{"id":57555,"date":"2024-12-03T12:27:03","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T12:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/?p=57555"},"modified":"2024-12-03T12:29:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T12:29:29","slug":"nigerias-rich-resources-must-not-fuel-insecurity-sgf-akume-warns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/2024\/12\/03\/nigerias-rich-resources-must-not-fuel-insecurity-sgf-akume-warns\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria\u2019s Rich Resources Must Not Fuel Insecurity, SGF Warns"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Samson Adeyanju\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume has issued a stern warning on the misuse of Nigeria\u2019s natural wealth.<\/p>\n

Addressing the theme, \u201cOur Natural Resources and Insecurity in Nigeria,\u201d at the fourth-quarter meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) held in Abuja, Akume lamented the paradox of a resource-rich nation plagued by insecurity and poverty.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur abundant resources must not become a curse but a blessing that fosters growth and unity,\u201d Akume asserted, highlighting the critical role of sustainable management in tackling challenges such as oil bunkering in the Niger Delta and banditry in the north.<\/p>\n

He called for stronger policies, enhanced security frameworks, and transparent governance to deter criminal activities fueled by resource exploitation.<\/p>\n

The SGF emphasized the importance of involving local communities in resource management to build trust and create economic opportunities.<\/p>\n

He also advocated for educational reforms and vocational training as tools to combat poverty and reduce the allure of illegal activities.<\/p>\n

In his remarks, Akume called on religious and political leaders to guide Nigerians toward accountability and justice, urging a collective effort to transform the nation\u2019s resource wealth into a source of national pride and stability.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the National Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, lamented the unintended consequences of gold discovery in Zamfara State, describing it as a catalyst for violence rather than an avenue for economic growth.<\/p>\n

Highlighting the paradox of resource wealth leading to instability, Fr. Omonokhua pointed out that instead of fostering development, Zamfara\u2019s gold reserves have become a source of strife, with banditry and illegal mining thriving in the region.<\/p>\n

He expressed disappointment over the complicity of some traditional rulers and security agents in perpetuating these vices, further undermining efforts to harness the resources for the common good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should have been a blessing to Zamfara has turned into a hotbed of insecurity and lawlessness,\u201d Fr. Omonokhua said, citing fears among local farmers and the collapse of agricultural activities that once defined the region.<\/p>\n

He called for urgent reforms in resource management and governance, advocating for policies that prioritize equity, environmental sustainability, and the security of all citizens.<\/p>\n

Fr. Omonokhua also stressed the need for mental re-engineering, value reorientation, and interreligious collaboration to address the root causes of these issues.<\/p>\n

The meeting served as a clarion call for reforms, aiming to ensure that Nigeria\u2019s resources drive prosperity rather than conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Samson Adeyanju\u00a0 Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume has issued a stern warning on the misuse of Nigeria\u2019s natural wealth. Addressing the theme, \u201cOur Natural Resources and Insecurity in Nigeria,\u201d at the fourth-quarter meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) held in Abuja, Akume lamented the paradox of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":57556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[177,172],"tags":[59,1680],"class_list":["post-57555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abuja-reports","category-news","tag-featured","tag-nirec"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57555"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57558,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57555\/revisions\/57558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abujacityjournal.com\/livenews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}