The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Charm of a GSM village

    Charm of a GSM village

    Despite its scruffy outlook, the GSM village, as most people in Abuja call it, may not fit the description of a modern market. But it is one location that offers different mobile services to residents of the capital city.

    Located in Zone 3 Neighbourhood under a bridge in the Central Business District, the GSM village is the place you will find “modest engineers” with a vast knowledge of mobile phones. For those who cannot afford it, the GSM Village is an alternative compared to the high prices charged at the city centres.

    It is a bustling market for sellers of all sorts of phones and phone accessories, alongside other services. It is a showcase for entrepreneurship at its best. Almost everybody visits this place to buy mobile phones, accessories or repair their faulty ones.

    You can find laptop engineers, software engineers, mobile phone technicians and food vendors. All kinds of phones are brought back to life due to the ingenuity of these mostly young people who are determined to succeed in a country with very few opportunities.

    “Many residents of Abuja visit the place to repair damaged phones, upgrade software, install applications and pimp mobile devices with accessories to their taste,” a trader in the market who identifies himself as Okoro said.

    “It is a choice destination for those who want to buy used or new phones and those who want to sell or trade in their existing phones,” he added.

    Here, you will find “engineers” whose daily job is to fix any problem of any mobile phone for residents of the capital. Although their prices sometimes could be outrageous, they render quality service. The prices seem considerable when compared to what is obtainable in Barnex; a GSM outlet located in Wuse 2 in the capital.

    Their prices sometimes may seem exorbitant, but the quality of service rendered is durable.

    Besides the repair of mobile phones, the village is also known for phone swap deal. With a fairly quoted price, scores of mobile phone users visit the place for exchange of phones. Residents of the capital can exchange old phones for a new one.

    With reasonable price, one can swap an old phone for a new one with a certain amount of money added.

    Caution has to be taken though to ensure that the mobile phone swapped is in good shape. Sometimes, the swapped mobile phone may be in bad shape or could be a stolen phone.

    Emeka, a trader at the market explained that the GSM Village has become an attractive alternative for residents of the FCT where they exchange phones. He further said most people who visit the place get the type of phones they want without paying the amount of money commensurate with it in direct cash transaction.

    “People visit this place for phone swap deals. You can exchange a Blackberry phone for another one for a fair price; as the customers do not pay the real market price for such phones. Our services are the cheapest in Abuja,” he said.

    On what happens to the old phone exchanged, he said: “A customer may be given a phone whose cost is N35,000 for N20,000, if he brings a phone that is worth N25,000. By the time I change the pack into a new one and then sell it, I would have made a gain of N10,000,” he said.

    A resident who identified himself as John explained that he was in the market to swap his old Blackberry Bold2 for a Bold 5 phone at a fair price.

    “I have heard about phone-swap deals in this place. I want to see if I can exchange my blackberry bold2 for a Bold 5 by adding little money for it. If it works, fine. If it does not, fine. But I hope it works for me, though,” he said.

    Besides the repair of phones, other businesses like car wash, food vendor outlets are fast gaining grounds. The village has become a notable place for African dishes like the famous “white soup.” Workers in the capital visit the place during lunch break.

    A worker with one of the leading banks in Abuja whose name is Chika said she visits the place because of the popular white soup.

    “I like the way they prepare it. I find the meal very attractive. The way they prepare the dish is nice. Most of my colleagues have even started visiting this place because of the white soup,” she said.

  • Council sinks five boreholes in cholera-prone areas

    Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State has constructed five boreholes in the cholera-endemic villages where about 10 people were reported dead while many hospitalised.

    Addressing newsmen in Koko town, the council chairman Alhaji Aliyu Buhari Koko said the gesture became necessary considering the scores of people, especially children dying as a result of drinking contaminated water in the villages of Lani, Zaria Kalakala and Danba.

    He said the council succeeded in dealing with the epidemic.

    “Frankly, our people now could attest to the fact that what they are experiencing is a transparent leadership right from state and local government.

