The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jigawa

  • Lawmaker empowers 220 women in Jigawa

    Rep. Ibrahim Abdullahi,(APC Dutse/Kiyawa Federal Constituency) in Jigawa has empowered 220 women in Dutse Local Government Area of the state with cash, according to his Personal Assistant Alhaji Abubakar AbdusSalam.

    AbdusSalam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Saturday that said that the women were selected from each of the 11 wards of the councils of the constituency.

    The personal assistant also told NAN that each of the beneficiaries was given N5,000 to start a business.

    He further said that the gesture was part of the lawmaker’s efforts to empower women to enable them to become self-reliant.

    According to him, it is also to empower the women to contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of their families and communities.

    AbdusSalam recalled that Abdullahi recently distributed 70 sewing machines and 70 grinding machines to 140 women in the area.

    He, therefore, urged the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously in order to be self-reliant.

    NAN reports that the wife of the lawmaker, wife, Hajiya Ramatu Abdullahi, disbursed the money on behalf of her husband on Jan 12.

  • Jigawa distributes 400 tricycles to NLC

    The Jigawa Government has distributed 400 units of tricycles as loan to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.

    The NLC Chairman in the state, Alhaji Usman Ya’u, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Dutse.

    Ya’u said that the tricycles were shared among all the registered affiliated unions in the state.

    He explained that that the vehicles were given to the members at the rate of N550,000 to be paid within four years.

    “The tricycles were distributed to the registered affiliated unions in the state. They were distributed according to the size of the unions; some got 40, 30, 10 and 3, depending on the number of members of the union.

    “And each of the tricycles was given to the beneficiaries at the rate of N550,000 payable within four years,” he said.

    The chairman added that the deduction from the beneficiaries’ salaries would commence in the current month as part of the agreement.

    Ya’u, therefore, advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the vehicles so as to replenish the deduction from their salaries

     

  • Jigawa: Nigeria’s food basket

    Jigawa: Nigeria’s food basket

    With its bumper harvest, the product of a clearly-defined agriculture policy, Jigawa State is well on its way to feeding the country, reports KOLADE ADEYEMI

    The state has not been known for the headlines, but that is starting to change. Jigawa’s profile is probably the envy of many states. Its governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has been hosting dignitaries in the state, which is now fast growing into the nation’s food basket. Its rice growers enjoy very impressive support of the state and federal governments. They have been harvesting tonnes of rice, enough to attract the attention of the Minister of Agriculture Chief Audu Ogbeh. The Central Bank Governor Mr. Emmanuel Emefiele has also taken notice. Both have visited Jigawa and, with their host Governor Abubakar, toured its rice fields.

    Abubakar has been quite vocal about the rising profile of his state. He once said rice importation will soon be a thing of the past.

    He spoke with journalists, detailing his administration’s agriculture policy and Jigawa’s prospect of being Nigeria’s food basket.

    He said, “Since we assumed office, we had a clear understanding of the oil dwindling resources of this country bordering on the over-reliance on oil. Also, we took cognisance of the fact that oil is an exhaustible commodity. So, we decided to look inwards to see how best we can create jobs and create wealth for our people. And we want to have competitive advantage of doing it successfully because we have arable land, enough water resources as well as human resources to embark on serious agriculture. Added to this is our President’s call to the nation to go back to farm.

    “President Buhari means very well for the nation. For us to attain economic sustainability, we have to embark on serious sustainable agriculture. We started the cluster programme, where we give them all the support they need, ranging from seeds to fertiliser and what have you.

    “Also, we will closely monitor them through our extension service workers, who are attached to each cluster, so as to not only increase productivity but increase yield in order to reduce the cost of production.

    “Thank God, today we have done that and can say our farmers have achieved a significant result and improved their yield as well. I can ask them to borrow because I know they have the capability to re-pay. All those who participated in our Anchor programme would be handed over to the Central Bank and through the Anchors borrow and continue their farming process, while we take some other clusters and train some farmers and bring them out to the level of good yield and good productivity.

    “At the close of the day, we would hand them over to the Central Bank to continue to finance them. It is worthy for you to see and understand clearly that in Jigawa State we anticipate 100 per cent recovery of all the money we loaned to the farmers in clusters because the seed and fertiliser we give them, all at a subsidised price.

