Date: 2016-10-20

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has called for a collective sense of urgency to diversify the nation's economy and tackle the current challenges facing the country.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the on-going symposium for Northern Nigeria Governors organized by the United States Institute for Peace in Washington DC, Governor Ahmed said current efforts at diversifying the economy away from dependence on oil and ending the hardship in the country stand a greater chance of success if all Nigerians approach the required adjustments, sacrifices and drive with a collective sense of urgency.

Citing examples such as the defunct War Against Indiscipline(WAI) and Operation Feed The Nation, Governor Ahmed, who is among ten state governors attending the event, said the current efforts will succeed if all Nigerians buy into the federal government's program on economic diversification and approach it with the required dedication and ownership to ensure rapid economic recovery.

Alhaji Ahmed also emphasized the need for a broad-economic platform among the 19 Northern States to encourage partnership and ensure each leverage on identified strengths in agriculture and other key areas for the region's collective benefit.

While acknowledging the enormous security and economic challenges facing the region and the resources required to conquer them, Governor solicited the US government's assistance towards overcoming insecurity and hardship in the region.

Governor Ahmed called for a more reliable empirical data in confronting the twin problems of insecurity and poverty confronting the region, stressing such statistics will ensure that strategies are defined with clear goals, timelines and resource requirements to ensure they succeed in bring peace and prosperity to the region.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed and his colleagues are scheduled to meet with the US Secretary of State John Kerry and the US National Security Adviser, Susan Rice today in separate meetings at the State Departments and the White House to discuss areas of economic and security cooperation as well as assistance for the 19 Northern States.