    “In the area of agriculture, over 20 trucks of assorted fertilisers were procured by the council and distributed to farmers at subsidised rates during the last cropping season.”

    He said agriculture and health were accorded utmost priority and would continue to be given maximum attention with a view to uplifting the living standard of the citizens.

    “I must confess that all that we were able to achieve was as a result of the support and co-operation we received from the state governor, Alhaji Sa’idu Usman Dakingari,” he said.

     

  • Give us water, community tells council

    Residents of Dawaki in Bwari Area Council have called on the council to provide potable water for the people.

    The residents, who spoke with our reporter, stated that the community was known to be located close to the Usman Dam, adding that it was unfortunate that even with the closeness; the community does not have access to potable water.

    One of the residents, Baba Usman said when the provision of water became a problem, some well-to-do residents had to sink boreholes for themselves, saying even at that, the community needed help from the council.

    “People now sink boreholes for themselves. They pay electricity bills and maintain the boreholes themselves. We have our local water source but when more people came to live in the community, they began to mess up the source of water supply. Many get water through the Mairuwas,” he said.

    Another resident, Gloria Ike lamented the huge amount of money she spends in order to get water from water vendors, adding that water which is one of the necessities of life ought to be provided for the people by the government.

    “Every day, I spend at least N400 on water. If I add up this amount in a month, the money would be substantial. We need drinkable water. But for the boreholes which some people sink everywhere, we would have experienced very serious water problem here,” she said.

    Also speaking, Mary Peter, another resident, said apart from providing water for the community, the council should also help in the construction and rehabilitation of roads in the area.

    “The council should try to assist us and talk to the minister and the water board. The water flows under us and goes straight to town and we do not have it. We also need good roads,” she said.

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Bothered by the continued lack of basic amenities in the community, the residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have called on the council’s administration and the minister of FCT to remember the community in the provision of basic amenities.

    Some residents who spoke on the issue stated that the community is still living in darkness as they were yet to experience the pleasure of electricity in the area.

    One of the residents, Mamuud Idir stated that it was unfortunate that even at this time the residents are still unable to say when they will be able to get electricity which most communities have been enjoying for years.

    “As I am talking to you right now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light.  There are no poles, no electricity cable and no transformer. Our getting electricity for me here is a mirage. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo, who owns a shop at the area stated that the lack of electricity had made the community stagnant as electricity was one thing that brings about economic development in a community.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but without the electricity, it isn’t growing. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have love to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt,

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner put on a generator 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,” he said.

    Another resident, John Igo stated that the community was also suffering for lack of good roads leading to the area adding that lack of potable water was also dealing with the people of the community who have to depend on stream for water.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I am hoping that this year will be a good year for us and our forgotten town will be remembered,’’ he said.

     

     

  • Jonathan and agricultural reforms

    The hall was filled to the brim with many standing at the back as all the available seats were occupied. It was almost green as nearly everyone in the hall was holding and waving two mini-Nigerian flags.

    The occasion was the launch of the 2014 Dry Season Programme of the Federal Government at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja last week Monday.

    President Goodluck Jonathan was ushered into the hall with a standing ovation by the farmers and stakeholders, all holding and waving the flags and singing ‘No farmer, no nation; No nation, no farmer.’

    Before the launching started, some of the farmers who came from every part of the country and who benefitted from the programme were given a few minutes to share their experiences with Nigerians.

    A woman farmer, Hajiya Tele Alaha from Jigawa State who spoke in Hausa and interpreted in English by another lady, said: “I am the women leader from Jigawa State. I started farming as a female farmer in rice.

    Initially, when I started, I produced about 400 bags of paddy rice but because of the support we are getting through the mobile phone, through fertiliser subsidy and free seeds, I have been able with other women to produce 1,500 bags in the last farming season.”

    “And with further support we are getting in the dry season, we hope to produce about 4,000 bags. I have no other business than rice farming and from the proceeds of this farming I had been able to train six of my children. Four of them are graduates from Bayero University, while two others are diploma holders.”

