The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • New roads for Yobe communities

    New roads for Yobe communities

    Life is changing for the better in Yobe State. The government is opening up the rural areas through the construction of feeder and major roads to link villages, local governments and major towns in the state. Residents are happy at this development; so also is the governor, Ibrahim Gaidam who spoke on the issue.

    For  Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, his idea of providing roads linking villages, local government and other major towns in the state was basically to fulfil his campaign promises to the people of the state. He said:

    “Our road development policy is a deliberate and strategic one because good road network is an important complement to our improved transport system. It is also indispensable for the transportation of goods and services from the rural settlements to the major markets centres and enhanced social interaction between our citizens and people from other parts of the country”..

    For 51- year- old Mohammadu Modu, from Yunusari Village, the home place of the governor, the newly constructed 45km road that passes through their village would do more than social interaction and the transportation of goods to markets for the people.

    Modu who tapped this reporter on his back as he tried to get the picture of the village from an elevated heap of sand-dunes simply noted that “this road would save more lives in the community now than what it used to be”.

    Modu rhetorically asked the reporter:  “do you know how many women and children that have died in this community because of lack of good road that we now have?”, as the duo engaged into a deep conversation.

    ”We have   suffered so much in this area for lack of a good road. Many of our women have died for lack of prompt medical attention for lack of road. Before, it was our camels, donkeys and horses that we used to carry our women and children to hospital. Many of them died even before getting to the hospital because of such mode of transportation.

    “In the past, you would have to get to Bayamari before you could see a car because not many of them could come here except some big jeeps. How many of us have jeeps in this village”, Modu asked.

    Investigation revealed that prior to the construction of the road; accessing good medical care was a far cry as villagers must have to travel on the sandy Sahara road to Bayamari for over two hours before deciding to either go to Gaidam or Gashua or even Damaturu, the state capital for better medical treatment.

    A situation Modu recall as “nightmarish and frustrating” especially when a woman is in labour.

    “We used to waste like say two hours.  That is with a car to Bayamri. But if you are using like say a donkey or camel, it   is as good as you are trekking and that would consume a lot of time before you get to Bayamari. But look at us now. With this road, you will get to Bayamari and Geidam or Gashua in good time for treatment.

    “Many people don’t know that what Ibrahim Gaidam has done to this community has a very positive impact on the people in the future. For me, this road is life!” Modu concluded.

    Kawu Amadu is  a middle aged man that manages a provision store just at the shoulders of the new road. In his views, business has never been the same since that road was constructed.

    “Going to the market is no longer difficult for us here in Yunusari like in the past. With this road, I still go to the market and come back and make sales before the end of the day. But that was not the case in the past. In the past, I would have to spend the whole day to either go to Gashua or Gaidam to buy my goods and that day cannot be useful for me again because of the time wasted due to bad road. I go to the market three times a week now and my stock is always full”, Kawu informed.

    Kawu Modu also informed that the trans-saharan road which links about six local governments in northern Yobe  under construction by the government of Ibrahim Gaidam will ginger-up the economic activities of the entire northern Yobe, while Modu on his part, believe that many communities would have easy access to better medical care after the completion of the road.

    Everyone who follows the governor on the one week tour will only draw one conclusion that the large turn-out of locals to welcome the governor at every point was a clear indication of the acceptance of his road policy and other life changing policies of his administration.

    At the scenic town of Gadaka in Fika Local Government Area, the colourful  reception by school children beautifully filled on the newly constructed Maiduwa-Gadaka road gave the young a closer feel of their governor as he gently but gleefully wave to the children from his bullet proof  Jeep through a crowded community that stretched over 2km cheering to the governor.

    As part of his resolve at commitment to road construction in the state, Gov. Gaidam at the grand flagging-off ceremony of the 77km Damaturu-Buni Gari Magza, Yobe/Borno Boarder road, one of the Federal roads under the funding of the Yobe state Government after neglect  by the Federal Government disclosed that his administration expended a total of N15 billion on road construction in the state, while the sum of over N16 billion is voted for capital expenditure for roads construction in the 2014 budget.

