'10 NORTHERN STATES ARE THE POOREST IN NIGERIA'- OSINBANJO

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on
Saturday stated that about 10 northern states remained
the most poorest in the country.
The Vice President revealed this at the Northern
Reawakening Forum organised to rebuild the 19
northern states affected by the insurgency.
He, however, emphasised that the new administration
is committed to repair the damages.
This is also as he disclosed that General TY Danjuma
would supervise every presidential interventions and
inItiatives aimed to rehabilitate Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in the nation.
Osinbanjo said there was need for a unilateral
approach to streamline all interventions including the
Presidential Initiative on IDPs for better impact.
He said the social safety nets, Conditional Cash
Transfer (CCT), one meal daily for school children
should be top priority among all the interventions,
stressing that the north bears most consequence of
poverty.
“We have been working on interventions in the north
east due to immediacy of the crisis in that axis but the
problem of diseases and poverty were exacerbated by
the Boko Haram insurgency…..close detailed, analysis
and plans on the north east has been done in
collaboration with some development organisations.
“We have government interventions such as
presidential initiative on the north east, victims support
group among others. Now all of the federal government
initiatives are now under the chairmanship of General
TY Danjuma. We hope that streamlining these efforts
this way will help control immediate deliveries of
succor to many of the problems currently in the north
east.
“In 19 northern states of Nigeria, human development
indices showed they are by far poorer than other parts
of the country. The Northern states occupy 70 per cent
of our land mass, the highest infant mortality rate, the
lowest number of children in school, the highest
number of unemployed young people and the challenge
of insecurity and religious crisis including Boko
Haram,” he said.
Osinbajo added that “A nation of 170 million people, the
sixth largest producer of oil, over a 100 variety of solid
minerals and precious metals, thousands of arable
land, largest economy in Africa yet desperately poor,
over 110 million people extremely poor. Maternal
mortality has taken over 55, 000 people in a year.”
He noted there was urgent need to rehabilitate the
victims and integrate them back to their original
homes.
In his remark, the Borno State Governor, Alh. Kashim
Shettima called for prompt sustainable development
programmes in the northern states.
Shetima, who said the governors had agreed to work
together to redevelopment the region, urged federal
government to develop an all inclusive development
plan to really address all challenges of the state and
restore peoples’ hopes.
“A comprehensive master plan that will help re-
integrate the people and seek entire development of the
northern Nigeria should be designed,” Shettima added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the forum, Hon.
Mohammed Umara regretted that the north west and
north east records the highest death rate of infants born
within the first 28 days.
Umara said the region also records lowest literacy
level, adding that poverty rate in 16 from 19 northern
states have doubled since 1980.
He expressed optimism the forum would help address
challenges of poor educational standard.