    “Today, I can say that most of the farmers are paying back 100 per cent and are praying for us to intervene because they have seen the advantage on the yield and profitability. I believe as you are touring the states, you will interview some of those farmers, who participated in the cluster and they will be able to confirm to you what I have said.

     

    On the CBN’s role in Jigawa rice farming

     

    “Indeed, they have done very well, for instance in Kebbi State, you can see the progress, as a result of Anchor-Borrower scheme. The farmers have produced so wonderfully well and I learnt also in Kebbi, there is some improvement in its yield. Kebbi has set the example on how the Anchor-Borrower scheme supports the farmers and has led the way for food security and sustainability.

     

    On the challenge of Hifa grass 

    “We have massively embarked on weeding Hifa grass out of our water ways. We have a two-prong approach, one is the sowing weeding machine, which consistently weeds the grass and secondly we create cooperatives along the river banks, as well as support farmers with all necessary implements to weed off Hifa grass from the water. Also, we have supplied them with canoes and food during the weekend, so that they will all come out and support each other as a community development project. It has been working satisfactorily.

    But recently, we have been discussing and analysing, at the end of which confirmed that Hifer grass can be used to produce some briskets for energy. With that I believe it will address some of the challenges, as we can find market for the briskets to generate energy. It would be good business, as people will cut Hifer on their own and sell to the company that converts it to briskets for energy.

    That is the best option we are taking for now. In addition to that, the World Bank is working on a project of silting the whole river banks in Kano. That project will substantially support us, as it is a good beginning. Also, we are making efforts to produce our own fertilizer, instead of buying blended fertilizer. We will do groundnut fertiliser for precision and will not widely publicise the effort.  The more we embark on precision farming, the less nutrients for the Hifer grass, thereby paving the way for a more effective control.

     

  • Flood ravages Jigawa

    Flood sweeps through Jigawa State, leaving no fewer than seven persons dead and over 1000 houses destroyed, AHMED RUFAI reports

    The floodwaters washed out thousands of hectares of farmlands and food items. Over 1,000 houses were destroyed, thousands of families displaced. But by the far the worst effect of the flood was the death of no fewer than seven persons. Jigawa State has been grieving since flood swept through it.

    Some local councils were hit harder than others, our reporter found out. Those in a very bad shape include Jahun, Gwaram, Gumel, Guri, Kazaure, Maigatari and Sule Tankarkar.

    When contacted, the executive secretary of the state’s emergency management agency (SEMA), Alhaji Yusif Sani Babura said about 688 houses were destroyed in Jahun Cikin Gari and Gunka town of Jahun Local Government Area.

    Babura explained that a building collapsed, killing three people in Guri Local Government Area, while seven persons were hospitalised at Tsohon Kafi and Jumawa villages of Kazaure and Sule Tankarkar Local Government Areas.

    Alhaji Sani Babura added, saying, “Also, three people died, one drowning in a well while a building collapsed and killed others at Larabawa, Jikas and Garewa of Gwaram and Maigatari local government areas.”

    There were other disasters. Many public buildings, mostly primary and secondary schools, were also flooded in many parts of the state, including Dutse, the capital city. Those affected facilities have been abandoned.

    Residents of Dutse faced other challenges as a result of the flood. For instance, the drainages and water ways have been blocked, making vehicular and even pedestrian movement difficult. The blocked drains have also slowed the evacuation of the floodwaters.

    This has presented other concerns. If the rains continued, more buildings could give way, some feared.

    The flood wreaked havoc in 27 local government councils of the state, destroying guest houses there. Houses were destroyed in Dutse Old GRA, Yalwawa, Godiya Miyetti, Mopol Base, Sabuwan Takur as well as buildings behind federal university.

    The executive secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency said the state government has sent its staff to take inventory and assess the level of loss and damages so that the government could take appropriate action.

    He called on the government and non-governmental organisations and wealthy individuals to immediately assist people who were affected by the flood.