    “After graduation, they complained they don’t have jobs , so I decided to expand and opened my poultry farm and I asked them to come and work that I have work for them at home. With the empowerment we are getting from the president, we women of Jigawa State are ready to farm.”

    “But we want to appeal to Mr. President to separate the women from the men when he is supporting the farmers because the men are cheating us.

    Secondly, I will also like to appeal to Mr. President to support us with good roads because we find it difficult to transport our products because of the bad roads. To also support Mr. President, the governor of Jigawa State has also supported dry season farming with seeds and fertilisers.”

    Another farmer from Sokoto State, Hon. Murtala Gagado, who also spoke through an interpreter, said: “I am a confirmed rice farmer. Indeed, this dry season farming has actually supported farmers through the GSM phone and assisted farmers generally.”

    “These fertiliser subsidy and free seeds have made farmers love Mr. President and his government, generally. Through this cell phone, a farmer can get his fertiliser directly without any interruption. Because of this programme, the lives of the common farmers have been transformed. He is now enjoying himself and now very proud to be a farmer.”

    “Before this time, a farmer could only produce 10 bags of paddy rice, but because of the fertiliser subsidy and the free seeds, they can now produce 100 bags. We assure you, we will remove hunger from this country and continue to feed the nation well. We appeal to Mr. President to assist us to get buyers to buy our excess produce. We also appeal to him to assist us so that we can mill our rice before taking it to the market,” he said.

    But some doubting Thomases sitting close to me in the hall while discussing among themselves believed that the stories were too good to be real.

    They felt that the stories do not tally with the general situation in the Nigerian markets.

    But in his welcome address earlier, the Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina said: “They are not the politicians nor the rich and the famous, they are farmers, hard-working farmers of Nigeria, who labour day and night to feed our nation.”

    “Our farmers under your leadership and support, Mr. President, have reason to take our nation to greater heights, to make our nation self-sufficient in food. They are here to tell their stories, how their lives have changed under your support with the agricultural transformation agenda.”

    “Today, Mr. President, you will hear their stories. Mr. President, nothing is more important than food. Our dignity as a nation depends on feeding ourselves. Your support has ignited the hope that we will be able to achieve this.”

    Continuing, he said: “The millions of farmers benefiting from your strong support are not on Facebook, they are not in the internet, they are not on Twitter where they can interact and share their experiences but their voices resonate loud across our dear nation…they even make their ways into the king’s palace. Such is the power of our farmers, they feed, they create jobs, they defend our lands, for where there is food security, there is national security.”

    President Jonathan at the occasion announced governments approval of N14 billion for the 2014 Dry Season farming which was N5 billion above the N9 billion approved for 2013 Dry Season farming.

    He also promised that the Dry Season Food Support Project will soon become a national policy in the country.

    He said: “As a government we are committed to diversify our economy from sole reliance on hydro carbon resource, our drive to unlock the huge agriculture potential in our country so as to assure food security and create wealth for our people.”

    “As a nation,we must feed ourselves. A giant that cannot feed herself of course the weight of the giant will crush the weak legs if there is no food. It was in this regard that we launch the agricultural transformation agenda in 2011, with the gold of adding an additional 20 million metric tones of food to our domestic food supply to change their approach to agriculture.”

    “The various states have testified and almost all the states are now involved in this agricultural transformation agenda, we have heard from the fertilizers producers, we have fixed that sector. Before now fertilizers were not getting to the farmers, sometimes the fertilizers that gets to them are adulterated with about 50 percent of them filled up with bags and that will not encourage yield but government has been able to fix these lapses. Now farmers get the fertilizers through the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES).”

    “From the brief I have so far received from the ministry, about six million farmers have within two years that we started this programme received their farms imput via the mobile phone. I’m pleased that our nation is the first in Africa to launch this electronic wallet system (e-wallet) to enable farmers to receive subsidized farm inputs via the mobile phone.”

    “Listening to various testimonies of farmers of how this programme change lives, revive hopes in communities, created jobs for thousands of our young people, I feel very encouraged. We will continue to strongly support our farmers so that they produce more foods. Producing food in the rainy season is no longer enough we must also produce food massively in the dry season.”

