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Tag: Yero

  • Yero denies pact to leave office

    Yero denies pact to leave office

    Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has denied signing an agreement or promising any group or individual not to contest the governorship election.

    This followed his endorsement at the weekend by the delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), political appointees, elected officials and party chieftains from the 255 wards and the joint ticket of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.

    The delegates made their view public during a town hall meeting of PDP stakeholders at the Murtala Square, Kaduna. The motion for the endorsement of Jonathan and Yero was moved by former Northwest Secretary of the PDP, Baba Aliyu, a lawyer and seconded by Husseini Dembo, a party chieftain.

    Yero thanked the people for the confidence reposed in him and President Jonathan.

    He promised that they would not let the people down.

  • Allow youths to rule, Yero urges elders

    Allow youths to rule, Yero urges elders

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero, at the weekend, told the older generation to give youths the opportunity to lead the country.

    Speaking at the International summit, organised by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, Governor Yero said the older generation should assume the role of advisers.

    Yero, who was honoured as the best supportive governor for national integration and purposeful leadership, said  required of the older generation should guide the youth.

    “It is time our elders took the back stage and avail the younger people of their experience through counselling.

    “The best formula for dynamic leadership is the mix of the agility of young people with experiences of elders. It is time for the younger people to take centrestage.

    “Young professionals in Nigeria cannot live in isolation. All over the world, countries are entrusting leadership to youths.”

    Chairman and Founder of the forum Mr. Moses Siloko Siasia said Governor Yero was honoured because of his effort at sustaining the peaceful co-existence among all sections of the country.

    He praised the governor for his youth and women empowerment programmes towards reducing restiveness and poverty.

  • ‘Yakowa’s kinsmen abandoned his projects not Yero’

    ‘Yakowa’s kinsmen abandoned his projects not Yero’

    Chairman of the League of Northern Independent Publishers (LENIP) Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim has debunked insinuations that Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero abandoned road projects awarded by his predecessor, the late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

    Ibrahim, who inspected 31 road projects in the state, said some of the projects were abandoned by the late Yakowa’s kinsmen.

    Addressing reporters, Ibrahim said from his investigations some of the roads were abandoned by contractors, who after collecting the 25 per cent mobilisation fee, abandoned the jobs.

    He said this situation also applied to some Yakowa’s kinsmen, who got state government contracts.

    The LENIP chair said some of the abandoned roads were awarded to those related to the late Yakowa.

    ‘’That was why I said if Yakowa were alive to see this, he would not be happy. Yakowa would not have tolerated the abandonment of contract by anybody.

    “If he were alive to see that his kinsmen were involved, he would be sad and angry with them. It is no secret that some of the roads were awarded to Yakowa’s kinsmen.

    ‘’There is nothing wrong with Yakowa’s kinsmen getting the contracts. But there is everything wrong when they get the contracts and they abandon site after collecting mobilisation fee”, he said.

    “Anybody accusing Governor Muhktar Ramalan Yero of abandoning road projects is not fair to him, because he has not abandoned any project. He has awarded additional six roads. Some are completed, both at the northern and southern senatorial zones.”

    Ibrahim added that some projects were abandoned because the contractors do not have what it took to execute the contracts, noting that “some of them do not even have a wheel barrow. Some  collected the 25 per cent mobilisation and took off.”

    Asked why Governor Yero did not revoke some of the contracts, he said: “I know that if Governor Yero revoked the contracts, they will say he is denigrating Yakowa in his death.

    ‘’He has not revoked the contracts, yet people are saying he is denigrating Yakowa in his death. But I am aware some contracts are being revoked.”

    But he assured he was not sponsored to carry out the tour in defence of Governor Yero.

    “I am a citizen of Kaduna State. I am a tax payer in Kaduna State. I have the right to know how my tax is being used. If you collect tax from me and the money is not put to judicious use, I have the right to challenge such a government”.

  • Yero: attacks linked to post-election violence

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Yero said yesterday that the attacks in Southern Kaduna are not unconnected with the aftermath of the 2011 post-election violence.

    Yero spoke when he presented cheques to religious bodies and warned against reprisal attacks.

    He said: “If anything happens and we say we must revenge and then the other people say they must also take vengeance, the situation will never end.

    “We must be patient and always support government in its efforts to prosecute those who are behind criminal activities.”

    The governor said the state would receive N7 billion from the Federal Government as its share of compensation for victims of the 2011 post-election violence,saying Kaduna is the worse hit in the violence”.

