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Tag: Abdulaziz Yari

  • Why North may still stay behind – Yari

    Why North may still stay behind – Yari

    The Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari on Thursday said, North West integration is important and key, considering that the zone has an advantage than any other zone in the country when it comes to agriculture.

    In his words: “We have the land, we have the people, we are the most populous zone, so we have to take advantage of that. When you talk about education, in the north, we are backward but we have a comparative advantage from one state to the other.

    “I have seen one index that shows that about 65 percent of our people are leaving in poverty. As long as we fail to fix education, getting those children out of school back to school and put the necessary infrastructure in place, we will still be behind.”

  • FG dismisses Gov. Yari’s views on Meningitis being result of sins

    The Federal Government says the outbreak of ‘Type C’ form of Cerebro-spinal Meningitis (CSM) in some parts of the country has nothing to do with moral or spiritual lifestyles of Nigerians.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated this after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, which was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara was on Tuesday quoted as saying that the outbreak of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis ‘C’ occurred because of fornication and other sins by Nigerians.

    According to Ehanire, “The Federal Government does not have views of that nature‎ and I am not sure the state government can really continue to make that statement.

    “When things happen; yes you can begin to look at many ways for possible causes.

    “But like I said, nature played us an unfortunate stroke; that is not to say we committed sin or anything.

    “It does happen in this World that things occur out of the blues.’’

    The minister noted that there had been a very robust response of the ministry and the affected state governments in collaboration with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agencies, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF; as well as other partners.

    He allayed the fears of Nigerians about the ministry’s response on the outbreak of the virus, adding that already 500,000 doses of vaccines were being distributed to the affected states.

    He further said, “Government is also getting 826,000 units which are being shipped‎ from Europe to us within the next few days.

    “The most affected states have been Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina and together they have about 85 per cent of the cases. As of today, there have been 2,996 cases in 16 states and 64 local governments.

    “There have been 336 fatalities of which 141 have been confirmed by laboratory tests.

    “There is reactive ‎vaccinations going on already; there is social mobilisation going on, teams are working in the affected states.

    “So in other to allay the fears of Nigerians, we want to make it clear that this is not a sign of failure of the system‎, it is a fact that nature played a very different stroke this time that caught everybody off guard.”

    He announced that two treatment centres were being set up in every local government and lumber puncture kits had also been distributed so that doctors could take samples to laboratories for testing.

  • I didn’t say God is punishing Nigerians with meningitis – Yari

    I didn’t say God is punishing Nigerians with meningitis – Yari

    The Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, on Wednesday denied saying God is punishing Nigerians with meningitis outbreak.

    The governor said he never said meningitis was a divine punishment from God for sins of fornication committed by the people.

    Yari said he only lamented the paucity of appropriate vaccines to confront the outbreak of meningitis in his state.

    He said it was unfortunate because the state does not have enough vaccines yet for the Type C meningitis.

    The governor, who made the clarifications through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Ibrahim Magaji Dosara, said he merely asked Nigerians to move closer to God and plead for his mercy to avert further infectious diseases and other health crisis in the state and Nigeria

    The statement said: “No doubt, as a God-fearing man, and a Muslim, the governor believes in the powers of Allah to inflict whatever punishment He decides on the human race. However, the governor who spoke in Hausa had a particular audience in mind when he spoke to the BBC Hausa reporter.

    “The governor added for example, that fornication ‘should not spread so much in society that it becomes common place and if that happens, Allah promises to inflict, on its perpetrators (people) a sickness that would have no cure.”

    “Let it be known too that the governor still insists that all diseases come from Allah and that at no point in his interaction with the reporters did he insinuate that Allah was punishing Nigerians but instead drew from the teachings of great Islamic traditions to buttress the point he was trying to convey.

    “This is exactly what the governor said. But because some people are out there to ridicule him at the slightest opportunity and make a mountain out of a molehill with a view to tarnishing his rising reputation, the innocuous statement was misinterpreted and quoted out of context for reasons best known to the authors.

    “We therefore use this medium to appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians to ignore the story making the round and condemn the act of unethical practice by those disseminating the deceptive story.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Zamfara State Government in conjunction with relevant federal government agencies is making frantic effort to contain the outbreak of meningitis in the state by taking immediate steps to secure appropriate vaccines for the latest health challenge.