    “We will continue to rehabilitate and expand our irrigation facilities to support our farmers to grow more than one crop per year. I’m pleased that the Minister of agriculture and rural development and the minister of water resources are working together to better utilize all our river basin authorities in vast FADAMA lands to expand food production in our dear country.” He added

    The ordinary man on the street will not really care whether the people that gave testimony at the launching were actual farmers or ‘arrangee’ farmers as long as the grains are massively produced in the country with the best international quality.

    Definitely, if what Nigerians heard at the launching is real, in no time high prices of foodstuffs in the Nigerian markets will start crashing in line with the dictate of the economic forces of demand and supply.

    They will also thump up for the Jonathan’s administration if the price of a 50kg bag of rice, for instance, can be forced from the present range of N10,000 to N12,000 down to about N3,000.

    That is the greatest testimony the Jonathan’s agricultural transformation agenda can give to Nigerians.

    Nigerians will also like to see reversal of the trend of Nigeria transforming from an importer to exporter of agricultural produce in order to get more foreign earnings for the country.

  • Six decades of lack

    Six decades of lack

    Is 60 years not enough for a community to grow? In the case of Ayilamo in Gaambe Tiev Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, it is probably not.

    Six decades after it was founded by Ayilamo Gese, the community lacks everything its residents desire, while grappling with all that they detest. There is no healthy water, disposing the people to frequent attacks of water-borne diseases. And when they come down with such ailments, the only health centre in town has no drugs.

    The only borehole in the community was sunk by Governor Gabriel Suswam, who hails from the town, about 10 years ago when he was a member of the state House of Assembly. In any case, the borehole has since broken down, its power generating set stolen by yet unidentified persons.

    There is no good road in Ayilamo, making transportation a tough task.

    Ayilamo later became a District Head in the area, even inhabited by prominent people. It is Suswam’s country home but there are other prominent people from Ayilamo.

    Judged on this, as well as on its history, a six-decade-old town should have a few things to crow about. But it does not. No good network of roads, nor well-planned streets nor health centres and schools.

    The town has refused to grow and develop. As it is underdeveloped so are the people, seemingly. In this ancient town, there is no school where children could receive modern education. There are also no other amenities that could enhance the social well-being of the people. There is poverty everywhere.

    It is hard to place the root cause of the town’s backwardness 60 years after.

    Our correspondent visited the town located along the dilapidated and abandoned Abinsi-Wukari Road which was constructed more than 30 years ago. Its people live in an era similar to the Stone Age.

    A final year student of the Department of History Benue State University (BSU) Benjamin Uzenda who is indigenous to Ayilamo traced the town’s backwardness to conspiracy and gang up by other surrounding communities.

    Benjamin Uzenda said: “In the then Gaambe Tiev, it was one district and Kungwa Hough was the District Head, with Tombo three kindred, Turan 1 kindred, Mbagber1 kindred, Mbavur 1 kindred and Ukember-Agya 1 kindred.

    Suddenly, when districts/kindred were created for administrative purpose, the number of kindreds was increased to five under one District Head, except Tombo Ward which had Ayilamo as its headquarters. Instead of creating 15 more kindreds under one District Head, it was compressed. They merged Tombo into just one District Head.”

    Uzenda further stated that three kindreds namely Kyav, Nyough and Iwedyer were supposed to be upgraded and each was supposed to have five kindreds if the upgrading had been carried out. This, he said, would have increased the number of kindreds to 15 with a district head. This was not so as it was compressed into five kindreds with one District Head.

    According to Uzenda, before now, Tombo Ward in Ayilamo had 54 polling units. But these units have been reduced to only 22 polling units. This indicates that the people’s voting power has been grossly reduced.

    He further said the compression of Ayilamo kindreds marked the beginning of the slide of Ayilamo and its people to backwardness. The only sign of development in the area was when the late Governor Aper Aku sited a Government Day Secondary School and an Area Court in the area in 1983.