    “Both Muslims and Christians suffered losses and it is still the aftermath of that crisis that is following us due to reprisals and vengeance.

    “We have been following the Federal Government and it has now completed the verification and came up with over N7 billion as compensation to victims in Kaduna.

    “We are not the only state that has not been paid, but I have been assured that the fund is captured in the 2014 budget, which has not been passed. We shall continue to pursue this money until it is paid.

    “The most important thing for us now is how to forestall a recurrence because no amount of money can bring back our loved ones.

    “From today, we are going to ensure that the people always mix. Whatever we are going to do in this state we must sit together as brothers, irrespective of tribe or religion.

    “Whether we like it or not, God has already brought us together and we must tolerate one another because we must live together.”

    Yero said the assistance was meant to support the religious bodies to carry out their activities as well as assist them in building places of worship and learning centres.

    He said his administration would sustain lasting peace that would lead to reintegration of the diverse groups.

    The governor told the religious leaders to caution against do-or-die politics.

  • Fresh intrigues over Kaduna missing mace

    Fresh intrigues over Kaduna missing mace

    The decision of the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate the whereabouts of its missing mace, six months after, has sparked off fresh fire in the intriguing Kaduna power game, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu

    As the Committee on Ethics of the Kaduna State House of Assembly investigates the whereabouts of the missing mace, observers of the lingering leadership crisis of the House are hopeful that the move, which has already kindled fresh sparks amongst political opponents in the state’s power game, may finally break the ice and open up the politics of the state for the future.

    It would be recalled that when the mace disappeared on September 24, 2013, shortly before the controversial removal of former speaker, Alhaji Muazu Gangara, close observers cried for the need to reduce the heavy burden that was threatening to drown the state politically.

    Reacting to the development then, the President of Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Shehu Sani, in a statement, said the removal of the Kaduna State Speaker, Alhaji Gangara, was nothing but “an elitist exercise in the game of power.” Sani added that there was “nothing to mourn about the exit of the old speaker neither is there anything to celebrate about the entry of a new one.”

    He said: “The impeached speaker deserves no sympathy and the new one deserves no hope. I call on all legislators to save the House from its present image and stand by the spirit of their mandate and of their conscience in the best interest of the state and its people.”

    That reaction, in a way, captures the complex political web associated with the missing of the mace last September and the impeachment that followed.

    How Gangara lost out

    The leadership crisis and the intrigues surrounding the Kaduna missing mace can be traced back to June 6, 2011, when Alhaji Mu’azu Usman Gangara, representing Giwa East constituency, and Dr Mato Dogara, representing Lere West constituency, took the oath of offices of Kaduna House of Assembly as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

    We gathered that their emergence was not supported by many members of the House, who swore not to give them any breathing space.

    So, from that very day, the House was largely divided and, soon, impeachment plots against them became almost a routine. The Nation gathered that the plot then was not only against Gangara and his deputy, but also against most of the other principal officers of the House.

    Aware of the situation, they also set out to survive but they could only hold forth for two years and three months of intense politicking and intrigues.

    Insiders said within this period, they narrowly survived not less than three impeachment plots before that fateful Tuesday, September 24, 2013, when Gangara and his deputy tactlessly absented themselves from the sitting, thus making it easier for their opponents to execute the pre-planned impeachment.

    The first legislative session was relatively easier for Gangara. But at the end of that session, his opponents had become more determined as some of them held a special meeting immediately after the plenary session, where they demanded for the impeachment of the speaker, alleging that he was too weak.

    At this point, the aggrieved members began an impeachment process but this failed as they only secured the signature of 20 members instead of the required 22 signatures.

    Our source, a member of the House, who would not want to be named, also recalled that at this stage another closed-door meeting of the dissatisfied members and others who wanted to save the then leadership was held on August 14, 2013 at an undisclosed venue, after which “members gave the leadership of the house a 30-day ultimatum to either change its leadership style or resign.”

    So, when, on September 14, 2013, the 30-day ultimatum expired, the political tension in the House peaked.

    It was under that circumstance that Gangara and his deputy were impeached. On that day, Gangara and his deputy stayed away from the House sitting without notice. Also, most of his supporters stayed away, leaving only 18 members. Our investigation also confirmed that when the members present resolved to continue with the day’s business, they discovered that the mace, the symbol of authority of the House, was also missing. So, they decided to open the store and collect the back-up mace, with which they convened the sitting.