    He said that his administration is currently constructing a total of 870km stretch of roads and 30.2km of drainages out of which 322kms have been completed while 542kms are ongoing.

    One other very important road under construction by the Ibrahim Gaidam led administration is the Trans.Sahara road which is divided in three phases: phase one of the road which is about 55km begins from Kanamma-Kafiya, the second phase is Kafiya-Yusufari-20km while the last phase is Yunusari-Yusufari which covers a distance of 50km. The 58km Nguru Machina road and many others.

    Explaining the policy trust of the government on road construction, the Hon. Commissioner for Works in the state Lawan Shettima informed that the government of Yobe observed that the state only had two tarred roads from Yola to Biu through Damaturu –Gashua-Nguru to Kano while the other one was the Kano Maiduguri high way which also passes through Damaturu.

    Speaking on the quality of the roads, Lawan Shettima said: “whenever you are saddled with the responsibility that concerns people’s lives, you have to be careful. When engineers make mistakes, it affects the lives of so many people. We put this in mind and ensure that both our engineers and contractor don’t compromise the quality of job they are expected to execute. Any where we found a contractor wanting, he must correct it or face the music.

  • Boost for Kaduna rural communities

    Boost for Kaduna rural communities

    Through the Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP), the Kaduna State Governor is opening up villages and improving the lot of the people, TONY AKOWE reports.

    It was to be the market day at Tamie Village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, a quiet settlement, about 35 kilometres from Kaduna metropolis and 15 kilometres from Jaji Military Cantonment.

    Rather than be at the market, the people and their chief, Mallam Abdullahi Aliyu, and a few elders gathered at what appears a makeshift palace constructed with old corrugated zinc. They were enjoying their local delicacy when some reporters, accompanied by officials of the Kaduna Rural Access Mobility Project (KADRAMP), arrived. The elders vacated their seats for the visitors to interact with their chief.

    Briefing the reporters, Aliyu said the community had only a primary health centre, addding that, until about two years ago, the only means of transportation were motorcycles.

    He said: “No vehicle came to this village until two years ago when this road was built by KADRAMP. The only means of transportation to and from this place were motor cycles and we used to pay as much as N300 to get to Rigachukwu from here.

    “But with the construction of the road, vehicles come here and that has reduced the cost of transportation. Our children can now go to school without hindrance.

    “In the past, teachers posted to our village schools stayed away during the rainy season because they could not come to school, the road usually get flooded when it rains. But all that has changed. As you can see, we are a farming community. Today, we can afford to take our farm produce to the market because we have road.”

    The Rigachukwu-Tamie-Birnin Yaro Road constructed by the Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP) to make the rural communities accessible is one of the over 400 kilometres of roads that have been constructed across the state under the first phase of the project. The project is largely funded by the World Bank. The Kaduna State government provided 20 per cent counterpart fund.

    The site engineer Mr. Ibrahim Balarabe, told our correspondent that the road is beginning to open up the area, adding that the economic well-being of the people has improved.

    On the road to Tamie Village, it was discovered that buildings are evidence that the area is going up receiving attention from developers. Balarabe said: “Before the construction of this road, a piece of land here costs between N30, 000 and N50, 000. At present, the price of a plot of land has gone up to close to N200, 000. That is an indication that efforts being put into this project are beginning to yield dividend through opening up of the area for development.”

    He further noted that the roads constructed are subjected to what he called “output and performance road contract.” This means that the contractors are paid based on their performance and quality of the job done.

    “The contractors are supposed to stay and maintain the road for three years. Within that period, we don’t expect to see any pothole on the road. We have a monitoring mechanism whereby people, including the benefiting communities, are expected to drive on the road at 50 kilometres per hour and report any incident of pothole to the RAMP.

    “If there is a pothole on the road, the contractor will not be paid for that month until he fixes the bad spot,” he said.