    “Let it be on record that the state under the leadership of governor, Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, will not abandon the well-being of the people, who elected him to pilot the affairs of the state for any other thing.

    “As the saying goes, health is wealth, and the administration will not settle for anything apart from vigorously pursuing the overall well- being of Zamfara people.”

    Yari described the situation in his state as pathetic because it has no vaccines.

    The statement added: “The governor said the situation was unfortunate because the state does not have enough vaccines yet for the Type C meningitis

    “The governor thereafter enjoined all Nigerians to embrace prayers, as God who is aware of the outbreak of the ailment surely has antidote for it.”

  • Meningitis victims are not sinners, says Minister

    Meningitis victims are not sinners, says Minister

    The Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire on Wednesday disagreed with the claims that those who died and the living patients of meningitis are sinners.

    Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, on Tuesday had maintained that God visited the country with type C of the Meningitis because of sin.

    But briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting, Ehanire said that the outbreak of the disease was not punishment from God.

    He said: “The federal government does not have views of that nature‎ and I am not sure the state government can really continue to make that statement. When things happen, yes you can begin to look this way and that way for the cause of it but like I said nature played us unfortunate stroke but that is not to say we committed sin or anything. It does happen that things occur out of the blues.”

    The Minister who briefed the Council on Wednesday on the Meningitis outbreak in the country, also allayed the fears of Nigerians about the response of the ministry.

    According to him, there have been very robust responses of ‎the Ministry and the state governments of the states concern, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agency, World Health Organisation, UNICEF and other partners.

    Speaking on why the problem was peculiar, he said: “What has caused this problem to be peculiar is that it is caused by a total different strand of the Meningitis germ. It is the Type C. This country before suffers Meningitis around this time of year when dry season is turning to raining season.”

    “In the area called the ‎Meningitis belt that ranges all the way from Senegal down to Ethiopia, Eritra. And the prevailing germ was the Meningecocus A. And the mass vaccines that has taken place all these years has led to almost total elimination of Type A. Type C has been very rear and this year it is the Type C that appeared.

    “Unfortunately there is no cross immunization, if you are immune to Type A doesn’t make you immune to Type C. And because Type C was very rear the availability of vaccines was been very meager relatively.

    “We have mobilise vaccines come in from all corners, 500,000 units doses of vaccines are being distributed ‎and they have started vaccination campaign already.

    “Government is also getting 826,000 units which are being shipped‎ from Europe to us within the next few days. The most affected states have been Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina and together they have about 85 per cent of the cases.

     

    “As of today, there have been 2,996 cases in 16 states and 54 local governments . There have been 336 fatalities of which 141 have been confirmed by laboratory tests.

    There is reactive ‎vaccinations going on already, there is social mobilization going on, teams are working in various states affected particularly the most affected ones.

    “There are two treatment centers being set up in every local government and lumber puncture kits have been distributed so that doctors can take samples to laboratory for testing. There are cases of field epidaemologists who are doing findings and contact tracing in other to interrupt the spread of this epidemic.

    “So in other to alley the fear of Nigerians we want to make it clear that this is not a sign of the failing of the system‎, it is a fact that nature played a very different stroke this time that caught everybody off guard,” he stated.

    While stressing that the vaccines are expensive to produce, he said that it is not wise to produce and keep when not needed as they may eventually expire.

    “So companies make the vaccines on request and on demand and they store just as much as they calculate will be uses. So the Type C was not very much in demand but right now this present epidemic has led to a big demand. Like I said before 500,000 was gathered from all over the place with the help of WHO and another 826,000 is on its way which is given to us free of charge from Europe and the ministry has placed order for additional two million doses.

    “As the situation goes on we will be able to determine if we need to increase the order or if this one will be sufficient. You don’t want to order more than you need because they all have limited life span but on the other hand you need to have more of these vaccines to be able to take care of the epidemic.

    “Right now it seems there is a control going on, it is beginning to decrease in Sokoto State, Zamfara is still trying to even out and we hope that with the reactive vaccinations going on we shall be able to bring the epidemic to a gradual halt.”

