Tag: Dankwambo

Government, world over, is a subject of accountability. When a government makes proper accountability a legacy with a view to ensuring that the people get value for the resources spent while in office, it becomes a foundation for subsequent administrations to succeed. In governance, it is often very inviolable to always bequeath a benchmark that will provide a soft landing for the next administration to heave a sigh of relief in terms of kick-starting the day-to-day business of providing the dividends of voting in such administration.

In Gombe State, the history of legacy building has become intrinsic of governance as successive governments had made it an unassailable responsibility to see to it that the next administration does not get burdened to death by any means whatsoever. By burden, it is crystal clear in contemporary times that nothing burdens a state or nation like debt. The present administration, with all sense of caution, has, in all directions, deviated from the norm of leaving behind legacy for the next administration through its misplaced spending that has shown that the people of Gombe has not gotten the value for all the revenue collected in the last seven years. It is easy to see the discrepancy between the huge revenue and the work that the present administration claimed to have done as projects. The discrepancy is an evidence of poor accountability and financial abuse vis-à-vis all the allocations collected as accrued to Gombe State.

The state government had reeled out the achievements of the Dankwambo led administration, which included an upgrade of the 1500-bed Children & Women Hospital close to Id ground, construction of a dialysis center in Specialist Hospital Gombe, construction of the College of Nursing & Midwifery, Dukku, construction of a snake-bite treatment center in Kaltungo and the installation of 8 dialysis. Junaidu also said the government had rehabilitated pipelines to Kwami, constructed a dam at Boh, Shongom LGA.

In the education sector, the government had been praised by paid associates for renovating more schools than constructing new schools. In the agricultural sector, the government could only boast of procuring 250 tractors and the establishment of a non-functional micro finance bank within the last seven years for an agrarian state like Gombe. At a time when the agricultural policy of the federal government, through Anchor Borrower Program, is yielding results and enriching farmers, the state government had remained inactive in that sector.

The state government had also claimed to have up-graded the International Airport in Gombe but for those of us who have had the privilege of ‘sight-seeing,’ there is nothing but regrets that the government of the day has abandoned the airport for years. In addition, the government said it has constructed several roads within the state, built a N4 billion International Conference center as well as procured N4.4 billion hospital facilities which lay waste at the warehouse. With the huge revenue collected from the Federation Account, Paris Club refund and IGR for seven years, the government could only claim the above achievements.

Without sounding immodest, the government has not given the good people of Gombe State the right value for their money within the last seven years. The government has also accumulated huge debt burden of several billions of naira as domestic debts and millions of dollars as foreign.

The people of Gombe must task the state government to be financially responsive for once by paying all their debts before folding the napkin of their debt-driven style of leadership in the state. With the N30 billion bonds secured, yearly average of N31 billion as FAAC disbursements to Gombe for seven years, which gives at least N217 billion, the IGR and Paris Club refund, there has been an unprecedented neglect of infrastructure as evident in the Pantami Stadium, International Airport, rural roads like those in Nafada axis of the state, hospitals and schools to mention but a few.

Unjustifiable borrowing, which is characteristic of the Dankwambo administration and a proof that good leadership has lost its definition in Gombe State, has put the future of Gombe after Dankwambo in a very precarious situation that it will only take an administrative guru, which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) does not have in Nafada, to resolve. Little wonder that everyone is wishing All Progressives Congress (APC) members to bounce Gombe back to become the jewel in the savannah in all sectors of governance in the state.

When the infrastructural developments for which borrowing was meant are absent in reality or what is on ground are not commensurate with what the state government has borrowed, despite the federal allocations and Paris Club refund, then it bleeds the heart of citizens who bear the brunt.   In 2016, according to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), which focuses on Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements, Gombe State received total FAAC allocations of 31.41 billion naira, while the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) stood at 3.57 billion naira to make total revenue of 34.98 billion. Similarly, in 2017, Gombe State received 31.23 billion naira and also the state government got 13.4 billion Paris Club refund.

Despite similar allocations from 2011 and IGR, the infrastructure that are on ground are not what the people expect to see.

Perhaps this is the reason Gov. Dankwambo is seeking to impose Senator Nafada to become the next governor so that the debt status of the state will remain a mystery to the people. The governor knows that in a situation whereby Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna had won the primary it would have been difficult for JIG to be used as the governor’s stooge, in view of JIG’s impeccable character that has made him the Sardaunan Gombe and a vanguard of trust.

