ECON101 For Northern Leaders

By

Ahmad Zakari

arkazaure@gmail.com

 

Nigeria’s downward trend has been immensely felt in the North. Our educational institutions in numerous areas are sub par; our manufacturing industries are decimated. The once vibrant economies of Areas such as Kaduna, Kano and Jos and numerous others are a mere shadow of themselves, leading to teeming numbers of unemployed youths that are willing to take up arms against innocent citizens at little or no provocation, infrastructure albeit improving is at a dismal state. Power supply is at best epileptic; numerous areas endure persistent water shortages. The textile Industries that once categorized Kaduna gone; Kano isn’t the center of commerce anymore: manufacturers in Kano have traded in their factories for import licenses. The regions tertiary institutions aren’t producing the talented young professionals and technocrats they used to. Over a certain period of time numerous areas even suffered acute fuel shortages. Why in the midst of all this do our leaders the northern governors lack a unified economic developmental focus?

 

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals are to see extreme poverty reduced in half by the year 2015 and eradicated by the year 2025, are our governors on pace to do this, at the current pace I must say not. Though they may argue that “why should we work on the UN’s timetable?” What other timetable have they made for us? Our Leaders waste their efforts on the issues of resource control, when we may ask, how well have they managed the resources they have had available for the regions development?

 

The 19 northern governors should institute a more meaningful conference, one in which we can launch a “neo industrial revolution” in the north. Top Economists like professor Ayagi, Industrialists like Dangote and Power brokers should all meet and discuss and design a plan to jumpstart the north’s economic development together. Unified we stand. Each state should pass a law to ratify the agreements of the conference so that after their tenures are over the policies agreed upon will still be implemented.

 

The only way to uplift our people from the numerous challenges they face is to empower them economically. Everywhere you look in the north there are opportunities for economic growth. A strategy needs to be employed that will systematically uplift the region. This strategy should focus on certain areas that will lead to a sort of “domino effect” on development for the whole region. The cerebral nature of issues such as Power Supply, Transportation, Water Supply, Education and Agricultural can not be overstated. The interesting aspect of this is that these issues are the same ones each and every candidate from the local to the federal level harps on his/her campaign trail. These are the issues that all of our governors ran upon. The great Sarduana would be ashamed of what we’ve become.

 

Power Supply and Generation is the single most important sector. It is the precursor to all development in any region. Without a stable power supply even water supply and the provision of other important necessities becomes challenged. With constant power supply we shall start to see a re emergence of our industries in the areas they were known as well as other areas. A united front to initially raise our most industrial areas Kano, Kaduna and Jos for constant power will have a positive effect on the region at large, as jobs begin to return to these areas, and general stability and unrest will be eschewed from our environment the effects will be felt far and wide across the region.

 

The advantage the north has to a large extent is its geographical nature. Large areas of the north are flat for the most part. A conscious effort to link our major towns and cities by railroad so as to promote the mass movement of goods (and services) from place to place from place to place will allow for a conducive atmosphere for economic growth. It baffles me that despite all we’ve heard of “railroad resurrection” as to date we’ve only experienced muted effect.  

 

A concrete effort must be made to introduce mechanized farming in our areas. Increased output per farmer will drive development from the aspect of food security as well as an opportunity to improve on cash crop usage and exportation.

 

A concrete effort must be made to stabilize our tertiary institutions, as well as improving the quality of education in our public primary and secondary institutions. It is a shame that we are lagging behind educationally. The youth are our future, as we nurture them so shall prosperity, peace and development be sustained.

 

The plain truth of the matter is that we need a unified strategy in the North to jumpstart our development. Although we’ve seen flashes of brilliance from numerous quarters in our leadership (gubernatorial included), it is often short-lived and infrequent. All the clamors for foreign direct investment will and can not take place until there is an adequate enabling environment. Working together to expedite this process so our people can enjoy the benefits of development and democracy will only strengthen our present leaders legacy and pay tribute and honor to our past leaders Ideals. A united functioning north will go along way to contributing to a united functioning Nigeria.

 

Now is the time for Action. A conference should be instituted immediately, let these present leaders usher the north into an era of “neo industrial revolution”.