    Successive administrations abandoned the secondary school and the Area Court, when the then Military Administrator Group Capt. Joshua Obademi ordered that Ayilamo Day Secondary School should be relocated to the town. Some powerful individuals moved the school to another town called Ayiin, leaving Ayilamo with no school.

    Ayilamo has no government school 60 years after the town was founded. Any wonder their children are not educated. The only comprehensive health centre which was founded 20 years ago is dilapidated as there are no drugs to serve the ever-increasing people in the town.

    Inhabitants of Ayilamo town are always prone to common diseases and snakebite. There are no drugs in the health centre which is supposed to be upgraded to a general hospital. This is to enable it to accommodate more people than it currently does as it was built 20 years to accommodate the tiny population of the town as at then.

    Torbee Agu, a resident of the area, said unknown persons removed the battery that was used to power the electricity generating set.

    Agu called on Logo Local Government Area to rehabilitate the borehole so that the people can enjoy potable water.

    Currently, they contend with Fulani herdsmen to fetch drinking water for them, a situation that sometimes results in skirmishes between the local farmers and the herdsmen.

    The only road contract awarded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from Ayilamo to Anyibe, a rice and fish-producing community located at the bank of Upper River Benue, has been abandoned for more than seven years now. Farmers experience difficulty evacuating their farm produce on bicycles which usually takes two days for them to arrive at Ayilamo Market.

    According to Terlumun Dzungwe, a farmer, since they elected Hon. Emmanuel Udende, the member representing Ukum-Logo-Katsina Ala into the National Assembly, he has not visited Ayilamo or sited any single project in the entire Tombo Ward, same with the member representing Logo State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Chief Godwin Akaan.

    However, the people of Ayilamo are not relenting as they have taken their destiny in their own hands.

    One of the prominent sons of the area, Terry Damsa who works in Abuja, has been promoting free heath programme every year.

    The free health programme is targeted at widows and the orphans. Hon Moses, Audu and Joseph Tsasar have been carrying out one programmes in the area.

    Moses Audu has continued to mount pressure on the Federal Government to reconstruct the abandoned Abinsi-Tyulen-Ayilamo-Wukari Road to boost commercial activities, while Joseph Tsavsar has built a lodge for the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) at Tombo Community Secondary School as an incentive to attract corps members to the area in a bid to impart knowledge to the youth of Ayilamo.

    On his part, Governor Suswam provided electricity during his first tenure but all that is history as the only transformer in Ayilamo town broke down and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) keeps increasing bills on monthly  basis, despite that the community does not enjoy light.

    Electricity consumers in the town said they require about two transformers to supply light to the agrarian community.

    The people of Ayilamo are still hoping for the day government would provide them with basic amenities. Who knows long they will wait.

  • Immortalising Lar

    Immortalising Lar

    The late Chief Solomon Lar, the first civilian governor of Plateau State, is fast becoming an institution. In death, his impact is still felt everywhere, including the campuses. The state government named the state university after him and also proceeded to expand the institution’s curriculum to include new courses on the legacies and virtues of the most accomplished politician Plateau ever produced.

    The proposed courses are ‘Love, Peace and Unity studies, Political Emancipation Studies, Political Tolerance and Peace Development studies.

    The Vice Chancellor of the Solomon Daushep Lar University, Prof. Doknan Danjuma Sheni, who announced the introduction of the new courses in the University, said the programme was aimed at creating room for the study of the legacies of the late Lar, adding that these are the principles the politician spent his entire life to defend and protect with enthusiasm.

    As a mark of honour to late chief Lar and as one of the ways to imortalised him, Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang has earlier renamed the state university to Solomon Daushep Lar university.

     Prof Shenyi disclosed this while paying tributes to the first civilian governor of the state during the funeral rights and final interment in Langtang, Langtang North local government of Plateau state.

    According to the vice Chancellor,  ”the university is setting up a chair to examine the late elder statesman’s last three words; Love, Peace and Unity as revealed by his wife, Prof. Mary Lar.