    The drama began when the Clerk of the House, Barrister Umma Hikima Aliyu, told members that the speaker and his deputy did not communicate the reasons for being absent to her. She then explained that order 1, Rule 8 of the House rules allows the house to appoint a Speaker Pro-tempore to preside over a sitting in the absence of the speaker and his deputy.

    So, the 18 members present nominated Philemon Gidan-Mana Usman as Speaker Pro-tempore to preside over the sitting.

    Immediately after going through the agenda for the day, the members present proceeded to impeach Gangara and Dogara.

    Before moving the motion for their impeachment, the member representing Zonkwa constituency, Hon. Irimiya Kantiok, denied allegations that they were influenced monetarily and that the impeachment plot was hatched at a meeting linked to Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    So, when the Speaker Pro-tempore asked the members if they wanted Honourable Muazu Gangara and his deputy, Matoh Dogara, to be removed, they all echoed ‘Yes’.  So, he declared: “Honourable Mu’azu Gangara and Matoh Dogara cease to be the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of this honourable Assembly beginning from now.”

    Soon after this, Hon. Esther Abu nominated Shehu Usman Tahir as the Speaker. Hon. Bala Yunusa also nominated Hon. Peter Adamu as Deputy Speaker.  There was no objection to these nominations, so the oath of office was immediately administered on the duo.

    Though the impeached speaker vehemently opposed his removal, describing the sitting that led to his impeachment and that of his allies as illegal, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero put paid to the debate as he immediately recognised Tahir and Adamu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House, respectively.

    The new order

    It was on Wednesday last week that the Kaduna State House of Assembly directed its Committee on Ethics and Privileges to investigate the whereabouts of the official mace.

    Speaker Tahir gave the directive following a motion by Alhaji Aliyu Jigo, a member representing Kakangi Constituency in Birnin-Gwari Local Government of the state.

    Jigo had argued that the reason for moving the motion was to protect the integrity of the House.

    “It has been noticed that the mace usually used for conducting the business of the House is not there, the House has been using the back-up mace to conduct its business,” he said.

    He further described the mace as the symbol of authority of the Assembly, adding, “I feel it is very wrong for any member to remove it from the house.”

    But now that the House has directed its committee on ethics and privileges to investigate the disappearance of the mace, we gathered that each of the groups in the House has been meeting to streamline their position.

    Some insiders, who allege that it was the impeached speaker that came to the House earlier that fateful day to remove the original mace, are saying his group is now deliberating whether to release it or not in order to find final peace in the House.

    “Some of us are already tired of the icy relationship although we know that what transpired that day was pure political injustice,” one of the Gangara allies told The Nation on Friday. He confided that many of their members, when they met on Thursday, do not want to be so cheated, “but some elders are persuading us to allow peace to reign in the state,” he said.

  • Yero cautions youths

    Yero cautions youths

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero yesterday urged youths not to allow themselves to be used to create confusion, but rather strive to be employers of labour through skill acquisition.

    He spoke at the graduation of the fifth batch of beneficiaries of the Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.

    Represented by his deputy, Nuhu Audu Bajoga, the governor challenged the youths to acquire skills, to enable them contribute to the state’s economy.

    He noted that the era of waiting for white collar jobs was over.

    Yero told the graduating students:”There are bound to be challenges, but your ability to surmount hurdles that will come your way, is the key to achieving greatness.”

  • A budget for peace

    A budget for peace

    The 2014 budget has been tagged “Budget of Peace and Continuity” based on our determination to ensure that the administration is able to deliver dividends of democracy to our people, without which peace cannot be sustained. We have therefore focused attention on completion of ongoing projects in the State while initiating new ones.  In the coming year, priority attention would be given to projects that have been rolled over, especially from the 2013 budget which we have pledged to complete”. These were the words of Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero while, for the first time since his assumption of office he addressed the state House of Assembly. The governor was presenting his first official budget to the house for approval. Yero came into office few days after late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa presented his 2013 budget to the assembly for consideration and approval. Although there were talks across the state that Governor Yero changed the budget presented by Yakowa, a close scrutiny of the 2013 budget revealed that the assembly made a few adjustments to it without removing any major project captured in it.

