The increasing flight of people, especially non-indigenes, from northern states to the southern part of Nigeria, in the wake of the unabated suicide bombings by the Boko Haram religious sect, is causing manpower shortages which are undermining economic activities up north.
BusinessDay gathered in Kaduna that chief among the sectors affected are privately owned companies, banks, insurance outfits and the informal sector, where most young men and women have been forced to resign their jobs due to pressures from parents and loved ones that they should return to the south which is considered safer.
We further gathered that the persistent suicide attacks and bombings in the north by the Boko Haram religious sect, on various institutions, including churches and banks, which have led to the death of scores of people and destruction of properties worth billions of naira, have forced a rethink by many who had wanted to stay.
Within the past four months, the activities of Boko Haram in the north have claimed the lives of well- educated bankers, artisans, technicians and other professionals, who had spent years in the northern states of Kano, Kaduna, Borno, Niger, Yobe, Bauchi, and Plateau. The situation is made worse by the fact that the Peace and Unity Conference initiated by northern leaders, under the auspices of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the series of meetings held by northern traditional and religious leaders, as well as the Northern States Governors Forum, could not convince members of the sect to sheathe their swords.
According to a bank manager in Kaduna who spoke on condition of anonymity, the insecurity in the region has created vacancies in most banks in the northern states, especially Bauchi, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna and Kano. He said most young graduates who were employed not long ago, have resigned their jobs due to pressure from their loved ones to quit the north.
He added that when the banks attempted to transfer personnel from the south to fill the vacancies, they were met with resistance and threats of resignation by experienced staff. He added that “Most people interviewed for replacement from the northern region did not measure up”. BusinessDay findings are that other economic activities are at the moment, at a very low ebb in the region.
For instance, the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) had to postpone indefinitely, this year’s International Trade Fair, due to security challenges currently facing the state.
Borno state Commissioner for Information, Inuwa Bwala, however told BusinessDay that notwithstanding the security challenges, the government of Borno would keep its electoral promises to the people, pointing out that in the middle of the crisis, the present administration has constructed four out of the five hospitals it promised to deliver before the end of its first year in office.
Bwala also told BusinessDay that plans were underway to engage 27,000 youths in productive ventures, to reduce poverty and unemployment among the youths. He added that government plans to cultivate 10,000 hectres of land to keep the youth gainfully engaged in the production of various agricultural produce, regretting that the issue of Boko Haram has been hijacked by various criminal groups to unleash terror and even settle political scores with the present administration in the state.
Originally Posted by davidbfpo
The entire four-day event went off without a hitch - perfectly executed and minimal local involvement. We managed to get over 15,000 people safely home with less than 30 soldiers.
Bookmarks