serve. We must work hard to regain the confidence and trust of the people.”

The NGF chairman also expressed worry over the rising wave of begging and prostitution by Nigerians, especially, those from the northern states in Saudi Arabia.

This he said, constituted a serious blemish on the image of the cultured and decent people of Nigeria.

Earlier, scores of placard-carrying textile workers under the aegis of the National Union of Textiles, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria stormed the venue of the governors’ meeting to protest the non-payment of their entitlement running to N1bn 10 years after they were retrenched.

The textile workers tasked the NGF to evolve modalities to ensure that the comatose Kaduna Textile Limited jointly owned by them was revived and the workers paid all their entitlements.

NUTGTWN General Secretary, Issa Aremu told newsmen that while government’s efforts at reopening all closed textile factories in the country was commendable, KTL workers should be paid their legitimate benefits.

Aremu who was flanked by the President of the union, Reginald Agulama, and other labour leaders, said that the 19 northern state governors who owned the textile company were still owing some banks and that this had made it impossible for the factories to benefit from the textile revival fund.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the northern governors resolved to tackle the problem of prostitution in the holy land by Nigerians by setting up a committee to liaise with relevant religious bodies to ensure the total eradication of the menace.

The governors also said that they resolved to ask all states in the North to establish Primary health care development agencies to “further aggressively fight polio, malaria and other communicable diseases.”

The NGF also resolved to get the Federal Government to establish appropriate agencies to tackle desert encroachment, afforestation and land reclamation, adding that the Federal Government should also consider diverting River Congo to Lake Chad and to also check the activities of the Lake Chad Commission.

The governors also resolved to convene a special meeting of all the 19 northern states with a view to tackling the incessant Jos crises.

They also called on the Federal Government to demand the immediate release of prominent Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, detained by the Saudi authorities.



http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201003264395429

I'm getting tired of hearing govs. talk about the bad state of nigeria as if they are not part of the problem. geez give me a break

The NGF chairman also expressed worry over the rising wave of begging and prostitution by Nigerians, especially, those from the northern states in Saudi Arabia.

How can someone leave his country and go and be begging in another country? How did they get there?

So the govs are just realizing that? No wonder, they are blind guides leaders.