    The former Speaker of House of Representatives also said that he was not unaware of the fact that boosting the economy must ensure serious infrastructural development of the state that will enhance the Internally Generated Revenue through agriculture, power, education and maintaining standard health care facilities.

    In a recent economic summit held in Katsina, Governor Masari, before President Muhammadu Buhari and his economic team, reiterated that Katsina is endowed in both natural and human resources and he called on the captains of industry and other interested investors not to miss the opportunity to invest in Katsina so as to lay a solid foundation for the growth of the state and have value for their money.

     

  • Jigawa tackles malnutrition

    Jigawa tackles malnutrition

    About 32,000 children in Jigawa State are malnourished and may die if nothing is done quickly to save them, a research carried out by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has indicated.

    The research findings initially caused panic in the state, it was learnt.

    A UNICEF nutrition specialist Philomena Reney said in a paper presented at a workshop that the 32, 000 infants suffer from severe malnutrition and other child-related diseases and may not survive if they did not get urgent medical and nutritional attention.

    According to the research, no fewer than 600,000 children out of 1,100,000 under-five years old in the state are stunted.

    The good thing is that the state government is doing something about the situation, with the collaboration of UNICEF.

    The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) is running an interventionist scheme in the state called Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP).

    The programme tackles malnourished expectant mothers and children by providing some cash to selected and screened beneficiaries. Each beneficiary receives N3,500 monthly for the period of 1,000 days from pregnancy. The beneficiaries are mostly in the rural areas of the state where poor nutrition is worse.

    Three local government areas were selected for the pilot scheme, the three councils being Buji, Gagarawa and Guri. Over 22,504 beneficiaries were enrolled.

    One beneficiary in Jaka village in Buji council, Aisha Adamu said the programme transformed her life and that of her eight-month-old baby.

    “This programme has given me a new lease of life,” she said. “The grant has afforded me the ability to get enough and proper nutrition in addition to health education given to us during our monthly lecture. I was taught on exclusive breastfeeding, how to use local materials to prepare and apply correct food to my child; how to take care of my personal hygiene and that of my child. In fact, now I am healthier than ever before, and look at my child, he is very healthy and active, he never suffers from any child killer disease as he received full dosage of child immunisation. You can’t compare him with his elder sister who was born before the coming of this programme to our village.”

    The state Deputy Nutrition Officer Malam Saidu Adamu said that 120 health workers have been trained on community management of acute malnutrition, adding that 43,677 mothers and caregivers have been counseled on recommended standards of feeding infants and young children.

    The officer stated that 787,022 children within the age of 12 to 59 months were dewormed between January and June.

  • 400 girls get free education in Jigawa

    400 girls get free education in Jigawa

    They are aged between six and 13. None of them has ever had any form of education. Now, that is changing.

    In Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State, all 400 of them have been enrolled in a literacy class, thanks to the Ringim Committee of Friends, a community-based organisation (CBO) and Mobilising for Development (M4D), a United Kingdom group.

    The girls usually hawked wares in the streets.

    The CBO and M4D created 10 free classes for the girls in a programme designed to educate them enough to earn a credible primary and junior secondary school certificate.

    There is one of the classes in each of 10 political wards.

    The two organisations provide uniforms, books and other learning materials for the pupils throughout their learning period.

    Speaking at the material distribution ceremony by the M4D, the Executive Secretary, Agency Mass Education, Dr Abas A. Abas said his agency would formalise the classes and provide the participants with formal certificates to enable them further their studies up to the tertiary level.

    Dr. Abas said, “This is a very good initiative to enrol schools missing children especially girls; government would support and partner any organisation that is ready to give any contribution to education in the state at whatever level.”

    He commended CBO and M4D for their efforts and called on others to emulate them.

    The state Coordinator, Mobilising for Development, Mr Ibrahim Gombe said the literacy classes would be solely for girls between the age of six and 13 who were hawking in the street before the programme.

    Mr. Ibrahim Gombe who was represented by Local Governance Coordinator, M4D, Jigawa, Madam Aisha Aminu Muhammed said that the programme is a continuous one aimed at reducing illiteracy among girls.

    The state coordinator said, “The M4D is being supported by DFID working in three local government areas, Ringim, Miga and Malam Madori local government areas”.