The question now is what legacy will Dankwambo leave behind for the next administration? I hope the governor is not thinking of leaving behind debt burden for the next administration to bear. This is the more reasons many across the state have been canvassing for the APC to come on board so that the anti-corruption fight of President Muhammadu Buhari will be relocated to the state so that those who helped themselves with the wealth of the people would be made to cough out the money.

Furthermore, despite the constant FAAC allocations, Paris Club Refunds and other IGR sources of revenue, the state has a debt burden 63.89 billion naira in 2016 and 41.9 billion in 2017 as domestic debts while the foreign debt stands at 38.5 million dollars.

This is one reality show that Dankwambo doesn’t want to be featured and that’s why his praise singers have resolved to see to it that they paint the administration of this government good while failing to take responsibilities for their un-kept promises to the good people of the state.

Now, I think the people of Gombe State will be more interested in the revelation of the secrets behind the state of governance in Gombe and to also know how the huge debts of the present administration will be repaid. With the infrastructural decay, neglect of projects bequeathed to this administration, huge stockpile of pensioners’ unpaid gratuities and to worsen the matter, the debt burdens the administration is leaving behind, one cannot but cry out now to avoid an economic mishap in the nearest future.

The people of Gombe should, as a matter of urgency, see this as a wake-up call to demand thorough explanation and investigation so as to bring the government to account for its financial actions.

• Baba Gombe writes from Gombe and can be reached via muhdbaba@yahoo.com

AS an American magazine editor, Wilson Tozer, puts it “of all forms of deception, self-deception is the deadliest and of all deceived persons the self-deceived are the least likely to discover the fraud” or perhaps pretend not to have discovered the truth so as to drag other people into their deception. The use of public office to tell lies or deny the hard obvious truth is nothing but a representation of the era of poor leadership or better yet an error of public service as demonstrated by the naivety of those whose zeal to defend the undemocratic acts of Gov. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and his partner in political unjustness puts paid to the saying that ”it is he who pays the piper that dictates the tune.” The level of ignorance or pretence showcased by paid associates of Gov. Dankwambo and Senator Nafada who think the truth would never come out has made them a more worrisome threat to the entrenchment of democratic norms in Gombe State in regard to the altruism shared by all well-meaning democrats that democracy thrives best on truth and justice in the pursuit of the voice of the majority. In view of the publication by supposed press man of Gov. Dankwambo or should I say ‘please’ man; or better say self-deception acclaimed spokesman, because I cannot remember when Dankwambo appointed Junaidu to be his spokesperson. I like to challenge Mr. Junaidu’s sheer ignorance of the personality of Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna (JIG).

For Junaidu who gave an erroneous account of JIG’s personality with the piece: ‘Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s importance in Gombe’, let me start by saying that it is easier for a sincere man to change his feelings than to align himself with a congregation of idea-blind, politically corrupt, justice and truth bankrupt beings that pride themselves on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State. According to him, JIG is a man whose feelings change with time for just no cause. Let me quickly ask, can a man’s feeling change without a cause? Why didn’t the same feelings change before the PDP hoax they called election? Well the legendary Bob Marley may be correct in his own perception and context to which the excerpt read. Notwithstanding, time may not change a sincere leader’s heart but injustice and political deceits can change a million feelings in no time. Hence, as for JIG his feelings only changed when the PDP tip-toed into a party where the emblem of justice and truth is de-emphasised.

If Gov. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, whose feelings you have rightly said had remained the same with time justifies good governance, I vehemently disagree. Well, that probably gives a clue as to why Gombe State has remained the same within the last seven years without any revolution in infrastructure, a revamp of the agricultural sector and total collapse of the state structures that were bequeathed to him by our symbol of good governance, Senator Danjuma Goje. The structures that made Gombe State a true jewel in the savannah have been in comatose for years since the governor’s ill-feelings of good governance and issues that concern his people had remained unchanged with time while meaningful developments had eluded our state. Little wonder, the N4 billion naira Gombe conference centre had remained the same without use or has it become a beautifying monument of no returns on investments. N4 billion in any account foreign or local would yield awesome and jaw-dropping interests in one year not to talk of the years that the misplaced priority has been sitting there. It was also reported sometimes in June that over N4.4 billion hospital equipment and consumables lay waste at Gombe State Medical Store for over four years while many inherited General and Cottage hospitals, primary health and other health centres were in need of these facilities. This government has proven to be more efficient in wasting the resources of the good people of the state than providing purposeful vision as well as the need-of-the-people oriented projects. The big question is why? In attempt to defend his boss, the aggrieved writer alludes that the governor has done well by paying salaries and I asked when have salaries payment become a manifesto or should the workers not get what they deserved having worked to earn their pay or is the money not the resource of the state? Why then has the governor refused to pay the pensioners for years or is that not worth mentioning too?