    There are those who believe that the budget was not properly implemented by the government. Barrister Mohammed Musa Soba, Chairman of the Kaduna Salvation Movement is one of those who accused the government of poor implementation of the budget. He said “statistics have shown that the 2013 budget was not up to 20 percent implemented and all the monies budgeted for projects and other services have not been accounted for”. However, Governor Yero told the Assembly that the “an estimate of N179,053,904,185 was appropriated for 2013, out of which N74,553,232,540 was allocated for recurrent expenditure, while the sum of N104,500,681,645 was approved as capital votes.  However, as at 31st October 2013, the sum of N49,660,555,331.87 was the actual recurrent expenditure representing 66.6% while actual Capital Expenditure stood at N13,629,642,797.60 which represents 13.04%. It is worthy to note that the budget 2013 was premised on a targeted revenue of N179,053,204,185.  However, as at October, 2013 only the sum of N85,062,955,724.56 was realized which represents 47.51% of the projected target”.   He however did not say what was responsible for the short fall in the expected revenue to the state. With a revenue projection of N112.6 billion for 2012, Yero said that estimate is similar to the one of 2013 because “it is pertinent to work on a similar projection in view of the overwhelming un-realized commitments in the 2013 budget which have to be rolled-over to 2014 budget. We are determined that the measures that would be adopted to enhance Internally Generated Revenue would succeed as we are fully committed to its implementation. As part of our efforts at prudent management of resources, we have ensured that bulk of the revenue accruable to the State is channeled to infrastructural development for improvement of the overall living conditions of our people”.

    Interestingly, the state government has decided to pay more attention to the area of water supply, especially the completion of the multi billion naira Zaria regional water supply scheme. Water supply got the lion share of the Kaduna budget with 24 billion naira. He said “provisions have been made for the completion of various water projects across the State.  Work is expected to reach advanced stage in the remaining phases of the Zaria Regional Water Scheme, which as you are aware, part of the project is being funded by external loans from both the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Other water supply projects across the State will also receive attention, such as the Emergency Water Supply Programme as well as completion of 680No. Hand Pump Boreholes”. The budget for the water sector was designed to take care of the existing water projects for which the state government drew about N3.5 billion in 2013 from the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project. They include completion of ongoing rehabilitation works and network distribution in Kaduna, Zaria, Kafanchan/Kagoro, Zonkwa and Saminaka Water Supply.  The government according to the budget address intend to begin a drawdown of the African Development Bank (AfDB) facility which was declared effective on 14th November, 2013 when it was launched in Zaria for the development of expansion network distribution and provision of sanitation facilities in schools and other public places for Zaria and six (6) other Local Government Areas.  Also, the drawdown of the facility from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for the construction of reservoirs in Zaria and the six (6) LGAs that would benefit from the Zaria Water Project may also begin.

    Yero is also giving adequate attention to the education sector with about N14 billion for the completion of infrastructures in schools across the state. The Kaduna state University and Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic a good portion of the education budget. Yero said “we have continued to accord the Education sector priority by allocating a huge percentage of Government revenue towards improving teaching and learning environments in the State.  In the coming year, Government intends to embark on massive rehabilitation and expansion of infrastructures in existing schools.  Funds have also been allocated for the establishment of four (4) new Science Secondary Schools in the State.  Various ongoing projects at the State University, the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic and the State College of Education will receive adequate attention”

    He said further that the plan of the state government is to complete the “Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, (BDSH) which is being upgraded to a University Teaching Hospital, while we also intend to complete the 300 bed Specialist Hospital at the Kaduna Millennium City. At the grassroots level, we intend to complete the 68No. 8-bed Health Centres next year as well as upgrade the Primary Health Centre Fadan Kagoma. We have also made provision for medical care for critical ailments such as tuberculosis, leprosy and HIV/AIDS.  Funds have also been earmarked for the Malaria Control Programme. It is also important to note that two key health care agencies namely; the Kaduna State Primary Health Development Agency (KSPHDA) and the Drug Management Agency (DMA) have commenced full operation and funds have also been proposed for their operations”.

    Poverty alleviation, under the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme is also to receive attention from the government in 2014 with the provision of N1 billion for disbursement to Small and Medium Scale Enterprises as loan to promote Commerce and Industry and create wealth, N203 million earmarked for the purchase of grains for distribution to the less privilege members of our communities; and N306million for the continuation of Youth and Women Empowerment Programme for the rapid economic transformation of the State, amongst other things.