    Gombe added that “apart from formal education, the participant would be tough on skills acquisition of their choose aim to be self reliant in the future”.

    The M4D coordinator appealed to the state and local government to provide seats in Katutu Primary School in Ringim town where the class of Ringim town is sited.

  • ‘There’s no abandoned project syndrome in Jigawa’

    ‘There’s no abandoned project syndrome in Jigawa’

    Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State spoke with reporters in Dutse, the state capital, on his one year in office, his achievements and constraints. Ahmed Rufa’i was there.

    You are one year in office. what is your feelings?

    I feel relatively fulfilled, coming after the shock and bewilderment that we were in after the swearing in. you know we made some discoveries during the transition period. It was only after we took over that we realised the extent of the financial mess that we inherited, and we had to quickly revert to survive. Even, the previous administration was counting the days till we crash-landed from the enormity of the financial  burden, because they knew what they left behind. but, we thank Allah for his mercies. we’ve put the state on a reasonable solid and sustainable expenditure framework relative to our present earnings and we are hoping for better days ahead.

    How have you been managing?

    Like I said earlier, we switched to survival mode. In May 2015, we had less than N17 million in the treasury and I’m talking about the total amount of cash that was available to the state in toto. We had salaries to pay, scholarship arrears and exam fees owed to WAEC and NECO, the Hajj operations had started in earnest and the former government after trying unsuccessfully to “borrow” from the contributory pension fund, simply achieved this through the back door by refusing to pay the state’s own contribution for almost 11 months.

    To compound issues, contractors started demanding for payment of their liabilities, which amounted to over N14 Billion in vouchers awaiting cash backing in the treasury and close to N100billion in ongoing projects. I had to call major stakeholders and lay bare the financial situation to them and said gentlemen, this is our situation, I believe I have the capacity to deal with this but it will not be easy or painless. I got the mandate I needed and immediately started a massive cost cutting exercise starting from the government house.

    You see, if I say I’m cutting my salary and that of  the deputy governor to  half, it would translate to about N12 million annually and our deficit is in nine figures, so that won’t help our case. We had to look at it holistically reducing the cost of governance businesses and it was not difficult to find areas because the previous regime was living in a fools paradise, just increasing recurrent spending exponentially in direct proportion to the windfall coming in from the federation account.

    Sir, how did you do that?

    Fine, in one year Protocol expenditure in our Government House was slashed by 88.6per cent from N325,395,536 in the last 11 months of the previous administration to N37,035,187 of the same time frame in our tenure, while security and related expenditure dropped by 87.9 per cent from N1,825,866,274 to N220,251,850. Government house expenses dropped by 60.7per cent from N1,524,115,320 to 598,194,408 while that of the Deputy Governor’s office was reduced by 56.6per cent from N456,400,00 to N198,000,000. Overhead expenses for the civil service was also reduced by 47.55per cent from N1,661,202,000 to N871,253,000 in consultation with heads of MDAs. Im giving you figures so any one doubting can verify, these are public funds and we are not running a secret society.

    Additionally, all government service agreements were also renegotiated with facility management contracts for the federal secretariat and other assets reduced by 50per cent, with the same contractors agreeing to provide the same level of service at half the cost. We also undertook the 2015 Hajj exercise, adjudged to be one of the most successful and incident free at the cost of N280 million, compared to N780 million spent in 2014 exercise.

    The list goes on. Anywhere we can find a cheaper way of doing things without losing quality or value, we go for it, they call me “Baba calculator” and I don’t mind, because I’m applying the same principles of prudence and accountability for the state that I apply in my own business. go and investigate the lifestyles of some of these people out of  government, are they spending their own money with the same profligacy and recklessness that they applied to public funds? I hope you’re also aware that we did all this without the benefit of a salary bailout, even though I wish we had collected it because when the federal government. suspended deduction of debts for two months now, including the salary bailout, most states got over N2 billion in deductions suspended, my deductions are just about N100 Million, so that alleviation didn’t have any impact on our bottom line.

    You only met about N17m in the treasury and over N14b contractual vouchers waiting for payment. What happened with regard to the recurrent expenditure and the on-going capital projects?

