Plateau's Simon Lalong elected as chairman of Northern Nigerian Governors Forum

PLATEAU State's Governor Simon Lalong has been elected as the chairman of the Northern Nigerian Governors Forum (NNGF) after its recent summit in Kaduna with a mandate to resolve the socio-economic crisis currently afflicting the region.

Governor Lalong, who was recently elected from a second term, takes over from Borno State's Governor Kashim Shettima whose tenure expires and will now be going into the senate. He will formally assume office on May 29 and his immediate challenge will be to address the ongoing insecurity currently ravaging northern Nigeria.

Across many states of northern Nigeria, kidnapping, armed robbery and attacks by well armed Fulani cattle herdsmen is common. Terrorist organisation like Boko Haram and Islamic State have also taken root, cashing in on the high incidence of destitution, poverty and a lack of opportunity.

Nigeria is currently the poverty capital of the world, with 87m people living on below the United Nations threshold of $2 a day. Also, Nigeria has the world's highest number of out-of-school children in the world, with 13.2m teenagers roaming around the country with nothing to do and no prospects.

Most of these urchins and poor are in northern Nigeria as across the northwest geo-political zone, about 80% of the population lives below the UN poverty threshold. Governor Lalong and his colleagues across Nigeria's 19 northern states will be tasked with not only ending the insecurity but attracting jobs, providing education and developing infrastructure to absorb these youths.

Governor Lalong said: "I’m indebted to you for electing me as the northern governors’ chairman and the confidence bestowed on me will not be in vain‎. Governor Shettima worked hard and did well in transforming the forum.”

“I will be stepping into the shoes of a very hard-working chairman, who is now moving to the National Assembly. I can assure that I will do my best not to betray the trust of my colleagues."

Also at the Kaduna meeting, Katsina State's Governor Aminu Masari, was elected as the head of the NNGF's security committee. One of his main tasks will be to disarm the thousands of northern youths currently roaming the countryside with AK47s.