    He, however, said even though the roads are supposed to be earth roads, he did not rule out the possibility of tarring them, pointing out that the volume of traffic on the road will determine whether the roads will be tarred or not.

    A resident of the area who identified himself as Shehu, said the only problem they are experiencing at the moment is that the road is too dusty.

    Shehu said: “We are happy that government has constructed the road for us. Before now, we could not travel during the rainy season because there was no road. But since the road was constructed, we can now move from one point to the other.

    “The problem we are having now is the dust. If two cars drive past us now, we will not see any building for sometime because of the dust. We will be happier if government can do something about the dust.”

    Commenting on the project, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Hon. Bashir Aliyu Idris said: “RAMP is designed to open up the rural areas and enhance access for the rural dwellers that produce 90 per cent of the foods consumed by the state’s growing population. Through the project, 400kms of rural roads have been upgraded and rehabilitated. These were roads that were impassable before they were constructed.

    “The project has also constructed 135 river crossings, drafted a new road transport policy and completed the classification of road network. A new GIS-based state road network map has been developed,” he said.

    Also commenting on the project, National Coordinator of RAMP Ubandoma Ularamu said Kaduna State was one of the two states alongside Cross River State that were involved in RAMP I, while six other states are involved in RAMP II.

    He said: “The project started in 2008 with the initial package worth $72 million. World Bank gives $60 million while Kaduna State government added $12 million counterpart fund.”

    While appreciating World Bank’s commitment in opening up communities in the state through the RAMP, the state government has restated its determination to continue to open up rural communities through provision of roads and electricity, even though Tamie Village is yet to benefit from such luxury. Director-General, Media and Publicity to the governor, Ahmed Maiyaki told journalists at a workshop on the activities of RAMP that the state built 11 feeder roads in rural communities last year while it connected 20 others with electricity.

    While challenging journalists to concentrate more on developmental journalism which will help in keeping the people abreast of happenings, especially in the rural areas, he said: “The Yero administration last year was also able to connect 20 rural communities with electricity through the rural electrification project. The benefiting communities spread across the 23 local government areas were Kujama/Tokace and Manini all in Chikun Local Government Area), Bele (Soba LGA), Kuli (Kubau LGA), Ankara (Sanga LGA) and Nkojo (Kagarko LGA). “The state government has opened up many rural communities with the construction of feeder roads. Such feeder roads are also central to economic activities in these areas as they provide easy access for farmers to evacuate their farm produce to markets.

    “Last year alone, Kaduna State government completed feeder roads in 11 communities which included Kajuru-Kujeni Road, Anfana-Katsit Road and Tashan Zago-Aba Malam Road, among others.

    “ Also last year, farmers in all rural communities procured fertiliser, hybrid seeds and chemicals at 60 per cent less than the market price. This was followed up with free distribution of the commodities to indigent farmers.

    “The aim of government was to boost food production and improve the economic well-being of the people.”

  • Agency honours 17 staff

    Agency honours 17 staff

    The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has honoured 17 of its workers.

    The assessment which led to the awards covered 2011, 2012 and 2013. The recipients were selected from all grade levels.

    Present at the award ceremony held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers, were Chairman Senate Committee on Works, Senator Ayogu Eze who was also Chairman of the occasion, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, Director-General Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr Emeka Eze, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Works, Dr. Abubakar Koro Muhammad who represented Minister of Works, Alhaji Kassim Ibrahim Bataiya, President, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) who is also a member of FERMA Governing Board as well as other members of the Governing Board, representatives of major contractors and other dignitaries.

    Addressing the recipients and other members of staff of the agency, Senator Ayogu Eze said the reward for hard work was more work, even as he advised those who were recognised to show more commitment. He also advised those yet to be recognised to work harder and be optimistic.

    He also said the impact of FERMA on government’s effort to improve federal roads nation-wide has been felt and praised by the public.

    Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, expressed his happiness over the commitment of FERMA to improving the country’s road sector. With FERMA’s achievements, he said, the notion that civil servants don’t contribute to economic growth has been effectively proved wrong.