    However, residents of the state are expecting the government to embark on massive road construction and rehabilitation across the state especially roads within Kaduna metropolis which have been begging for attention. Majority of the 32 road projects awarded by the Yakowa administration which were left unattended to by contractors after collecting 25 percent down payment are expected to be attended to in the 2014 budget. One road which was supposed to have been completed, but abandoned by the contractor is the Church road in Narayi and the road linking Narayi to the Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa way. The roads were awarded alongside the 10 kilometre Yakowa way which has since been completed and commissioned. It was supposed to help take traffic away from the River Kaduna bridge which has always been congested. But the none completion of the road has ensured that commuters from the Sabon Tasha and Barnawa end of the metropolis who are supposed to be using the link road are forced to remain on the traffic for a long time. However, the governor said the government is determined to complete the roads projects in 2014 and rehabilitate others. However, The Nation investigation revealed that the rehabilitation of some of the township roads has already commenced across the metropolis.

     

  • Has Yero lived up to expectation?

    Has Yero lived up to expectation?

    Alhaji Mukthar Yero succeeded Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State a year ago, following his demise in a helicopter crash. TONY AKOWE  writes on his achievements, constraints and prospects of continuity in 2015. 

    He never planned for it. Neither did he prepare for the great task. But destiny has placed on his shoulders the responsibility of governing Kaduna State. Alhaji Mukthar Yero became the governor on a platter of gold. However, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

    In the last three years, he has been part of the political calculation in the complex state. Yero has served as the Commissioner for Finance under former Governor Namandi Sambo, shortly before he became the Vice President. He was also the deputy governor under Yakowa. Thus, he understands the ethno-religious configuration and its implications for politics and governance in the Northwest state.

    The mantle of leadership fell on Yero, few days after his predecessor had just presented the budget to the House of Assembly for approval. Few weeks before the budget presentation, the government had awarded the contract for the construction of 32 roads across the 23 local governments. The towns and villages feared that the contracts may be reviewed. When Yero succeeded Yakowa. But the governor quickly restored public confidence by projecting his administration as a government of continuity.

    The first few months were challenging for the administration. There was a report that Yero had withdraw the budget from the House and injected new things into it. However, following the scrutiny of the budget, it was discovered that there was no alteration. Apparently thinking that the governor would not continue with the implementations of projects initiated by Yakowa Administration, many contractors handling the road projects abandoned the sites, although they had collected the 25 per cent mobilisation fee.

    However, the governor rose to the occasion. He inspected the projects and told the contractors to hasten their works to avoid the wrath of the government. Yero said: “I can say that I am not satisfied with the level of work on some of the projects I have inspected because it is obvious that the contractors are not serious about the work. However, I am satisfied with the level of work on some of the projects, especially the Soba-Kofar Gayan-Kofar Kuyambana Road.

    “That job is going on well and we would assist the contractor to finish the job in good time. But, the other road projects that we have visited, which we are not satisfied with, we are going back to the drawing board to see what is wrong and address the challenges that we have. We intend to complete the projects in time and the only way that we can do that is by pushing the consultants and contractors to do the right thing.

    “Also, the Ministry of Works has to be up and doing and take the challenge of doing its job properly”.

    To critics, Yero Administration has been slow in fighting the infrastructure battle. But, the administration is steady. In the metropolis, the governor has kept faith with the projects awarded by his predecessor. But, the rural area is still craving for attention.

    There is a consensus of opinion that Yero has recorded a tremendous achievement in the area of fostering peace and harmony in Kaduna State. From the onset, he moved swiftly to address the security challenge. He embarked on the tour of the state and held consultations with religious leaders, traditional rulers, youths and women groups in the three senatorial zones. The first meeting was held at the Kagoro Town Hall, the second at the Zaria Hotel and the third took place at the Kaduna International Trade and Investment Centre. Before he passed on, Yakowa had set up a 70-man Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, the committee’s suggestions were insufficient to halt the trend of insecurity. Yero became a preacher of peace, urging the indigenes to embrace themselves as one. He said that he looked forward to the day when the people will live together peacefully, irrespective of their tribes or religious beliefs.

    Also, the hosting of the International Conference of the Forum of Cities in Transition was the icing on the cake on Yero’s peace move and efforts at restoring confidence. Since then, foreign investors have been visiting the state to explore investment opportunities. Chinese, Indian and Pakistani investors have indicated that they would invest in textile, agriculture, tourism and other sectors.

    Speaking at the conference, Yero assured that his government will provide equal economic and political opportunities to the citizens to reduce the suspicion and acrimony raging in the state. “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. The best way to resolve conflicts is by agreeing individually and collectively as a people, to dialogue over issues that create division among us, so as to build trust and understanding.

    “ To achieve this, there is need for further action, which is the practical implementation of the recommendations of this conference. Let me assure you that, as a government, we are ready to implement the report of this conference to further enhance our peace-building process in Kaduna. Our administration is committed to engendering permanent peace and genuine reconciliation among the diverse people of the state. We shall not relent, until we re-enact the past history of harmonious coexistence that endured for several decades in this state”, he said.

