For almost 16 years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rule in Niger State. The party believes it has laid a solid foundation for and development its 40 year-old governorship candidate Umar Mohammed Nasko told JIDE ORINTUNSIN in Minna, the state capital, that a vacancy does not exist in the Government House. He also infolded his plans for the state.
Governorship candidates and political parties in Niger State have signed a non-violence. How will you ensure that your supporters adhere strictly to the pact?
It is obvious that lack of understanding about the tenets of democracy is attributable to the rising levels of violence in our political landscape. The irony of it is that the young people that have formed themselves into weapons of mass destruction are neither card-carrying members of any political party or holders of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC). But they are young people, who are looking for jobs and they are ignorantly cashing on that to harass, intimidate and cause confusion in order to extort money from would-be candidates. For us and for our party, the PDP, we will continue to preach peace and tolerance. We are honourable and we shall hold to the tenets of the agreement signed.
It is on record that in our campaigns across the 25 local government areas of the state and indeed, our party have not engaged in any violently act. Even when the campaign train of the PDP was attacked in some places, when our billboards and posters were destroyed, we never raised a dust. This is because the PDP government believes it is only in the presence of peace that unity and progress can be achieved. It is only a peaceful conduct that can guarantee credible and transparent elections. The PDP does not want to engage with those that create problem, they can only use PDP as a scapegoat. However, we are very confident that the PDP will continue to provide a level playing ground for other political parties in Niger state but the other parties must respect due diligence and rule of law in their quest for power. We are not afraid of their intimidation and harassment.
How would you take the comparative advantage of the land mass of the state to develop agriculture?
It is no longer news that Niger State has the largest land mass in the country and we have already, as the PDP government, embarked on mass agricultural transformation, in line with the federal government agricultural transformation agenda. The Niger State agricultural mechanization that has been rebound after the mechanization by the World Bank has been rejuvenated. The only way we can move away from the micro land production is to engage in large scale enterprise to invest in the sector. This we have started with Dangote Group. The present administration made available 50 hectares of land to the group for rice and sugar production. Some investors are in Niger State already trying to leverage on the out growers scheme of our rice farmers by establishing rice mills for mass production of qualitative rice.
Niger State is already in the front seat in driving agriculture to commercial level from micro agriculture. In order to encourage our farmers to produce more, we will guarantee and ensure farm produce attract good prices to serve as an incentive for farmers to go into more production.
On irrigation, we have found out that only two of the 18 irrigation sites in the state are functioning. We are going to look into this with the aim of addressing and re-activating the remaining 16 sites. This we believe when perfected will boost irrigation farming and ensure the produce of crops all year round instead of the current seasonal farming.
If we are able to maximise that, Niger State will retain her front seat in agriculture.
Another area that will be accorded priority is the encouragement of the establishment of small and medium scale agro-industries that will promptly accommodate the skills of our local people and youths. Local Government-based farm settlements will be established all over the State, as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and its agencies, especially the Niger State Agriculture and Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) will be strengthened towards realizing our agriculture transformation agenda.
We shall also strengthen the Micro-finance banks to enhance access to soft loans by farmers while providing access roads to ease transportation of farm produce and enhance efficient marketing system where farmers would benefit maximally.
Niger state economy is dependent on federal allocation, What are you going to do differently to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)?
The state Internal Revenue Service will be strengthened to enhance our revenue generation capacity for improved service delivery. We must begin to explore alternative sources of internal revenue generation to break out from the vicious circle of perpetual dependence on FAAC allocation.
Our arts, culture and tourism potentials will be explored to create additional income streams for the State.
We shall appeal to every stakeholder in our development drive for an attitudinal change towards prompt payment of tax. We will also leverage on land, which is our valued asset. A new valuation policy will come on land so that we will open corridors of development between the state, Abuja and all the high neighbouring developing states.
PDP has been in power in the state since 1999. What are you going to do differently from the present PDP administration?
The mandate we are seeking is aimed at consolidating on the gains recorded by the Chief Servant, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, whose achievements will serve as the springboard for higher performance. What defines a good democratic system is the access and equal opportunities available to all stakeholders. If given the mandate, we shall carry everyone and every part of the state along, ensuring even development across the state. We shall uphold the trust and confidence reposed in us, by living up to expectations and even beyond the call of duty.
In addition to sustaining the laudable policy initiatives and fully implementing the transformational projects of the present administration, we will create an investment corridor in Niger State to attract foreign direct investments that will leverage on our vast economic resources for the actualization of Vision 3-2020. Our economic development blue print will be anchored on the agriculture sector, where we shall exploit our comparative advantages of abundant arable land and consolidate on the value chain in Rice, Yam, Cereals, Fisheries and livestock development across the State.
One area that guarantees development is education. What will be your policy trust for this sector?
Education sector will remain the bedrock of our strategic development agenda for the realization of Vision 3-2020. We shall therefore, not only strengthen all existing policies in the sector – such as free education, free NECO or WAEC examination fees, increased bursary allowances, etc., but also build additional schools and expand existing infrastructure to sustain the tempo of increased pupils’ enrolments and the standard of quality educational services.
Our Technical Schools will be improved upon to produce quality furniture for all schools in the State, as we shall encourage them to be more innovative and creative while delivering on the contents of their curriculum.
On the whole, our education policy at primary and secondary levels shall seek to improve infrastructure, create conducive environment for learning, and ensure the safety of all pupils/students as well as teaching and non-teaching staff in our schools. Similarly, we shall employ more qualified teachers and supporting staff and ensure regular monitoring of schools by strengthening the inspectorate division of the Ministries of Basic and Tertiary Education.
Meanwhile, the giant strides achieved in the repositioning of our tertiary educational institutions, especially IBB University, Lapai will be consolidated and improved upon. Adequate funding of all tertiary educational institutions will be a major priority, as we shall pay more attention to the strategic growth of IBB University as a world-class centre of academic excellence and the smooth take-off of the University of Education, Minna. Our two State Universities will be properly and firmly positioned to compete favourably within the national and international university community.
You are the youngest governorship candidate in the country. What are your plans for the youths?
This is my immediate constituents – the teeming, energetic, vibrant, articulate and dynamic youth of Niger State. Majority of them engage in some of the difficult tasks that keep our state safe, clean and growing. They constitute the productive segments of the public service, especially the workforce in the vigilante corps, who keep vigil over our streets and national assets, when many of us may be deep asleep in the comfort of our homes; the community traffic wardens, who assist in keeping the chaotic traffic conditions of our urban centres in control; the forestry guards, who patrol our forests, at great risk to check the activities of economic saboteurs and environmental tyrants; and the sanitary inspectors, who are assisting in enforcing the sanitary laws for our well being.
Undoubtedly, the future of any nation depends on the quality and vibrancy of the youth, who constitute over 60 percent of our national population.