Let me take some time to respond to the questions the writer of ”Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s importance in Gombe” asked as I hope he would in good faith answer mine in his subsequent publications. Asking of the prominent politicians that decamped with JIG, I will say that that’s what makes JIG a unique personality. He stands for the truth and follows it even when it seems he will end up being the lone voice of the voiceless PDP members. Do you know the number of top PDP chieftains who called JIG to commend his courage to challenge the injustice done to some members of the party? If you do your findings right, you will shockingly discover that most of the PDP members are nothing but APC hearts and voters. This should be the concern of those who hope to pass the baton of leadership. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to hide the truth that keeps re-surfacing with time. As for the numbers of followers that JIG decamped with, I will crave your indulgence to wait till the campaigns when the waves of unified APC supporters will echo the statistics of JIG’s supporters who decamped with him to those who are asking through the writer.

As regards to JIG not consulting any stakeholder or PDP chieftain before he decamped to APC, I like to say it was part of the scripted plans of Gov. Dankwambo and Senator Nafada that JIG would come for consultation and he would be persuaded to stay so they could leverage on his supporters to win the elections. All these are what JIG is well abreast of because there are chieftains who leaked some of their plans and today JIG is being crucified in the media as the expression of the PDP political pains and loss of JIG’s unstoppable move to the APC which has become already spilt milk for the PDP. The question of if JIG has the grassroots political structure, well it will mean nothing if I answer you because nothing truly can convince a man like you who doesn’t want to listen or should I say blind to the truth of the reality of modern political trends and the rhythm of the political beats that those in the rural areas are dancing to.

Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and Alhaji Jamil Isyaku Gwamna are businessmen of impeccable characters who have never used government money for political gains of any sorts. If JIG was a power-monger, he would have gone to pick up the gubernatorial ticket of any political party available but he chose to align his vision to where he knows that the people of Gombe would fare better: APC.

Referring to JIG as a no mate for politicians of Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo and Nafada’s likes, I like to state that such reasoning reiterates the naivety of those who have been contracted to defend the interest of the governor.

I give it out as a challenge for anyone who cares to verify with a view to fore-telling the catastrophe of a leader that the PDP wants to impose on the good people of Gombe State. I ask, what are the contributions of Senator Nafada in the hallow chamber? There is no single bill or motion he has put forward that scaled through ascent.

AS an American magazine editor, Wilson Tozer, puts it “of all forms of deception, self-deception is the deadliest and of all deceived persons the self-deceived are the least likely to discover the fraud” or perhaps pretend not to have discovered the truth so as to drag other people into their deception. The use of public office to tell lies or deny the hard obvious truth is nothing but a representation of the era of poor leadership or better yet an error of public service as demonstrated by the naivety of those whose zeal to defend the undemocratic acts of Gov. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and his partner in political unjustness puts paid to the saying that ”it is he who pays the piper that dictates the tune.” The level of ignorance or pretence showcased by paid associates of Gov. Dankwambo and Senator Nafada who think the truth would never come out has made them a more worrisome threat to the entrenchment of democratic norms in Gombe State in regard to the altruism shared by all well-meaning democrats that democracy thrives best on truth and justice in the pursuit of the voice of the majority. In view of the publication by supposed press man of Gov. Dankwambo or should I say ‘please’ man; or better say self-deception acclaimed spokesman, because I cannot remember when Dankwambo appointed Junaidu to be his spokesperson. I like to challenge Mr. Junaidu’s sheer ignorance of the personality of Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna (JIG).