    Contributing, Chairman FERMA Governing Board, Mr Ezekiel O. Adeniji said the board is lucky to have a competent and committed management team as well as a conducive policy environment and good will from the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which was determined to turn around the fortunes of the federal road network.

    In the same manner, Managing Director/CEO of FERMA Mr Gabriel Amuchi thanked the recipients and other members of staff for contributing towards the agency’s success through effective maintenance of federal roads.

    The agency, he said, has reduced the stock of poor and bad roads on the federal road network from 85 per cent in 2003 when FERMA commenced operation to about 26 per cent in 2013.

    He said FERMA is better positioned and resolved in its commitment to improving the country’s road network with the acquisition of necessary machinery as well as engagement and training of staff. He also said management is enhancing staff welfare.

    Among the recipients were Mrs. Maryam M. Sanusi, Assistant Director and Head of Communications and Public Relations Unit, Mrs Iniobong L. Usoro, Acting General Manager (Procurement), Mr Kaboshiyo D. Avongs, Zonal Co-ordinator, northwest zone I and Mr Thomas Bassey Eyo, Head Research and Development, among others

  • Reviving Dala Hill of Kano

    Reviving Dala Hill of Kano

    Kano is famous as the commercial nerve centre of the North. It also has some features excellent for tourism. Among these is the Dala Hill which stands about 518 metres above sea level and covers a land mass of 289, 892 metres.

    On the peak of the hill is a flat surface and is surrounded by rocky soil which protects the landscape from harsh weather conditions. One gets to the peak of the hill through ascending stairway which was constructed by guides to aid tourists.

    Ditches and other features of early settlements like potsherds, iron smelting slags, burial grounds and dye pits are some of the prominent characteristics of the hill’s base.

    Situated in the heart of Kano City, Dala Hill served as a viewing point for ancient Kano warriors who were always mindful of invading enemies. In the 7th Century, Dala Hill was a hunting site and gathering point for the iron-smelting community.

    At the end of the 15th Century and the beginning of the 16th Century, Kano was originally known as Dala, so named after the hill. There is no gainsaying the fact that Dala Hill is of immense historical significance as it was where the people of Kano settled. The Hill was the epitome of pre-Islamic traditional and cultural practices that characterised the centuries before the advent of Islam to Kano in the 15th Century.

    The hill was a major source of iron ore in the Kano region. Due to the presence of iron ore and the security it provided, craftsmen were fascinated about it. In the circumstances, therefore, the Dala community developed into a haven for mining, smelting and iron works.

    A visit to the hill revealed that the hill, which remains one of the significant landmarks for tourism in Kano, is in a shambles. The hill is suffering from serious encroachment, prominent among which is building of houses around the hill.

    The situation has further defaced the beautiful features of the hill. Refuse dumps have become outstanding trait of the hill. The flight of steps through which one ascends the hill is totally dilapidated.

    Cashing in on the unsightly situation, residents have begun to defecate at the base of the hill which is now a shadow of itself. Aside this, erosion is another phenomenon contributing to the wishy-washy state of the hill as it washes away its surface.

    Practically, the hill has disused electricity generating set house and a desolate administrative block as signs of having been in use. The fences are falling down and the hill, at present, serves as a hideout for criminals and hoodlums.

    Worried by the sorry state of the hill, a lecturer of History at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr. Sule Bello described Dala Hill as a total mess, even as he wondered why government has not done anything to revitalise it.

    According to him, Dala Hill, in those days, used to be attractive to various people for various reasons. Some people came to settle there in order to mine iron ore.  The miners then combine their businesses with local trade and these boosted economic activities within the community. Owing to this, Dala Hill became an attraction to many people from various parts of the world that migrated to and settled in Kano.

    “Gradually, Dala Hill became a settlement, market place and an industrial centre. The area became an industrial community as the number of iron ore miners increased. Some of them were mining iron ore, some were mining salt, while some were engaged in production of various kind of craft wood, leather, weaving, and some engaged in agricultural production.