    Yero noted that unemployment and poverty could predispose idle people into crime. He therefore, promised to provide jobs for the youths to steer them away from social vices.

    “This is for the purpose of galvanizing our people to unite and work together in building a viable today and a better future. Furthermore, this administration is determined to ensure lasting peace through providing massive job opportunities for our teaming unemployed youths. We believe that when our youths are gainfully employed they will shun vices, including drug addiction and violence.

    “The government will also strive to provide equal economic and political opportunities to all citizens of the state to reduce the suspicion and acrimony in the minds of the people. 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,” he added.

    Few weeks after assuming office, Yero distributed the SURE-P items purchased by the Yakowa Administration. Incidentally, Yero was the Chairman of the Implementation Committee of the SURE-P. He was also the Chairman of the Committee on the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme. At a ceremony in Kaduna, 700 tricycles, 40 taxis and 40 buses were given out to beneficiaries, with the government paying 50 percent of the cost. The government also launched a training programme for 7,600 women and youths from the 23 local governments. The trainees, according to the governor, will be given starter packs to start their business. Yero, who said that the SURE-P training will gulp N139 million, assured that “at the end of this training, each beneficiary will be given a starter pack relevant to his or her area of training to enable him start business and become self reliant”.

    He added: “By providing you with gainful self-employable skills and the wherewithal to start up your businesses, we have taken a bold step to reverse the ugly trend of youth restiveness. We hope to sustain and consolidate the programme, in view of its far-reaching impact. In addition to the schemes we are flagging-off today, government is collaborating with the Bank of Industry and Bank of Agriculture to provide N1.0billion soft loans for Agriculture and Small and Medium Scales Enterprises in Kaduna State”.

    Yero has also invested in the education sector in the last one year. The government has spent N116 million to build the capacity of teachers of English Language, Mathematics and other science subjects. The goal is to increase their professional competence. Also, N100 million is being spent on the rehabilitation of primary schools. The poor performance of students in English and Mathematics is worrisome to the governor. To address this, the government organised seminars in the three senatorial zones. It also organised another one at the state level, which held in Kaduna. Experts and technocrats made some recommendations. Yero has assured that these suggestions will be implemented. However, the state has recruited 1, 802 qualified teachers to improve teaching of various subjects in our schools.

    In Kaduna State, the health sector is on course. The government has developed the ‘Kaduna State Strategic Health Development Plan (SSHDP). Under the scheme, there are eight priority areas. These are Leadership and Governance, Health Delivery Services, Human Resource for Health, and Health Care Financing. Others are Health Information System, Partnership for Health Development and Research for Health. Among the achievements recorded in the sector are the free medical care for pregnant women and children under five years, the sustenance of antiretroviral treatment (ART), the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMCTC), HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and tuberculosis and leprosy (TBL) programs. The ‘emergency transport system’, whereby over 1000 pregnant women in labour were transported free of charge to health facilities is being implemented, in collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    However, government has not resolved the water crisis, especially in Zaria and environs. It is hoped that the multi-billion Zaria Regional Water Supply Scheme will end the hurdle. The water project is supported by the Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank. The government is also intensifying efforts in completing other water projects, including the Kaduna, Zaria, Kafanchan/Kagoro, Zonkwa and Saminaka water supply systems. Also, the government has approved the construction of 46 No. Solar Powered Boreholes and 680 No. Hand Pump Boreholes across the state in the last one year.

    However, Yero has however been accused of showcasing projects that were implemented by his predecessor. Although he was the deputy governor when they were completed, critics have pointed out that he was not the governor who accomplished them. But, the governor has insisted that his administration completed some of them in the spirit of continuity.

    As the administration enters its second year, the people are looking forward to the presentation of his its budget. If Yero performs well in office, his chance of being elected as the governor in 2015 will be bright. But, if otherwise, many gladiators will plot his downfall at the primaries, despite the power of incumbency he wields.

  • Sambo, Yero: How to immortalize Yakowa

    Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo said in Kaduna on Saturday that the best way to immortalise the late former governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, was for Nigerians to continue to preach peace and unity which were two of the cardinal objectives the late governor stood for during his lifetime.

    Speaking at a one- year remembrance lecture organised by the family of the late governor, the vice president said that it is only in an atmosphere of peace and unity that meaningful development can be achieved.