    We thank God Almighty. we saw the positive results of our cost realignment strategy working. we decided that since we were able to meet our recurrent expenditure we should prioritise the ongoing projects accordingly and this was very difficult politically because the penchant is for supporters to say lets abandon so and so’s work and do our own projects, so I had to be very firm.

    Some politicians personalise public works to the extent of chastising citizens for failure to show appreciation for projects sited in their vicinity, can you imagine? As if you used your own inheritance to provide these projects? It hurts me when I see people hiring buses at great expense to go and thank a governor they elected because he has built a road, or school or provided water. Its their money and their mandate and its the least governor can do otherwise you have no business in government house but can go and set up a foundation like Dangote and spend your own money and expect gratitude.

    I had to explain to supporters that the previous government’s projects were started with Jigawa funds and it would be irresponsible for me to abandon them and waste public money in starting new ones. so, a committee verified the projects and we prioritised them in order of public impact and the stage reached. Some that were hurriedly and improperly  awarded to friends and family we threw out. I then called the contractors personally and explained our situation to them. The country is broke. There may not be jobs for any of you for some time. but, I am wiling to assure you continuity and prompt payment, if you will give Jigawa a discount. It was very tough, and I had to assure them that they have my protection and I am not expecting a percentage from anyone and neither is any of my children, commissioner or government official, and if that happens, they have my direct line. This was how we got an average of 17per cent discount amounting to almost N5billion for projects awarded as far back as 2013 in some cases.

    Can you tell us specific instances?

    We inherited a total of 332.04 kilometers of regional roads with a total contract sum of N36,400,692,340.10, out of which the previous government had paid N16,775,054,509.40 leaving an unpaid balance of N19,625,637,830.70. We have negotiated a discount of N2,902,962,126.36 and paid out N8,619,010,396.57 leaving a balance of N8,506,373,044.09 to complete. We also inherited a total of 98.75 kilometers of township roads with a contract sum of N14,675,848,759.24 out of which only N3,273,193,923.91 was settled by the previous government leaving an unpaid balance of N11.402billion. The sum of N1.996billion. was discounted and we have so far paid out N897.268million leaving a balance of 8.509billion.

    Apart from these, all feeder roads with a total length of 97.4 kilometers at a contract cost of N1,652,180,784.12 were also taken over, out of which N1,060,903,210.80 was settled by the past government leaving a balance of N571,277,573.32. A discount of N91,613,696.64 was obtained and N94,658,984.00 paid by us, leaving a balance of N385,004,892.68 for completion. The sum of N81,742,616.59 has also been paid on existing road rehabilitation and emergency repairs, using the state road repair agency, JIRMA. In summary, we are presently working on 528 kilometers of various road types, and have spent a total of N9.7 Billion to get contractors back to site and working. You can get a list of specific roads from the Ministry of works section of the state’s web portal.

    How far about other sectors?

    We didn’t abandon any sector. we continue with all and focus more on human development in all ramifications, with the ultimate aim of reducing the poverty level and that is why I told you that, even the roads we are continuing were selected based on public impact, opening up communities, providing access to markets for their farm produce and linking major towns and communities. The other critical sectors in this chain are health and education. we must educate our people and as the saying goes, health is wealth.

    In the health sector, we have reverted to a focus on primary health care delivery to devolve smaller facilities spread out at the grassroots level as opposed to mega hospitals that are costly and very inefficient since all cases irrespective of severity are handled at that level. Typically close to 80% of patients can be handled at the primary level for malaria, antenatal etc  with only serious cases referred to the hospitals. Most importantly, we can now achieve eligibility in accessing funds from the National Health Fund to augment our efforts at the state level. To strengthen this basic level we have commenced construction of 27 basic health clinics in each local government at the cost of N424,980,000.00 and 27 units of midwives’ quarters in hard- to-reach Primary and Basic healthcare centers at the cost of N203,257,692.00. We have also embarked on renovation and improvement of hospitals in Gwaram and Birniwa with the provision of an operating theatre at the total cost of N194,918,946 as well as several smaller facility interventions in Sarawa, Majeri, Kununu and Katsinawa and renovation of 25 health facilities worth N25 Million in Birnin Kudu, Garki, Gwaram, Jahun and maigatari local Government areas.