    “The important thing about Kano is its cosmopolitan nature. The inhabitants comprise people from various professions who engaged in industrial and commercial activities.

    “There is also the Goron Dutse Hill, a twin to Dala Hill. It was around these two hills that people settled. In fact, in those days, people from this part of the world settled around hills.

    “For example, every hill you see around Kano must be a settlement for people in the early days. You have another hill around Panisau and Magwan. So, people settled there because of security and economic purposes.

    “The state of Dala Hill and Goron Dutse Hill in Kano is very important. The picture of the two hills is heavily engraved in the minds of the community because they have a lot of regard for them. You must be in Kano to sight Dala Hill.

    Travellers coming from afar will view the hill and might think they have reached Kano, not knowing that the journey is still far. Dala Hill is also very important for archaeological work.  The various historical features of Kano like the City Wall, the dyeing pit and the groundnut pyramid are all connected to Dala Hill which is the most densely-populated area of the city.

    “Most great businessmen in Kano live around Dala Hill. So, the Dala Hill is very important, that is why we are able to preserve it; and I think that is what the government is trying to do by providing facilities which can boost economic activities and promote tourism.

    “I am also aware that government is planning to develop the hill as a tourist resort and a research centre. There is also going to be a new design for the entire place by reconstructing the steps which will enable tourists to gain access to the top of the hill,” he said.

    Also speaking, a 55-year-old Malam Haruna Dankabosi who has lived near the hillside for the past 40 years said craftsmanship is a profession he inherited from his father which he has been practising in the past 40 years.

    According to him, the beautiful features of Dala Hill have gradually disappeared, even as he regretted that economic activities that were hallmarks of the hill are now in the trash can of history.

    “We in the profession are finding things very difficult as government turns deaf ear to our plight,” he said.

  • Abuja residents demand development commission

    A group, Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) has urged the Federal Government to create a development commission to take care of members of indigenous communities who were displaced for Abuja’s development as the nation’s capital.

    OIDA noted that the commission should be fashioned after Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or the Hydro-Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

    OIDA President, Pastor Danladi Jeji made the call during the second FCT Heritage Day celebration held in Gwagwalada.

    He said displaced communities in Abuja have not been compensated for their confiscated lands, even as he said they are finding it difficult to make a living due to loss of their communities, houses and farmlands to government and private developers.

    He said: “The proposed Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC) should be statutory and should derive its funding from the 30 per cent of all sales accruing from all lands allocated within the FCT. When established, AOIDC would deal with the lingering issues of relocation, resettlement and compensation for all projects, affected communities and persons.”

    Continuing, he disclosed the association’s plan to sue the Federal Government if it continuous to confiscate their lands without regard for their rights.

    Presenting a paper entitled “Annihilation of Abuja Original Inhabitants and Imperatives of Democratisation of the Federal Capital Territory,” the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences Nasarawa State University and Guest Speaker at the occasion, Prof. Andrew Zamani urged the Federal Government to appreciate the need for an all-inclusive policy to tackle the problems of the indigenous people of the FCT.

    Prof. Zamani said: “There are no special privileges for the inhabitants in this regard as is the case for the people of Niger Delta through the Niger Delta Development Commission. Original inhabitants of Abuja need structures for self-governance. The second-tier will provide the basis for a local government system that is people-oriented. More senatorial seats and federal constituencies should be created to increase representation in the National Assembly.

    “Our resilience, however, should not be misjudged for weakness or indolence. Government should pay attention to the entreaties of OIDA for attention and dialogue, given that it has utilised legal means of contributing to national discourse and engagement with government and non-state actors of governance. A lot can be achieved through dialogue.”

    The event which acted as showcase for the rich cultural heritage of the nine indigenous ethnic groups in the FCT had had cultural troupes and masquerades from different ethnic groups that thrilled spectators to colourful display, dances, fireworks and durbar.

    The association also used the occasion to launch N200 million education endowment funds which aims at paying the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) fees for 1,000 Abuja indigenous senior secondary school students.

