Sani to ACF: Elite Collaboration Key to Northern Progress

John Shiklam in Kaduna 

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said the northern region has adequate human resources to tackle its development challenges if its elites closed ranks and worked together for a common purpose.

The governor stated this when the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led by its Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Kaduna.

Sani lamented that for decades, the North had repeatedly analysed its problems — ranging from poverty to educational gaps, healthcare deficits and economic exclusion— without taking decisive steps towards resolving them.

“For years, we have continuously spoken about our challenges: poverty, education gaps, healthcare deficits and other development issues. I believe we have reached a point where we must stop complaining and start acting,” he said.

According to him, the region boasted accomplished professionals and entrepreneurs across various sectors, whose knowledge and experience could be harnessed for accelerated development.

“We have many successful Northern professionals across different fields—business, academia, entrepreneurship, medicine and others. The missing link is bringing everyone together,” he said.

He adding that the ACF was well-positioned to bridge that gap and mobilise expertise, achievements and resources for the benefit of the region.

Sani commended the forum’s plan to establish a Central Endowment Fund, urging that it placed strong emphasis on skills acquisition to make young people self-reliant.

He decried the high level of financial exclusion in the North, noting that many northerners lacked bank accounts and therefore could not access government social intervention programmes.

“One of my first decisions upon assuming office was signing the First Executive Order on Financial Inclusion,” he said, disclosing that more than 2.1 million poor people were onboarded into the financial system within one year.

The governor also called on northern businessmen to increase investments in the financial sector to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). 

He noted that more than 60 per cent of local governments in the North do not have a single bank branch.

“Today, there are over 4,000 branches of national banks in Nigeria. But only Kaduna and Kano have up to 100 branches. Yet some southern states with far smaller populations have more bank branches than Kano State, which has 44 local governments,” he said.

Sani maintained that the ACF remained a credible and neutral platform capable of galvanising the region towards addressing its development challenges. 

He attributed some of the forum’s past setbacks to the lack of synergy with northern states and political office holders, but said the current leadership is charting a new course.

He praised the ACF for reaching out to similar regional bodies such as Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo in an effort to build bridges of trust and national cohesion.

Earlier, Dalhatu said the visit was to formally notify the governor of ACF’s forthcoming 25th anniversary celebration scheduled to hold in Kaduna from November 20 to 22.

He expressed appreciation to the governor for his continued support to the forum, noting that the Kaduna State Government had permanently allocated its office premises to the ACF.

“For the first time, we are operating from premises we can call our own,” he said.

Dalhatu disclosed that Vice President Kashim Shettima would serve as Special Guest at the anniversary, while all ministers of northern extraction are also expected to attend.

“As Chief Host, Your Excellency, we also seek your support in inviting your colleagues to give the celebration greater weight and create opportunities for meaningful exchange of ideas,” he said.

He disclosed that the ACF has been engaging socio-cultural organisations across the country and inviting respected independent personalities to deepen national dialogue.

“We want to begin sustained dialogue with our brothers and sisters in the South—to share experiences and learn from one another—in the spirit of promoting a strong, united Nigeria,” Dalhatu said.