    According to Sambo, it was Yakowa’s accommodative posture, his benevolence, love for peace, tolerance, sense of peace and purposefulness as well as his humility that earned him the title of Yakowa: Nakowa de Kowa; meaning Yakowa, man of the people.

    He noted that the theme of the anniversary lecture – “Challenges and Responsibility of leadership in Nigeria: Legacies of late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa and Achieving Peace and Unity in a Multiethnic and Multi Religious Environment,” aptly captured the life and time of the late governor.

    According to Sambo, Yakowa left behind a worthy legacy of selfless service and patriotism.

    The vice president said, “ Yakowa, a man of peace, who made peace and unity the cardinal objective of his life. Today’s event is significant in so many ways to our dear state and indeed Nigeria. It is a testimonial of the enviable position that late Yakowa attained in his life which earned him a place in the annals of history.

    “Convening this lecture to honour this figure is a proof that Yakowa has rendered selfless service to mankind. Yakowa will remain in our memory for the exemplary life he has lived. He will be best remembered for his accommodative posture, his benevolence, love for peace, tolerance, sense of peace and purposeful as well as humility which earned him the title, Yakowa Nakowa de kowa, meaning the man of the people.

    “Yakowa is to me, a brother, friend, colleague and confidant. We have together served this state in various capacities. As a thorough breed civil servant, he brought his experience to bear in any assignment he carried out. He was hard working, perseverance and extra ordinarily ingenious. He carried out his duty with vigour.”

    Also speaking, Kaduna State governor, Mukthar Ramalan Yero assured the people of the state of his determination to continue with all the projects started by late Yakowa.

    He added that his government believes that the best way to immortalize Yakowa was to complete all the projects he initiated.

     

  • Sambo, Yero battle ‘New PDP’ in Kaduna

    Sambo, Yero battle ‘New PDP’ in Kaduna

    The crisis rocking the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has spilled over to Kaduna State as some members have declared support for the Kawu Baraje faction. TONY AKOWE reports. 

     

    The battle for the control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna has started between the mainstream leadership and the faction led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje. Since 2007, it has been an open secret that all was not well with the party in the state. However, the warring leaders have been able to manage their differences. The emergence of the the former governor, now Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, did not go down well with some party members, who felt that the former governor, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, now a senator, imposed him on the state.

    A few months after assuming office, the relationship between Sambo and Makarfi went sour. From that moment, the Makarfi team was poised to pull the rug off his feet. But luck smiled on him. He was appointed Vice President, which paved the way for the former governor, the late Patrick Yakowa, to take over as governor.

    There is a renewed hostility now. Many of those loyal to Makarfi have gone back to the trenches, in a bid to wrest the party structure from the Vice President.

    Even though Senator Makarfi has not personally identified with any of the PDP factions, some of his supporters have identified with the Abubakar Baraje-led faction. They accused the Vice President of failure to unite the party in the state. They alleged that, rather than revamp and shore up the fortunes of the party, he has contributed to the downward plung of its fortunes.

    Former Chairman of the party i Audi Yaro Makama, is leading the state faction that is supporting the Baraje faction.

    The leaders of the faction recently argued in a statement that “the revolutionary decision to sack the erstwhile leadership under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and replace it with the current one led by Baraje, needs to be replicated in all states chapters, especially Kaduna State, where the support base of the party has been shrinking, since 2007 when Sambo became governor and decided to rubbish the party and its supporters to no end.” They said this decision was taken after deep reflections on happenings in Kaduna State, since the elevation of Architect Namadi Sambo as Vice President.

    “It is instructive that, since his elevation, the fortunes and prestige of the party has been declining, rather than improving, because he has been incapable of rallying the people under its umbrella. Although this is hardly surprising, since he lacks the political wherewithal and the requisite structure, but it was expected that he would come to terms with his inadequacies and enlist the support of established political actors.

    “This expectation has been a forlorn hope because the Vice President has surrounded himself with political paperweights. These hangers on drive Sambo’s vehicle of political exclusionism by hunting for enemies, even where they don’t exist. All efforts by concerned party members and elders to make him see reason, as well as draw the attention of the sacked party leadership, were in vain”, they alleged.

    The faction, which called itself “Save Kaduna Group,” further said that the “fortune of the party in Kaduna State began to nose dive, since 2007 and the relief envisaged after the 2011 elections was, unfortunately, short-lived and we are today back to the days of the locust. Nothing positive is happening; governance is at a standstill; we have a government that is seemingly an auto pilot and, whenever the pilot remembers that he is supposed to be steering a ship, he begs for navigational and other aids from somewhere else”.

