North Central Governors vow to tackle poverty, boost Human Capital Development

****Commences conference on economic, security challenges

By David Okpashi

North Central region of the country Thursday vowed to end poverty, hunger socio economic stagnation and insecurity in the region.

Governors of the region made their position known at the commencement a conference designed to fashion ways of ending poverty, reduce economic stagnation, encourage social cohesion and security challenges.

Other areas of concerns raised at the conference were on human capital development, proffer a lasting solution to other factors militationg against the unity of the states within the region.

Declaring the 2-day conference open in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Governor, Abdullahi Sule, said that the conference was organized to provide a platform for the Governors of the region to strategies on how to tackle unemployment and address other challenges affecting residents of thei various states.

“This conference is in line with the objectives of the National Economic Council to promote investment opportunities and foster unity, synergized and develop partnership between governments of the regions.

“Critical actors in the socio economic development of the region will be deployed to fast track reduction of poverty, encourage unity, reduce insecurity and other factors militationg the progress of the region in the contemporary society”.

While commending the State’s Human Capital Development office for working tirelessly since its inauguration to alleviate the sufferings of the masses across the state, Sule, represented by the deputy of the state, Emmanuel Akabe, assured that the Nasarawa state government will remain committed in the fight against poverty until it is completely eradicated.

“I have no doubt that the conference will offer us the opportunity to know the challenges associated with human capital development and proffer workable solutions with a view to exploring business opportunities and form investment partnerships. So, I urge everyone of us to take the conference very seriously for the good of our respective states and Nigeria, our country,” Governor Sule added.

On her part, the North Central regional consultant on Human Capital Development, Dr. Victoria Daaor, said the conference would be participatory to enable all participants contribute to the discussion in order to address the numerous challenges confronting residents of the region.

Earlier, in her welcome address, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Human Capital Development, Habiba Balarabe-Suleiman, expressed gratitude to the North Central Governors and other stakeholders for presenting themselves at the occasion despite their tight schedules.

“Hopefully, this regional conference will ask questions that need to be asked and provide answers that will improve the lives of even the most vulnerable persons in the region and the country at large”.

The conference with the theme “Accelerating Human Capital Development in the contemporary society drew participants from other states within the North Central region of Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Human Capital Development programme was launched by the Federal Government in 2018 to stimulate sustainable growth of the nation’s economy and improve life expectancy of its citizens.