    ”Normally in universities, we have Peace and Conflict Studies but our own will go a bit more as we will add “love” The reason I mentioned love is the spiritual background that Solomon Daushep Lar has, from his Church route up till the dying bed. That spiritual background gave him the desire to naturally love people. He loved widows and orphans, the poor and oppressed. And that is why he worked throughout his 50 years (in politics) emancipating”, he said.

    Giving reasons for the proposed new courses, Prof. Sheni said, “I think Chief Lar may have been the only governor, at that time, to bring people from other states to come and work in his own state. He brought people from different ethnic groups, some from the legal fields, some as commissioners and some as special advisers. So we want to study that political pragmatism to see how it will enhance political tolerance in Nigeria.

    “The other thing is his role in conflict resolution, he was a peace maker in Plateau State, and in Nigeria at large. During the crises on the Plateau, the President appointed him to head the committee on the Jos crisis and he went and interracted with people of different faith, interacted with people of different political backgrounds and different categories of persons. That ability to bring people of different persuations together towards restoring peace on the Plateau is what we want to study even to the Masters and PhD level.

    “We want to also see books, papers and other intellectual materials written on how we can better unite our country Nigeria following in the footsteps of the late Lar who lived his life completely as a detribalized Nigerian. That is why we need that Love, Peace and Unity studies”  the VC added.

    He further disclosed plans to enter into collaborations with different groups and institutions within and outside the country to attract the needed development that would support learning in the university.

    He said the university authority will liase with the state house of assembly to create the legal foundation for the renaming of the university to Solomon Daushep Lar University Bokkos.

  • Governor’s wife set to save her jobs scheme

    Governor’s wife set to save her jobs scheme

    What happened to one of the most vibrant employment schemes in Gombe State? As unemployment statistics rose, confidence in government was at perhaps its lowest ebb. But then, came along the Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo administration, and hope began to return.

    Also, the governor’s wife, Hajiya Adama Dankwambo, injected a huge boost into the state, with her pet project dedicated to lifting the profile of women in the state. But after making waves, has the Hajiya Adama Women Empowerment Programme (HAWEP) run into a storm?

    HAWEP aims at enhancing the capacity of indigent women through skills acquisition and cash grants to enable them to stand on their own.

    It empowered about 4,474 women from inception to date, even as 648 trainees graduated on January 8, 2014.

    The programme, which began in 2012, has trained 1,519 women on five skills. These are hairdressing, soap and jelly making, fish farming, tailoring and knitting. Last year, the programme was expanded to accommodate more women. About 2,107 women were trained in skills. Within the period, 200 women were trained in poultry farming.

    To spice up the programme, trainees are given stipends to augment their transportation to the various training centres. When they graduate, they receive complete kits for the skills they learnt, with an additional cash grant of N50, 000 each to enable them to start off their businesses.

    Those who make soaps and jelly receive kits and chemicals with which they produce the items, those who learnt tailoring receive sewing machines, sewing accessories and three wrappers.

    In the same manner, those who are into knitting received ultra-modern knitting machines. The hairdressers were given hair dryers, washing trays and other items while those who learnt fish farming were given a free plastic fish pond with 50 fingerlings. Those whose learnt poultry farming during the programme received a package of 25 broiler day-old chicks, one drinker, one chick tray, one long feeder, drugs, two bags of starter feed and N20, 000 cash to start their farm business.

    Also encompassed in the programme is the distribution of hundreds of empowerment materials such as masa (rice pudding)-making pans powered by gas. The aim, the initiator of the programme said, is to reduce exposure to smoke which has been scientifically proven to be dangerous to sight just as the gadgets make frying easier, quicker and more hygienic.

    Similarly, HAWEP has also been distributing fertilisers to women farmers across the state at highly subsidised rate to supplement their efforts which results in increased yields.

    Today, HAWEP is synonymous with economic empowerment even though it was meant for empowerment of women in the area of healthcare. Over 1,000 women have benefitted from the free treatment on vesico virginal fistula (VVF) at a health facility outside the state.

    Recently, the HAWEP health programme attracted women with visual impairment, particularly cataract.