    Within this period, drugs worth N612,738,288 were procured by JIMSO under the drug revolving scheme. The construction of the Birnin Kudu General

    Hospital is also being continued as well as the construction of the main gate and perimeter fence for the new Hadejia General Hospital and the conversion works on the proposed 2nd school of Nursing Hadejia which has reached completion stage.

    You mentioned health and education as priorities…

    Yes, I’m coming to education. this was a sector that I believe was also neglected, perhaps, because of the adage ‘you can’t value what you don’t have’. Immediately after we were sworn in, I was amazed to find out that the counterpart funding for SUBEB and UBE were unpaid for 2 years, which meant the last time primary school structures received any decent attention was in early 2013. This government had to retroactively pay up counterpart funding for the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2013, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 2014 resulting in the injection of N3.1 Billion into the basic education sector within a period of 11 months. This translated into the provision of 16,599 sets of classroom furniture and the construction and renovation of 1,793 classrooms. We had to also clear a backlog of scholarship payments from the 2014/2015 academic year totaling N500,478,356. We spent money on data acquisition relating to the quality and number of students , teachers and facilities in conjunction with the DFID ESSPIN programme to enable us address problems in the sector in a targeted and specific approach instead of ploughing money in an uncoordinated and erratic manner with no results. To ensure students welfare and provide much needed support, we paid out the sum of N882,425,839 within the last 11 months in scholarship funds, and introduced an e-platform to eliminate delays in future payments. We are also testing and deploying various e-learning initiatives to address the issue of the very serious deficit in quality teaching at the basic level.

    Jigawa, like most other states, is in serious need of qualified teachers that are simply not available due to the systemic collapse of teacher education and training nationwide and the simultaneous demand by private schools that continue to grow at an exponential level to fill the educational void.

    I believe technology holds the key to maximising teaching resource availability through distance leaning, visual and electronic teaching aids as well as networking of schools to avail them the concurrent use of electronic educational material to augment conventional methods. To support these and other tech dependent initiatives, we have reinvested in resurrecting Galaxy ITT, the state owned internet provision and IT services firm. The company is currently testing a city wide wireless network covering the whole of Dutse, and with the renewal of their national ISP license, will begin to provide quality internet service provision to all our major towns and indeed beyond the state’s boundaries on a commercial basis.

    So, as you can see we haven’t abandoned education for roads!

     

    You promised to uses agriculture to build a sustainable local economy. is that process on course?

     

    Very much so, we have no option because it is the only sector where we have a comparative advantage at the moment, I said I will focus on attracting large scale agricultural investment because we must leapfrog and catch up with global best practices. If you have a look at our statistics we are at the bottom of almost every yield table for our major crops despite years of government and development partner intervention, the only game changer I can see is private sector involvement if we don’t begin to look at agriculture from a business perspective we cannot be competitive and no amount of government control or protection can help a farmer producing 2.5 tons a hectre against his counterpart in Thailand or brazil producing 10 tons per hectare twice a year. There is simply no contest.

    In pursuit of this we have adopted the International principles of large scale agricultural investment (RAI) and developed a State Land Acquisition

    and Resettlement Framework (LARF) to achieve a balance between the investors need for large scale land and the citizens right to minimal disruption of lifestyle and livelihood.

    This has resulted in the adoption of out-grower scheme models involving small holder farmers in all our major large scale agricultural partnerships which include the Dangote Rice Project that will eventually cover about 30,000 hectares and The Lee Group sugar project covering about 12,000 hectares.

    The out-grower scheme has commenced in earnest even before the development of the commercial farms, and farmers have already started benefitting from the advantage of an organized cluster approach with pooled resources and input provision. Recently during the recent fuel shortage which saw many individual farmers abandoning their cultivation due to lack of fuel for irrigation, the members of the out-grower cooperatives had the protection of group logistic dynamics that guaranteed all inputs including fuel as part of the agreement and as we speak a large percentage of rice cultivation in the affected areas is only evident on farms that are part of the scheme because individual farmers couldn’t afford fuel for irrigation at the black market price

     

  • Jigawa approves bailout for Emirate Council

    Jigawa State Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar has approved the release of N12,500,000 bailout  to the Emirate Councils as payment for their workers salary and allowances.