    However, the mainstream eadership of the part, promptly dismissed the split, saying that the PDP is in tact. Dismissing the New PDP, the party said those claiming to be the New PDP are only seeking cheap relevance. Kaduna PDP spokesman Alhaji Ibrahim Mansur, who described the leaders of the New PDP as political opportunists, said that the “group of political opportunists led by Makama and a former member of the State House of Assembly, Yakubu Gideon Morik, is completely wrong. He said: “The Kaduna State Chapter of the PDP remains solidly behind the leadership of our National Chairman, Alhaji (Dr) Bamanga Tukur.

    “There is only one PDP, which is the one led by Bamanga Tukur. This much has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. The claim by the so-called group is false and totally criminal, as the party is intact and united under the able leadership of Dr A G Haruna. The PDP in Kaduna State remains undivided and one big family that is committed to the Transformation Agenda of our leader, His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his Vice, Arc. Sambo”.

    Mansur lampooned the breakaway group, descring its members as politicians, who are well known for self centredness.

    “Makama and his ilk are self-centred politicians, who are bent on discrediting Vice President Sambo over their insatiable quest for patronage and accumulation of wealth. Any attempt at creating confusion by political jobbers, under the guise of dirty party politics, will surely attract the attention of law enforcement agencies.

    “We reject the negative ploy by Makama and a handful of ‘food is ready’ politicians in his camp aimed at creating confusion in the party. Makama must be reminded that there is time for everything; he cannot remain the chairman of PDP forever. It is his turn to follow others just like he was followed during his time”.

    However, the Tukur faction seems to be gathering support across the state among the youths. The youths said those claiming to be the New PDP in the state were over heating the polity. The leader of the youths, Danjuma Sarki, described those behind the New PDP as desperate politicians and spent forces, who want to fight their way back into political relevance, after failing to come to terms with the fact that their time was up.

    “It is no doubt that this is an obvious move by some spent forces to launch themselves back into political relevance after failing to come to terms with the fact that their time is up and a new order has taken pre-eminence in the state.

    “We, therefore, call on the general public to disregard them and their antics for underserved recognition at a time like this when the party is poised to consolidate on its victory at the last local government council elections.

    “We are baffled that these desperate politicians, who claimed that the fortunes and prestige of the party has been declining, rather than improving because the Vice President, Arch. Namadi Sambo has been incapable of rallying the people under its umbrella. But it must be stated that, in the history of the party in the state, there has never been a time when the party was victorious in 22 out of the 23 local government council chairmanship elections and also won 246 out of 255 councillorship seats in the state. Suffice it to say that Yaro Makama and his co-travellers lack the simple sense of assessment of political fortune and integrity of a party or are they suffering from some kind of dementia,” Sarki said.

    Justifying its support for the Old PDP, the youths said, since the emergence of Sambo as the governor and his elevation to his current position, the party in the state has continued to wax stronger. It added that it would amount to sheer blackmail or crass ignorance to claim not to be aware of the in-road the party is making as a result of the purposeful leadership of the state governor and the vice president.

    They described Sambo as a leader of the party in the state and the entire northern states. “We, therefore, wish to state our unalloyed loyalty to the party leadership in the state headed by Hon. A.G. Haruna, the government of Kaduna and that of the Goodluck/Sambo and call on all well-meaning people of the state to continue to rally round them”, they said.

    Urging the people to remain focused and resolute in the pursuit of the Transformation Agenda, the youths called on past and present leaders to be cautious with their statements. They called for efforts that would further consolidate the purposeful leadership of the governor.

    “We should all learn to explore the necessary process of seeking redress within the party whenever we are aggrieved, instead of resorting to crude means that might polarise us”.

    Similarly, local government chairman on the platform of the PDP also dismissed the New PDP, saying that the PDP remained one in the state. They pledged their support to the state executive of the party and the governor.

    Speaking at a news conference, the Chairman of ALGON said what is happening in the party was normal, pointing out that they remain loyal to the party. There is no doubt that there are serious efforts in the state to ensure that the Vice President loses out in the party in the state, he alleged.

    It is, however, not known what Sambo and his team are doing to ensure that the party remains one. While there are efforts at reconciling the two factions at the national level, there is no effort at reconciliation in the state. Unless this is done, the party may be heading for the rock, especially, with the All Progressive Congress (APC) strongly mobilising ahead of the 2015 elections.