    Hajiya Adama Dankwambo, through the programme, has engaged the services of Gombe-born expert in ophthalmologist who was practising overseas and some local support staff to perform cataract surgical operations as well as examine, treat and prescribe drugs for other eye problems.

    No fewer than 1,000 indigent citizens of the state had benefitted from the free eye treatment.

    This is aside from her active participation in polio eradication activities and other healthcare advocacy programmes that have been of immense benefit to residents of Gombe State.

    It could be true that some beneficiaries may have misspent their cash and, invariably their opportunities of wriggling themselves out of poverty, but the wise and prudent ones have utilised these opportunities and are better for it today.

    They are now happier because they can augment the efforts of their husbands in enhancing the economic well-being of their families.

    Recently, however, this laudable programme meant to make life better for the women seems to be on the threshold of collapse due to squabbles over finances and enhancement of the socio-economic well-being of women. Those entrusted with its management are, allegedly mismanaging the programme.

    HAWEP, which is coordinated by Alhaji Hassan Adamu, has lost focus and now appears to be a shadow of itself so much so that the women are crying out to the initiator of the programme to wade into the crisis with a view to correcting the anomalies that are capable of dragging her name to the mud.

    Women who are supposed to receive N50,000 cash grant now get about N30,000 less. This is because the women were compelled to offer N20,000 down payments to facilitate their enlistment for training.

    Those who were able to offer such amount were meant to take an oath that it should be deducted from source before handing over to them the balance of the supposed cash grants of N50,000.

    As a result of this, beneficiaries of the programme are mostly women of means. Some of them are even civil servants or politicians. The exposure of this scam was during the closing ceremony of the training conducted on January 8, where 648 women graduated.

    Among those who graduated was a high profile retired civil servant. She quit the service to join politics and was, until recently, a councillor in one of the local government areas of the state.

    Besides, some influential politicians have cashed in on the programme, using it to grease their ego as political godfathers by securing forms for their cronies who are, in most cases, supposed to be more comfortable than most of the participants at the expense of those who really needed to be empowered by the programme.

    Adamu refused to field questions from reporters. He also did not pick his calls, especially those from perceived enquirers.

    The situation, it was gathered, degenerated that much because the initiator, Hajiya Adama Dankwambo is not always around to supervise the operations of the programme.

    However, the situation has changed as she has started being keen to know how the programme is run, even as she cautioned women against giving anybody money to facilitate their enlistment.

    HAWEP is a laudable programme that must be saved from opportunistic predators.

  • A big, unfulfilled dream in Ilorin

    The idea was the late Col George Innih’s. But the glory was that of Kwara State and its people.

    The then military administrator of old Kwara State wanted to build one of the best stadiums in Africa, in Ilorin, the state capital. Perhaps, that is why till date it is the only state-owned stadium complex that boasts the highest concentration of different sports.

    It was designed to host 26 sporting events at once. This information was gleaned from the facility master plan. But, the Innih administration did not complete the project before he was summarily removed. His successor, the late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, could not also complete the project before the coup makers struck.

    The initial contract sum of the project was N31.5 million but following virulent attacks on the size of the project, government scaled down the scope of the project to N15.5 million.

    A document termed ‘sports development in Kwara State’ stumbled on by our correspondent, said that “on assuming office as military governor of Kwara state Colonel Innih saw the need for a stadium complex in Ilorin, because ‘sports for all, all for sports’ could not take place without a stadium and permanent infrastructure.

    “He approved the setting up of a high-level stadium committee of experts in related professional and technical areas to advise his government at its several meetings on the project which led to the government decision that a stadium complex befitting a state capital should be built in Ilorin as a once and for all action.

    “The following reputable contractors were invited to quote for the construction based on the list of facilities provided by the state government: Soloel Boneh Ltd; G Cappa Ltd; Niggreek Co Ltd; Gruden International Ltd; Technoexportsroy Ltd; Julius Berger Ltd and Messrs Dumesz (Nig) Ltd.

    “After careful considerations of their submissions, government awarded the contract for the design and construction of the stadium complex to Technoexoportsroy construction company, Sofia Bulgaria, which already had the National Theatre amongst its record of completed projects in Nigeria.”