    Reminded that the Nigeria Meteorology ‎Authority had hinted that there will be more heat this year, which should have served as enough warning to the government, the Minister said “Yes, it is true there was a signal that this thing had started  in Niger and was going to enter the country. Like I said before, it was the Type A that we have known that has worried us in the last years but the Type C came this time as a bit of a surprise because that wasn’t the pattern in the past.

    “So, the preparedness for treatment was very much on ground but the preparedness for vaccines could not have been predicted until we begin to diagnose and do tests and discover that this is a different strend from what we had before  and that the immunity you had before against Type A will not work against  Type C.

     

    “There is largely immunity against Type A in the country at the moment. If it had been Type A, we would not have seen an epidemic of this nature,” he said.

  • Yari’s comments on meningitis unfortunate – PDP

    Yari’s comments on meningitis unfortunate – PDP

    The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday knocked the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, for attributing the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in his state to God’s wrath.

    Yari, while speaking with journalists at the presidential Villa on Tuesday said the outbreak of the disease was God’s punishment for the sins of his people.

    A statement issued by the spokesman of the PDP Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, described the governor’s statement as shameful and unfortunate.

    The statement said, “Governor Yari should not blame God for his failures but that of his party, the APC, to avoid incurring God’s anger on their crass ineptitude in governance.

    “However, we wish to advise him to resign immediately for making such statement as a state Governor and the chairman of Governors’ Forum who is supposed to bring hope to the people and not despair.

    “The news of the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in the country and the apathetic attitude of both the Zamfara State and Federal Government to curtail the scourge is disheartening and preposterous.”

    Stating that the primary responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, the PDP said the Federal Government has remain insensitive, careless and adamant to the plight of Nigerians in all ramifications.

    “This government wasted so much funds on the State House Clinic with no tangible result but neglected other health centres and clinics across the country that have capacities to manage the health challenges of other Nigerians,” the statement added.

    The PDP noted that as at Tuesday, April 4, 2017, about 336 Nigerians have lost their lives to the outbreak of type C cerebrospinal meningitis.

    It blamed the Federal Ministry of Health for failure to take any concrete step to contend with the spread of the disease, stressing that the PDP Government in 16 years did not allow such mindless display of insensitivity as seen by the present administration.

    The PDP mocked the APC, saying the ruling party has run out excuses in blaming the previous PDP administration for its failures.

    “Finally, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop playing politics with this outbreak and do everything within its power to end the menace.

    “As a party, our heart goes to the families of all those that lost their lives to the scourge within this period. We urge all Nigerians to drink more water, sleep in ventilated environment and report symptoms to the nearest health center within their areas for quick medical attention,” the party stated.

  • Meningitis outbreak caused by God’s anger – Yari

    Meningitis outbreak caused by God’s anger – Yari

    The Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, on Tuesday said the ongoing outbreak of Type C Cerebrospinal Meningitis in some parts of the country is God’s way of showing his anger against Nigerians for turning their back on him.

    He made the remark while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammdu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Zamfara has been the worst hit state since the outbreak of the disease with over 200 persons dead and several others receiving treatment at various hospitals and clinics in the state.

    Medical doctors under the aegis of Nigeria Medical Association, Zamfara State chapter, had last weekend accused the state government of failing to prepare for the outbreak of the disease despite warnings.

    According to them, the government is still not responding well to contain the outbreak.

    Speaking in Hausa language on Tuesday, Yari said the outbreak might not be unconnected with the people’s total disregard to God’s commandments.

    He said, “What we used to know as far as meningitis is concerned is the type A virus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has carried out vaccinations against this type A virus not just in Zamfara, but many other states.

    “However, because people refused to stop their nefarious activities, God now decided to send Type C virus, which has no vaccination.

    “People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you see anyhow’ that is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concern

    “There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured.”

    He also disagreed with the insinuations that his government failed to act accordingly to address the outbreak.

    The governor said he called an emergency meeting comprising all top state and local government officials and traditional rulers towards stamping out the disease.

    “The meeting came out with a strategy to be adopted and the money required to deal with the outbreak and a lot of work is going on,” he added.

