The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has issued a passionate appeal to the 19 Northern Governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to urgently rebuild the Northern Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) to restore economic growth and regional security.
In a press statement signed by its National President, Hon. Khalil Mohd Bello, the association expressed deep sorrow over the current "moribund and incapacitated" state of the NNDC, an institution it described as the economic engine of the North.
KACRAN recalled the pre-independence era when Northern Nigeria was a region of immense prosperity, blessed with visionary leadership under Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The association noted that the Sardauna utilized the NNDC established in 1949 to drive development in agriculture, industry, and infrastructure, making the North economically competitive with the rest of the world.
However, the association lamented that the NNDC has been abandoned due to "total neglect by successive Northern Governors," leading to the collapse of key economic pillars such as the Bank of the North, textile industries, and agricultural exports.
KACRAN outlined three critical reasons necessitating the immediate revival of the NNDC:
1-Demographic Explosion: With Nigeria projected to become the third most populous country by 2030, the North faces a humanitarian crisis if economic measures are not taken.
2. Unprecedented Insecurity: The region is facing its gravest security challenges, including banditry, cattle rustling, and the destruction of livelihoods, which has crippled the agricultural sector.
3. Industrial Collapse: The disappearance of financial institutions and manufacturing industries that once made the North an exporter of finished goods.
To reverse this decline, KACRAN proposed a detailed roadmap for the Northern Governors Forum.Industrialization: Revive the textile industry with a plant in each of the 19 Northern states and the FCT, utilizing locally produced cotton.Financial Intervention: Establish Agricultural and Commercial Banks to provide soft loans to farmers, herders, and entrepreneurs.Energy: Harness the North's high-sunlight zone to establish solar-powered industries for the manufacture of solar electric engines.Resource Exploitation: Commence responsible exploration of solid minerals and natural resources.
KACRAN specifically urged each Northern State Government to commit a monthly contribution of ₦2 billion (One Billion Naira from the State and One Billion Naira from Local Governments) as seed funding. The association argued that this investment is necessary to reclaim the NNDC’s assets and restore the region's economic independence.
"The NNDC Empire is the economic inheritance of the Northern people. Rebuilding it is not a favor, but a duty to our forefathers and to future generations," the statement read. "We cannot fold our arms and watch the region that once fed the nation and loaned money to the federal government become a region of poverty, displacement, and insecurity."
KACRAN stated it stands ready to partner with the Northern Governors Forum to ensure this historic revival is achieved.
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