    The funds, according to the association, would assist several communities that still lack schools or access to proper education. They decried a situation in which only a few lucky ones have access to basic education, adding that many peasant families hardly cope with the responsibility of sending their children or wards to secondary schools in Abuja city centre that are very far away from their communities.

    The association pleaded with the Minister of the FCT Senator Bala Mohammed to make basic and secondary education in the satellite towns and rural communities accessible to the inhabitants so as to reduce the huge gap in terms of quality education by the FCT natives.

  • ‘Intensify action on cassava bread initiative’

    The Chairman, Fortunate Buttered Bread, Alhaji Hakeem Adejumo has urged the Federal Government to be more committed to the cassava bread initiative. Such committment, he said, would encourage massive production of cassava. The initiative, he said, will also improve farmers’ income.

    Adejumo spoke after receiving certificate of Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MACAP) from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

    He further said the cassava bread initiative would provide job opportunities for millions of “our teeming youths.”

    Alhaji Adejumo said: “The government needs to do more to improve power supply. The company relies much on diesel-powered generating set for its production. This is not good enough as it is negatively affecting production cost.

    “Security is another area government should give priority attention to. Indeed, security is the bedrock of economic and political development of any country. A lot should be done to ensure security of lives and property.

    “The relative stability in the price of baking materials has impacted positively on bread making business. This, in turn, has stabilised the prices of bread, thus making bread affordable to the people.”

    Presenting the MACAP certificate to Alhaji Adejumo, the state Director of SON, Popoola Adesina said the award was informed by the company’s compliance with the minimum industry regulations.

    The director added that Fortunate Buttered Bread is bromate-free and therefore fit for human consumption.

    Mr. Adesina urged the management of the company to report any form of faking and counterfeiting of its products to the organisation.

  • Forum makes case for rural communities

    The Chairman of South West Peoples’ Forum in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Hon. Femi Sanusi has called on political office holders to evolve policies that would affect people’s lives, especially those in the rural communities this year.

    Briefing reporters in Abuja, Sanusi praised the chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Hon. Micah Jiba for his efforts in delivering dividends of democracy to people at the rural areas. His commitment to people’s welfare, he said, earned him the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Golden Award of Excellence.

    People at the grassroots, Sanusi said, deserved better living condition, adding that if most political office holders can reach out to the people at the grassroots, Nigeria will be a better place for everybody to live in.

    “Most people at the grassroots have been neglected by subsequent administrations, so much so that they are losing confidence in elected public officers. I believe that if council chairmen could affect the lives of people in their council areas as Hon. Micah Jiba is doing, people at the grassroots will have faith in government.

    “Also, if elected political office holders in the FCT could affect the lives of people at the grassroots like Senator Phillip Aduda who has also remains committed to the well-being of people at the grassroots, Abuja would be the best place for those who are indigenous and non-indigenous to it to stay.

    “I would like to appeal to political office holders to emulate Hon. Micah Jiba and Senator Phillip Aduda by making dividends of democracy accessible to them this year. This is because that is what people at the grassroots expect from their leaders,” he said.

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed to provide essential amenities for them.

    Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on the issue lamented that the community had been without electricity for long.

    A resident, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that they could predict when light would be available in their community; an amenity most communities have been enjoying for years.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light.  There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made the community to be stagnant.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.

  • Jang seeks better life for rural dwellers

    Jang seeks better life for rural dwellers

    Plateau State Governor Jonah David Jang has advised local government chairmen to concentrate on programmes that will make life better for the people.

    He spoke in Jos, the state capital, while signing into law the 2014 appropriation bill and swearing-in of newly elected local government chairmen.

    He said: “These two events signify a beginning, a beginning for the tenure of local government chairmen and for the budget, beginning of a new financial year 2014”

    Addressing residents of the state who converged on Government House for both events, Governor Jang said: “My dear compatriots, I have just signed into law the 2014 Appropriation Bill of N225, 058,026,306.00. The driving force behind this budget is our administration’s conviction that service delivery and the honour of our covenant with the people is the ultimate, while time is of the essence. We are resolved on working on our projects till the last minute of the administration. We remain committed towards completing the numerous projects. That is our focus.