For Junaidu who gave an erroneous account of JIG’s personality with the piece: ‘Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s importance in Gombe’, let me start by saying that it is easier for a sincere man to change his feelings than to align himself with a congregation of idea-blind, politically corrupt, justice and truth bankrupt beings that pride themselves on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State. According to him, JIG is a man whose feelings change with time for just no cause. Let me quickly ask, can a man’s feeling change without a cause? Why didn’t the same feelings change before the PDP hoax they called election? Well the legendary Bob Marley may be correct in his own perception and context to which the excerpt read. Notwithstanding, time may not change a sincere leader’s heart but injustice and political deceits can change a million feelings in no time. Hence, as for JIG his feelings only changed when the PDP tip-toed into a party where the emblem of justice and truth is de-emphasised.

If Gov. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, whose feelings you have rightly said had remained the same with time justifies good governance, I vehemently disagree. Well, that probably gives a clue as to why Gombe State has remained the same within the last seven years without any revolution in infrastructure, a revamp of the agricultural sector and total collapse of the state structures that were bequeathed to him by our symbol of good governance, Senator Danjuma Goje. The structures that made Gombe State a true jewel in the savannah have been in comatose for years since the governor’s ill-feelings of good governance and issues that concern his people had remained unchanged with time while meaningful developments had eluded our state. Little wonder, the N4 billion naira Gombe conference centre had remained the same without use or has it become a beautifying monument of no returns on investments. N4 billion in any account foreign or local would yield awesome and jaw-dropping interests in one year not to talk of the years that the misplaced priority has been sitting there. It was also reported sometimes in June that over N4.4 billion hospital equipment and consumables lay waste at Gombe State Medical Store for over four years while many inherited General and Cottage hospitals, primary health and other health centres were in need of these facilities. This government has proven to be more efficient in wasting the resources of the good people of the state than providing purposeful vision as well as the need-of-the-people oriented projects. The big question is why? In attempt to defend his boss, the aggrieved writer alludes that the governor has done well by paying salaries and I asked when have salaries payment become a manifesto or should the workers not get what they deserved having worked to earn their pay or is the money not the resource of the state? Why then has the governor refused to pay the pensioners for years or is that not worth mentioning too?

Let me take some time to respond to the questions the writer of ”Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s importance in Gombe” asked as I hope he would in good faith answer mine in his subsequent publications. Asking of the prominent politicians that decamped with JIG, I will say that that’s what makes JIG a unique personality. He stands for the truth and follows it even when it seems he will end up being the lone voice of the voiceless PDP members. Do you know the number of top PDP chieftains who called JIG to commend his courage to challenge the injustice done to some members of the party? If you do your findings right, you will shockingly discover that most of the PDP members are nothing but APC hearts and voters. This should be the concern of those who hope to pass the baton of leadership. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to hide the truth that keeps re-surfacing with time. As for the numbers of followers that JIG decamped with, I will crave your indulgence to wait till the campaigns when the waves of unified APC supporters will echo the statistics of JIG’s supporters who decamped with him to those who are asking through the writer.

As regards to JIG not consulting any stakeholder or PDP chieftain before he decamped to APC, I like to say it was part of the scripted plans of Gov. Dankwambo and Senator Nafada that JIG would come for consultation and he would be persuaded to stay so they could leverage on his supporters to win the elections. All these are what JIG is well abreast of because there are chieftains who leaked some of their plans and today JIG is being crucified in the media as the expression of the PDP political pains and loss of JIG’s unstoppable move to the APC which has become already spilt milk for the PDP. The question of if JIG has the grassroots political structure, well it will mean nothing if I answer you because nothing truly can convince a man like you who doesn’t want to listen or should I say blind to the truth of the reality of modern political trends and the rhythm of the political beats that those in the rural areas are dancing to.

Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and Alhaji Jamil Isyaku Gwamna are businessmen of impeccable characters who have never used government money for political gains of any sorts. If JIG was a power-monger, he would have gone to pick up the gubernatorial ticket of any political party available but he chose to align his vision to where he knows that the people of Gombe would fare better: APC.

Referring to JIG as a no mate for politicians of Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo and Nafada’s likes, I like to state that such reasoning reiterates the naivety of those who have been contracted to defend the interest of the governor.

I give it out as a challenge for anyone who cares to verify with a view to fore-telling the catastrophe of a leader that the PDP wants to impose on the good people of Gombe State. I ask, what are the contributions of Senator Nafada in the hallow chamber? There is no single bill or motion he has put forward that scaled through ascent.

As an advice to the good people of Gombe State, kindly look before you leap in 2019.