    Commissioner of Information, Youth, Sport and Culture Bala Ibrahim revealed this while addressing reporters on the outcome of the state executive council meeting.

    He said the government learned that the councils owed their workers salary and allowances for some months due to financial constraints.

    Ibrahim added that the money was not a loan but an intervention to ensure no civil servant suffers because of delay in salary payment.

    The commissioner revealed that the council also approved the setting-up of a technical committee to asses the position of the existing nine micro-finance banks in the state, adding that the committee would investigate the viability of the banks, the impact of the N269,747,925.00 injected into it and other related matters.

  • Badaru and Jigawa LG elections

    Jigawa State government had last year proposed to conduct the Local Government Council (LGC) elections this year but to our surprise, the Jigawa State Independent Electoral Commission (JSIEC) recently announced the postponement of the promised and well-publicized elections earlier scheduled to take place on February 13. The opposition party, PDP had spent millions of naira for the purchase of the forms and other issues related to the elections and preparations were in high gear. Aside the fact that no concrete or convincing reason(s) were given for the cancellation, nothing has been heard about when it will be conducted. Since many states like Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, FCT and Niger etc have conducted theirs; we have not seen the reason(s) why Jigawa cannot conduct its own.  This postponement has generated ill-will in the minds of many Nigerians whether democracy has come to stay in this era of change most especially in Jigawa State.

    Is Governor Badaru afraid that his non-performance will lead him to electoral losses and relevance if he conducts the LGC elections now? Despite the propaganda that 37,000 people decamped from PDP to APC in December last year, including high calibre dignitaries such as the APC National Chairman, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, about 10 APC governors, serving Ministers, Senators and Reps etc; it is inexplicable that the state government will put the election on hold.

    Clearly, the decision taken by JSIEC has no basis either in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any existing law in Jigawa State. The reasons given are groundless and illogical. If the APC is jittery about confronting PDP in an election organized by its electoral commission, they will go into coma come 2019 when the opposition party is ready to crush them in the national election. With the dismal performance of the APC-led government in Jigawa State, no political office holder including the governor has the capacity and courage to go on campaign tour in the rural areas. The masses are waiting for the delivery of the empty and spurious campaign promises of the 2015 elections.

    Since Governor Badaru has gone ahead to appoint Local Government Council caretakers committee, it is obvious he is not at all ready to conduct the elections. He should bear in mind the former INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega’s statement that: “Democratic development in this country requires solid foundation at the local government level and therefore, we must ensure that official are elected at the local government level and the issue of sole administrator or caretaker committee should be a thing of the past”.

    As election allows members of an organization or community to choose representatives who will hold positions of authority, one important election is the one to select the leaders of local governments. Local Government is the arm of government which provides and supervises administrative, fiscal, and other services to the people who reside within its territorial boundaries. It is the level of government most directly accountable to the public.

    The chance to decide who will govern at this level serves as an opportunity for the public to make choices about the policies, programmes and future directions of government action. At the same time, elections promote accountability. The threat of defeat at the polls exerts pressure on those in power to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and take account of popular interests and wishes when they make their decisions.

    True, some State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) held local government council elections in the country after the 2015 polls with some obstacles. In some states, no opposition party got even chairman or councillorship seats. Violence prevailed in some states like Niger, which even led to loss of lives and property. Truly, the election established doubts in the minds of many Nigerians on whether democracy has come to stay or not.

    Local government councils, the third tier of government has under the present democratic dispensation become the most abused institution of government by state governors. Although closer to the people, they are being monopolised by governors who even determine how and when the elections should be conducted and those that should be elected as chairmen and councillors in the state despite the constitutional directives to conduct the elections as soon as possible.  This was certainly not the case under the immediate past administration of Sule Lamido. Indeed, he ensured that Local Government Council elections were conducted in line with what the constitution requires and directed. Lamido’s style of leadership, his promotion of internal democracy, peaceful co-existence, mutual understanding and national development and well-being of his people has stood him out as an exemplary leader.

