Tag: Mukthar Ramalan Yero

Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero yesterday said the death of Second Republic Minister of Transport  Umaro Dikko has created a huge gap in the country’s march to a stable democracy.

In a statement by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero said the late Dikko died at a time his experience and guidance were needed.

The governor expressed sadness on the death of the renowned politician at the age of 78 in London, adding that the death of  Dikko was a great loss not only to Kaduna State but to the entire country.

He described the late Dikko as a dogged patriot “one who dedicated most part of his lifetime fighting for democracy and civil justice in Nigeria. Future generations of Nigerians will not forget the role played by the late Dikko in stabilising the nation especially in the trying period after the first military coup in 1966.”

He condoled with the immediate family and urged it to take solace in the fact that he left enduring legacies.

Continuing, the governor said “at this trying moment, our hearts and prayers are with the immediate family of our departed elder statesman, who has left us in a state of shock and deep sorrow.”

Also, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) described the late Dikko as a principled and colorful politician of repute, a nationalist and an elder statesman.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, the ACF said it learnt “with total submission to the will of Allah the passing away of Umaru Dikko”.

According to the Forum, the late Dikko was a nationalist, an elder statesman, a veteran broadcaster and bridge builder.

The statement said: “ACF, the North and, indeed, Nigeria have lost an illustrious citizen who stood for the indivisibility  and corporate existence of the country.

“We mourn Alhaji Umaru Dikko and pray that the Almighty Allah grants him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus. ACF extends its condolence to the immediate family of Alhaji Dikko, the people and Government of Kaduna state and Nigerians over this irreparable loss”.

Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero yesterday said the state’s public service may collapse.

He said impunity is making governance difficult.

The governor spoke at a retreat for members of the Executive Council, permanent secretaries and principal officers.

Yero said there was a gap in the structure of the public service, with the gradual phasing out of some categories of civil servants.

“There are lapses in the state civil service, which may collapse in few years. That is why we are having problems of documentation.

“Indiscipline and impunity are adversely affecting the process of governance and service delivery.

“We must stop this impunity. It is true that the service has been eroded, but we must begin to revive it through discipline,” the governor said.

Yero warned that no one should approach him with issues based on sentiment.

“Under my leadership, I want everybody to be fair and just. I want us to reduce sentiment. I don’t care if I have 10 people from the same local government.

“We allow sentiment and it’s not good for our development. I don’t like to hear any issue based on sentiment.”

He urged civil servants to be dedicated to service delivery and eschew indiscipline.

“If you don’t like somebody’s face and you maltreat him, it’s against your oath of office and if you like somebody and favour him it’s also against your oath. We should remember that we shall give account before God.”

He said the retreat was organised as part of efforts to improve the relationship between the political class and the public service.

KADUNA State governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero, yesterday abolished the indigene/settler dichotomy in the state, saying henceforth, every resident of the state will be regarded as an indigene and given equal political and economic rights. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 4th International Conference of Forum for Cities in Transition, Governor Yero said that this was necessary for the development of the state and to enhance peaceful co-existence and allow everyone to achieve his full potentials. According to Governor Yero, “the state government will strive to provide equal economic and political opportunities to all citizens of the state, in order to reduce the level of suspicion and acrimony in the minds of people. “We have since declared that in Kaduna State all citizens are equal partners, there is no indigenes-settlers dichotomy in our state, all citizens have equal rights to achieve their full potentials as long as the laws of the land are obeyed.” While appreciating the organisers of the conference for the successes recorded, he said: “I am confident that the experiences that delegates have brought to this conference will surely be of mutual benefit to all the participating cities at this event. Our common goal is to entrench the culture of dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts in our various cities.”