    Speaking on the challenges of government in its effort to meet the needs of the people ,the governor said: “While we strive to better the lot of our people, we are challenged by resources. We have had to reorganise all our revenue generating agencies towards mobilising sufficient funds to finance our projects. As we intensify internal revenue generation initiatives, we equally appeal to our citizens to cooperate and pay all taxes such as land levies and water rates among others.   In addition, we are exploring all avenues for revenue including the Federal Government and the private sector.

    The governor urged ministries,departments and agencies to strictly comply with budgetary provision as poor monitoring remains the bane of the budget implementation . He said: “A major bane of budget implementation is poor monitoring. I, therefore, wish to direct the State Planning Commission to ensure MDAs strictly comply with budgetary provision. In line with this, I charge all ministries, departments and agencies to immediately commence the process of budget implementation so as to avoid last minute rush”.

    Sustaining his government’s fight against corruption, Governor Jang said: ‘’All expenditures should be carried out based on budget approval. It equally means financial prudence should be upheld in all government dealings.This is because we will not relent in our fight against corruption. I wish to caution MDA Heads to ensure this implementation is not only on paper, but is carried out to the later. MDA’s are therefore advised to strengthen their internal monitoring machinery.

    “At this point, I wish to appreciate the State House of Assembly for the deep interest they have shown in the budget proposal and the value they have added to it. I count it a worthy partnership.

    The governor said the event opened another chapter in the entrenchment of democracy at the third tier of government as newly elected chairmen were sworn in. He congratulated the chairmen on their victory at the polls.

     

     

     

     

     

    He noted that a large portion of the population resides in the councils and they are yearning for improved governance and service delivery. He urged them to perform creditably, “ As part of our desire to propel development at the local government areas, we have made some savings from the Value Added Tax which will be released to the council chairmen for the implementation of capital projects.  We also look forward to a synergy with the Three Pillar Policy at the state level as both tier of government are to complement each other. We are all partners in the development of our dear state’’.

    The governor said that a strategic plan for the local governments has been designed by the state government and GIZ to fast tract development at the local government while appreciating the peculiarity of rural development.  He promised to organise a retreat for the new council chairmen to realign their visions with the Redemption Agenda.

    Explaining his expectations from the chairmen, the governor said: ‘’Under your leadership, I envisage a local government administration where service and development will be your motivation, where corruption will be tackled, where primary health care centres will be manned by qualified personnel with required medicaments, where communities will have access to clean water, where children will seat on chairs to receive lessons, where communities will not be separated by mere lack of a culvert or a box culvert, where workers will not be owed salaries for months, where chairmen will not go into hiding running away from the people!

    ”Indeed, I dream of local governments where the leadership will truly wake up to their constitutional roles in the overall interest of our people; leaders that can stand tall at the end of it all and give account of their steward.

    The governor added that the state government had undertaken a biometric exercise to ascertain the actual strength of its workforce both at state and local government levels. The effort is aimed at sanitising the local government system especially regarding workforce and wage bill.

    Equally as part of human capital development and empowerment, a financial literacy training aimed at establishing micro finance banks has been carried out in the local government targeted at mainly women across the state.

    He said the government is not unmindful of the strategic role of the traditional institution is playing in society and the need to have an enabling environment for them to operate.

    “In this vein, we have captured the building of palaces for our first class rulers and vehicles in the 2014 Budget which I have just signed into law.  The long-awaited creation of new chiefdoms and districts, where desirable, will soon be done ‘’.

     

  • From the Villa: Sacking a winning team?

    From the Villa: Sacking a winning team?

    There was a bombshell in the Federal Executive Council Chamber last Wednesday when the Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi was dropped from the cabinet.

    Unusual of him, President Goodluck Jonathan surprised some ministers, top Presidency officials and journalists when he named Danagogo as the new Sports Minister after he and 10 other new ministers were sworn in.