     

     

  • We have no problem with EFCC over Paris Club refund – Yari

    We have no problem with EFCC over Paris Club refund – Yari

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari, on Tuesday insisted that the NGF has no problem with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the Paris Club refund.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, the Zamfara governor said the refund has gone a long way to ease the problems of state governments.

    He said, “There is no issue with the refund, the issue is with consultancy which I think the Minister of Finance made clear that the consultancy which we decided to domicile in the NGF account was asked to work together on who to be paid or who not to be paid.

    “Some people wrote a petition that they have not been paid and mind you we have not even started paying fully because we have to ascertain who worked for who. As I am talking to you, we have a lot of litigations, someone says he worked for so and so years for this state and that state. We are taking a decision on that

    “I will not make any comment on it yet. Let me tell you the truth, the London/ Paris Club refund has helped this economy, those in the state knows about it. We were able to pay salaries during the Christmas and New Year and we were able to do so many things.”

    Yari also said he was in the Villa with the minister to brief the President on support coming from the Chinese government.

    He added: “Following the visit of Mr. President sometime last year, we engaged the Chinese government and they showed some willingness to support Nigeria in this discussion.

    “Chinese Government Organisation Company in cooperation with the People’s Bank of China and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture under the leadership of the honourable minister are giving us a credit line of $4.5 billion which will cover the machineries and infrastructure, which is rural earth dams and irrigation and the loan has a 20 years repayment term with five years moratorium.

    “Initially, we started negotiations to drop a counterpart funding of 25 per cent, but understanding the economy of Nigeria, we negotiated to give a counterpart funding of 10 percent which we believe Nigeria can do and we are targeting the natural resources fund from the counterpart funding.”

     

     

  • We’re waiting for EFCC over Paris Club probe – Governors’ Forum

    We’re waiting for EFCC over Paris Club probe – Governors’ Forum

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on Wednesday night said that governors are ready to take on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which is investigating possible diversion of the refund made to states from the excess charges of Paris Club.

    Chairman of the NGF and Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the Forum’s meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said that governors would be waiting to see what the anti-graft agency would come up with.

    It was reported last week that the NGF may have used fictitious consultants to divert some of the money from Paris Club which had attracted the attention of the EFCC.

    Worried by the development, the Presidency had ordered a full scale investigation into the disbursement of the funds.

    Insisting that the governors were ready for the EFCC probe, he expressed governors’ support for the present administration’s war against corruption, noting that they would wait for the outcome of the EFCC’s investigation.

    He said: “We discussed the issue of Paris Club and London Club. We observed that EFCC said it is doing investigations. Yeah, we support the federal government for fighting corruption.

    “We are waiting for the EFCC to come up with what they say is the investigation and come up with the result.”

    The Presidency had ordered the investigation because it was angry that what it had meant to be a good gesture had been compromised by selfish interests.

    Top Presidency source had disclosed that the federal government was worried that its efforts to ensure the settlement of pension and salaries owed to workers in the states was being sabotaged by likely diversion of the funds earmarked for the purpose.

    It therefore expressed its determination to get to the bottom of the matter and consequently ordered relevant agencies to carry out a full scale probe to unravel any abuse the fund might have been subjected to.

    Some of the reports also showed that the governors were spoiling for war with the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, over the decision of the EFCC to investigate alleged diversion of the money.

    The reports suggested that the EFCC may have questioned the Director General of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru, over the use of the possible diversion of funds by state governors as it was believed that the governors may have paid the money to phoney companies.

    The reports also fingered the Senate President, Bukola Saraki over the abuse of the funds.

    But the governors were said to be fighting back over what they claimed was the unnecessary harassment of members and officials of the NGF.

    The EFCC itself has denied that it indicted the 36 state governors and Senate President, Bukola Saraki for allegedly pocketing large slices of the Paris loan refund.

    A media report on an online medium had alleged that the governors’ forum championed a five percent deduction of the funds paid to the states whereby some governors got about N400 million while Saraki got N2.5billion.

    In the report, the EFCC was said to have been informed by Okauru that he transferred money to individual governors, through the NGF, though he failed to write an official statement to this effect.

    Apparently reacting to the report, EFCC in a statement on its twitter handle, @officialEFCC, said that though investigation was ongoing on the reimbursement paid to state governments for excess Paris club deduction, it was yet to indict any governor or Senate President so far.

