As the season of letters and open letters to continue under the President Buhari-led administration, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has also written the President expressing their dissatisfaction and grievances.
In the letter endorsed by Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule, an elder stateman, the NEF alleged that the North was being shortchanged and also alleged marginalisation of the region using the 2016 budget as a key instrument.
The letter dated March 16, 2016 read: “We convey to Mr. President our sincere felicitations and pray God to continue to guide you as you steer our national affairs through these difficult times. We have consulted a broad spectrum of opinions in the North, and decided to meet with you and present advice and suggestions that will assist your administration. This is our token contribution to your efforts, and it is made with sincere intention to assist you.”
The forum maintained that the 2016 budget grossly lacked equity adding that the President needed to apportion massive projects to the Northern area of the country in the next three years to enhance the economy of the area.
The Northern elders also noted that the Northern part of the country was not favoured in the aspect of government’s recurrent spending as 75 percent of the civil service was made up of citizens from the three geo-political zones in the south.
“We have conducted some analysis on the 2016 Budget estimates which Mr. President submitted to the National Assembly. We are concerned over the absence of equity in the allocation of, particularly, capital spending. The three geo-political zones in the North are severely shortchanged.
“For a region deserving greater resources and attention, as well as the political backbone of your administration, this situation will pose serious problems for your administration.
“We advise Mr. President to review the proposed allocations in consultation with the National Assembly. We wish to draw Mr. President’s attention to the fact that over 75 per cent of all federal government public service employees are from the three geo-political zones in the South. This means that virtually the same percentage of recurrent spending will go to Nigerians from the South.
“Finally, we advise Mr. President to flag agriculture and water resources and exploitation of the North’s natural resources and rehabilitation of its infrastructure as priorities for the budgets of the next three years.”
The Forum also described the administration of the President as a weak one, urging him to setup an Economic management team immediately.
“We have noted the need for improvements in the human and institutional capabilities which aid Mr. President in governing the nation. As economic difficulties and demands for good governance become more challenging, the quality of advice and support Mr. President will require will need to be substantially raised.
“We urge Mr. President to establish an Economic Management Team and conclude appointments of key officers and advisers. Where there are evident weaknesses and gaps in skills, competences, experience and integrity, we urge Mr. President to take steps to address them.”
Addressing the issue of terrorism, the forum implored the President to probe indications that the Boko Haram sect still controls some areas near Maiduguri, it said: “We commend Mr. President’s resolve in improving our general security concerns, and urge you to deepen your personal involvement and scrutiny over the state of the fight against Boko Haram.
“We advise that all avenues should be exploited to further cripple and isolate this insurgency as well as improving the quality of intelligence and integrity of the leadership of the Armed Forces.
“We advise Mr. President to look into allegations that Boko Haram still has a substantial presence in many areas near Maiduguri and in other towns and villages.
“Mr. President should also look into possible complicity of foreign nations in the fight against Boko Haram and take firmer steps to protect our nation’s security against subversion.
“On management of religious-related threats, we strongly advise Mr. President to improve monitoring of potential sources of both internal and external subversion and hostility and counter them,” the forum said.
The forum also reminded the President of the importance of safety and security of lives and properties in the Nothern region especially as cases of kidnapping and cattle rustling has sky rocketed.
“Cattle rustling on industrial scale has devastated one of the major pillars of the Northern economy. This disaster is now being compounded by kidnapping of persons on an alarming rate. Inter-communal conflicts, particularly in states in the North Central are also resurfacing after a lull, following Mr. President’s election.
“We appeal to Mr. President to direct major improvements in basic policing of our communities and investigate possible collusion of law enforcement agencies in these crimes.”
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