Senator Sani urges ACF to monitor FG projects in North

Sen. Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) has urged members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to monitor and ensure effective implementation of all projects allocated to the Northern region in the 2016 nation’s budget.

Sani gave the advice on Monday while addressing members of the Kaduna State Chapter of ACF, who paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.

‘’It is high time for the Northern region to improve on our education, agriculture and all other sectors to boost our economy.

“The ACF should follow to the letter, toward ensuring that all projects earmarked in the Federal Government budget for the region, are being implemented,’’ he said.

Sani, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, urged ACF to stand up and speak where necessary to ensure the transformation of the North.

He said, “ACF should support the government where it is right and cry out where it feels the government is going wrong. As Northerners, we must tell ourselves the truth.

“It is mandatory for associations like ACF to work closely with us, the elected leaders of our people, to know what has been earmarked for the region in Education, Agriculture and Industrial sector for the benefit of the region and its people.“

He expressed worry that all the legacies left behind by the late Sardauna of Sokoto were either in comatose, or dead.

“For the North to progress, education must be revived so that sons and daughters of the masses in the region can obtain sound and qualitative education.

“All our ailing industries must be revived and our peasant farmers be given subsidy, not just for the government to dole out money to large scale farmers, most of whom are no longer farmers.

“These must be done to ensure that the Northern region focuses toward reviving its economy,” Sani said.

Earlier, the chairman, State Chapter of ACF, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, commended the senator for good representation in the Senate.

He said that the executive members of the chapter were in his house to seek collaboration with him on various developmental efforts in the state.

According to him, ACF is a socio-cultural organisation, established to promote and strengthen unity among the people of the Northern region, irrespective of religious or ethnic leaning.

“In order to facilitate the implementation of these objectives, the forum provided for the establishment of the state chapters.

“ The forum has a number of activities in skills acquisition, vocational training, capacity building and leadership development programmes in the three senatorial zones of the state.

“ I wish to express our readiness to partner with you in the overall development of the people of Kaduna State.

‘’We shall always be available to assist toward your success,’’ Yero, who is also the father of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Murkhtar Yero, said.