    The EFCC said the investigation remained at a preliminary stage, chiding insinuations of attempting to cover up for some of the officials of the commission.

    The commission said that it would brief the public of the results of its investigation as at when due.

    The statement read, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been drawn to a report captioned, Nigerian State Governors, Senate President Saraki Pocketed Billions of Naira from Paris Loan Refund, which appeared in the online news portal, Sahara Reporters on Sunday February 12, 2017.”

    “The report among others claimed that the Commission has indicted all the governors of the 36 states of the Federation and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in the ongoing investigation of the reimbursement paid to state governments by the Federal Government for excessive deduction charged to them on account of the Paris Club and other international loans.”

    “The Commission wishes to state unequivocally, that no state governor or Senate President has been indicted so far by the investigation which is still.”

     

  • Saraki makes case for Nigerian engineers in construction 

    Saraki makes case for Nigerian engineers in construction 

    Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has called government agencies at all levels to integrate Nigerian engineers, technicians, and artisans in construction projects.

    Saraki said this would ensure the utilisation of local capacity and conserving foreign exchange.

    A statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sani Onogu, quoted the Senate President as making the call at the flag-off ceremony of the construction of the Dauran-Birni, Tsaba-Birnin and Magaji-Kaura Namoda Roads in Zamfara State.

    He also called on government agencies to make use locally made equipment where possible.

    Saraki, however, disclosed that the National Assembly was in the process of passing the Federal Roads Authority and National Road Fund Bills into law.

    The proposed legislation, the statement said, seek to promote safe and efficient management of the nation’s road networks and open opportunities for alternative funding mechanisms from the private sector that will guarantee continuous improvement of the quality of roads year in year out.

    Saraki said, “As we are about to begin this massive road construction, I hope that our Nigerian engineers, technicians and artisans have been, and will continue to be incorporated in the workforce at all the different stages of construction; and that we also employ the use of locally-made equipment where possible.

    “This will boost local content and reinforce our drive in the National Assembly for increased patronage of Made in Nigeria goods. It is expected that this avenue will provide a trickle-down effect on the socio-economic activities of Zamfara state”.

    The Senate President praised the Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’aziz Yari for starting the project at a period of limited resources. 

    Said he, “Indeed, to take up such a gigantic project in this period with such limited resources coming into the state makes an unmistakable statement that leadership and governance is all about commitment to the cause of lifting our people from poverty and suffering. 

    “No doubt, the construction of a reliable road network is one of the fastest ways of moving people, goods and services for growth and development. 

    “This project is commendable because Zamfara state plays a very important role in food production in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries. 

    “For a state which prides itself on its large farming population, an improved road network will definitely provide more employment opportunities to the people and improve socio-economic activities in the State. 

    “The challenges of road construction and maintenance have been a very big setback in our quest for sustainable economic development as a nation”.

    “I will like to thank all our party men and women who have kept faith with this administration. The executive arm and the legislature are working tirelessly to ensure our economy is revived and the fruits of development reach every citizen. We have to join hands with Mr President to ensure that the common man finds comfort in this country.”

  • Buhari, Yari meet over security in Zamfara

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting centred on security situations in the state.

    About 40 persons were recently abducted by gunmen in Maru Local Government Area of the state.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Yari disclosed that those abducted have been rescued and reunited with their families.

    He said: “As you are aware, some villages in Zamfara State have been under attacks by bandits and the President has carried out his constitutional responsibility by sending security men to the state.

    “So I am here to brief him on the security situation in the state. The operation is ongoing and is going on successfully. I am rushing back there to visit the troops in order to boast their morale.

    “I will be with them throughout the week. In this kind of situation, you have to be with the people in order to show them that you are concerned as a leader.

    “I believe the security agencies are doing their best and we will continue as government to give them the support needed to make the operation successful.

    “We are hoping that the military will remain there for longer time and we are ready to take care of their logistics.

    “The problem we have is that the state is surrounded by forests. The military men there are currently in about six camps. We hope they will stay there for a while.

    “We thank God that the 40 people are back with their families. We have retrieved them from their abductors and we have returned them to their families without any injury. We also did not pay any ransom,” he said.