    When the President made the announcement without explaining whether Abdullahi, who was absent at the meeting, was sacked from the cabinet or re-assigned to another ministry, many in the chamber thought the President might have made a mistake and might have wanted to name the new man as Minister of State for Sports.

    Abdullahi, who was said to be unaware of his sack when the rug was pulled off his feet, was air-borne to Poland where Nigeria’s athletes are participating in the World Indoor Athletics Championships.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati was able to get across to the President and later confirmed to journalists that Abdullahi was actually sacked. No reason was given.

    Many of those in the chamber that morning were taken aback by Mr President’s surprise package as it was never in their imagination that morning that a minister under whose tenure unprecedented achievements were recorded in the sports sector could be shown the way out just like that.

    But from the grapevine, it was gathered that his sack was not unconnected with his alleged below expectation role during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in his home state, Ilorin, Kwara State on Monday last week.

    He is believed not only to be a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but accused of 100 per cent loyalty to the actors in the APC-controlled Kwara State.

    But many stakeholders have frowned at the sacrifice of merit on the altar of political or other considerations given the interest and unifying factor sports play in the lives of Nigerians.

    Right from the moment the news broke, there have been mixed reactions trailing the sack of the minister. While some hailed the development, others regard the action to be against national interest, claiming that it was wrong to sack the head of a winning team.

    Reacting to the development, President of the Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), Victor Orji, even though he commended Abdullahi for transforming the sports sector and bringing Nigeria back to winning ways, maintained that the development would not have any negative impact on sports development in Nigeria.

    “Government is a continuum. So, the new minister will just have to continue with the development programmes on ground. Since the Director-General of the National Sports Commission and the other directors are still on ground, they will not want to disrupt the good things the former minister has put in place,’’ he said.

    But the National Beach Volleyball Coach, Chakuma Ismail, said Abdullahi’s removal when Nigeria was witnessing positive changes in sports could be a disservice.

    In the same manner, FCT Volleyball Coach, Zulu Usman expressed fears that Abdullahi’s programmes might be halted by the new minister which will adversely affect the progress on ground towards taking Nigeria’s sports to a new height.

    “Abdullahi has a good record because we achieved more successes during his tenure, more than some other sports ministers. I feel he should have been left to continue,’’ he said.

    Abdullahi’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Julius Ogunro listed the achievements of his boss to include Nigeria winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa in February 2013 after 19 years, the Super Eagles’ qualification for the Brazil 2014 World Cup and Golden Eaglets winning the FIFA Under 17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirate late last year.

    Other achievements, according to him, included Nigeria becoming number one nation in Africa in athletics and weightlifting.

    “Never in the history of African athletics has one country been winner of the senior, junior and youth championships at the same time. Nigeria has won the whole three in the last two years. First we won the Senior Athletics Championship in Port Novo (June 27-July1, 2012), followed by the inaugural Youth Championship in Warri, Delta State (March 2013) and lastly, we won the Junior Championship in Mauritius (August- September 2013),” he said.

    He went on: “After 14 years absence on the medals table of the IAAF World Championships, Blessing Okagbare won two medals for Nigeria in the last IAAF World Championship, which took place in Russia in August 2013.  She won a silver medal in long jump and a bronze medal in the 200 meter race. The last time Nigeria won any medal was at the Seville’99 IAAF World Championship in Seville, Spain, where Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles and a bronze medal in the 200m respectively.”

    While stressing that funding and smooth running of the Nigeria Premier League has never had it so good under Abdullahi, he said the ex-minister held the first ever National Youth Games for athletes between the ages of 13 and 17 in December 2013 with over 300 special talents discovered for Nigeria.

    According to him, Abdullahi, who met a football sector that was in total disarray with many conflicts and court cases, was able to settle the issues and made the warring parties embrace comprehensive peace deal in the sector.

    Based on the blueprint of the Presidential Retreat on Sports and the failure of Team Nigeria to win a single medal at the London 2012 Olympics Games, Abdullahi was said