    A stalwart of the old PRP and one of the PDP’s founding fathers, he knows the true meaning of democracy and citizenship. The battle-tested political veteran knows Nigerian politics inside out. With perhaps the possible exception of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, there is no Nigerian politician who has political friends and associates from all parts of the country more than Lamido as he is easily the rallying point for PDP and the northern politics.

    My advice to Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Badaru Talamiz is to emulate the attributes of his predecessor,  Sule Lamido.  During Lamido’s tenure, the opposition enjoyed equal rights without sentiments or any attempts at segregation.

    As it stands, Jigawa PDP has set new a formula and strategy for its rebirth. Lamido’s day to day interactions with people, his ideologies, principles and achievements will surely make the party bounce back, better and stronger. I therefore appeal to Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Badaru Talamiz to allow democracy to be. He should please conduct the local government council elections as soon as possible and as the constitution provides. This will go a long way to test the popularity and achievement of APC as well whether they can stand the challenge.

     

    • Adamu wrote in from Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State.
  • Poor compliance in Ibadan, Warri, Niger, Jigawa

    Poor compliance in Ibadan, Warri, Niger, Jigawa

    THE nationwide strike called by a faction of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) failed in Oyo State yesterday as private sector workers were at their duty posts.

    In Ibadan, the state capital, most state and federal civil servants were in their offices.

    But there was a protest which started at the NLC secretariat, Agodi.

    The protesters displayed banners and placards condemning the price hike but did not harass those carrying out their businesses.

    Commercial transporters and other essential service providers opened for business. Banks and private schools were also open.

    At the Federal Secretariat, Agodi, over 60 per cent of workers reported for work. They carried out their duties till closing hour.

    The strike also failed to achieve significant success in Warri, Delta State.

    Although some labour bodies in the civil service, such as public schools and sections of the judiciary joined in the industrial action, normal businesses went on in other sectors of the economy.

    Secondary schools in Warri, such as the Urhobo College, joined in the strike but lecturers at the State University (DELSU) were still at work.

    In Niger State, workers defied the directive by opening their offices and businesses.

    At the state secretariat, Organised Labour locked the gate but it was forced opened by security agents.

    All offices opened with workers going about their duties.

    From ministries, schools to private establishments and market places, residents turned out in large numbers for their daily activities.

    Motor parks and some filling stations also opened for business.

    However, some organisations, such as the state radio corporation, were locked.

    The State NLC Chairman, Yahaya Idris Ndako, praised the workers, who obeyed  the strike.

    There was poor compliance in Jigawa State.

    In Dutse, the state capital, schools, banks, filling stations, markets and other public offices were open.

    The State NLC Chairman, Usman Ya’u, attributed the non-compliance to the inability to send the circular to appellate unions.

    Ya’u said: “We finished the National Executive Council meeting (NLC NEC meeting) at about 1am and we arrived the state at 6am, we gave an announcement before we sent the circular.

    “But now we have sent the circular to everyone and we have paid for public announcement on the radio. By today, we expect full compliance.”

    Workers’ apathy made the Anambra State NLC Leader, Jerry Nnubia, call for an emergency meeting, where it was decided that the strike continues today.

    But the state chairman of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Mark Ifezue, said they were not part of the strike.

    According to him, “we cannot go against the industrial court order. You can see that our members are in their offices.”

    Government businesses and commercial activities did not experience any halt and traders were seen carrying out their business at Muda Lawal, Central and Wunti markets in Bauchi State.

    Public and private sector workers in Kuje Areal Council, one of the six satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Abuja, defied the strike.

    Socio-economic activities also went on, with schools, banks, markets, hospitals and other businesses fully opened.

    Some civil servants said they would not join the strike because it would only aggravate current hardships in the country.

    In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the Trade Union Congress (TUC), commercial banks, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and transporters yesterday distanced themselves from the strike.

    Bank customers were seen moving in and out of banks within Ilorin metropolis while members of transport unions continue with their normal activities.

    But the state NLC shut many government establishments and schools across the state.

    Many government buildings including Governor’s Office, State Secretariat and Ministries were equally picketed by the labour leaders in the state to force workers to comply with the industrial action.