    However, that lofty dream, save for the immediate past government and the current, had suffered neglect, abandonment and dereliction in the hands of successive administrations in the state.

    Former Governor Bukola Saraki started the rehabilitation of the main bowl and swimming pool sections of the stadium and his successor Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed completed the project. In fact, the football pitch of the stadium is laced with synthetic grass, while there is a state-of-the-art media gallery overlooking the pitch.

    Sadly, though, the indoor hall of the complex has is an eyesore and has beggared the original intention of the initiator.

    Checks revealed that the sitting arrangement, the seats and railings in the hall have all given way, just as the colours of the paintings on the walls have defied recognition.

    An Ilorin based sports analyst said that government yearly, votes funds to the Kwara state Sports Council, “but no one knows where the money goes.”

    The analyst added that “if government is sinking money for the maintenance of the complex it is money going down the drain as the original master plan of the project has been neglected.”

    He blamed the deterioration of the structures of the indoor hall on its conversion to state House of Assembly during the advent of democracy in 1979.

    “The indoor hall was used as the legislative chambers of the state House of Assembly when the military left in 1979,” the source added.

    He also attributed the abandonment of the parts of the complex to administrative division of the stadium between the state Sports Council and Harmony Holdings Ltd.

    But some functions of the law establishing the sports council include: To organize, hold or assist, financially or otherwise, the holding of matches and competitions in sports, whether between participants of the state and other states of Nigeria or between participants from Nigeria and other territories and provide or present trophies and prizes for the same and may prescribe the rules under which matches or competitions shall be held; to assist, financially or otherwise, the participation of any Nigerian in the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, or any other contest held either within Nigeria or elsewhere; to maintain land and buildings for the practice of or competition in sports and may admit the public thereto with or without charge or permit, either with or without charge, the same to be used by any other person for the admission of the public with or without and to establish and maintain schools or similar institutions for the education of instructors or organizers for any form of sports; to assist, financially or otherwise, the education overseas of any Nigerian to fit him to be an instructor or organizer for any form of sports or physical culture,” etc.

    Speaking on the dilapidation of the indoor hall’s structures, media aide to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said: “The Indoor sports Hall of the Ilorin Stadium is earmarked for comprehensive overhaul and rehabilitation this year.

    “It will be completely modernised in line with global standards as obtains in the main bowl of the stadium. This is part of the major infrastructure works proposed by Governor Ahmed in his 2014 budget proposals.”

  • Trading on the bridge

    Almost all the pedestrian bridges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been taken over by traders. GBENGA OMOKHUNU reports

    BEFORE the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed started building six pedestrian bridges in the metropolis, pedestrians were knocked down by speeding cars everyday.

    This ugly incident lingered for many years before Mohammed in 2012 listened to the outcry for pedestrian bridges.

    The Minister remarked at a public function that the development was a great concern to his administration. He then identified six critical locations where the pedestrian bridges should be constructed which included: Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway by Tafawa Balewa (Old Secretariat); Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway by Olusegun Obasanjo (Wuye Junction); Shehu Yar’Adua Way by Okonja Iweala Way (V.I.O Mabushi); Shehu Yar’Adua Way by Ladi Kwali Street (Sheraton Junction); Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway by Ahmadu Bello Way (Banex Junction) and Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway by Shehu Shagari Way (Nicon Junction).

    The bridges which were supposed to be completed six months from the date of the contract. Some of them remain unfinished.

    Abuja Review investigations revealed that the completed ones are sometimes hardly used by pedestrians. Why? Petty traders have since converted the bridges to veritable business posts. At night, the bridges come alive offering a variety of articles.

    When Abuja Review visited one of the bridges at Nnamdi Azikwe Expressway by Shehu Shagari Way, at the popular Nicon Junction bus stop, traders were seen enjoying their trading with their customers without fear of been arrested. Products displayed at the bridge included Shoes, under wears, fairly used cloths, Belts, fruits, groundnuts and so on.