The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yuguda

  • Nigeria will not develop amidst insecurity – Bauchi governor

    Nigeria will not develop amidst insecurity – Bauchi governor

    Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has warned that Nigeria will never witness any significant development amidst insecurity and violence.

    Yuguda gave the warning while answering questions from journalists during a one day visit to Yola on Friday.

    “Those that are creating the insecurity problems in the country should appreciate the fact that with more insecurity, we will never experience any meaningful progress.

    “We can never secure jobs amidst crisis and if you don’t have jobs, you should not expect peace and development,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Yuguda as saying during the visit.

    He identified unemployment rate, especially among the youths in the country, as factor responsible for poverty and security challenges facing the country.

    According to him, the way out of present security challenges in the country is to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths that are roaming the streets.

    Yuguda called the attention of Nigerians to the fact that any country that lack peace cannot attract foreign investors to that country.

     

  • Gov. Yuguda, Emir of Bauchi to receive Afcon trophy

    Gov. Yuguda, Emir of Bauchi to receive Afcon trophy

    The Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda will today host some officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles, to appreciate them for Nigeria’s triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    The Super Eagles swept all before them to clinch the trophy at the 29th edition of the 56-year old competition, making it the first time in 19 years and third time overall that Nigeria would emerge champion.

    Officials confirmed on Monday that the delegation will be led by President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, with a number of Executive Committee members, Management and some presidential aides also on the entourage.

    Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Emeka Inyama, Dr. Shehu Adamu, Yusuf Fresh and Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande are the Executive Committee members, with General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu and Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi also Bauchi-bound.

    There will also be Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach Daniel Amokachi, special assistant to president, Alh. Ibrahim Musa Gusau, personal assistant to president and ex-international player Nasiru Jibril and Eagles’ Team Secretary, Enebi Achor.

    The train will move to the Government House, Bauchi straight from the airport to present the glittering trophy to the sports-loving Governor, who was in Calabar at the weekend to watch the Golden Eaglets play a friendly international with their Botswanan counterparts, and has also provided land for the construction of a FIFA Technical Centre in the State.

    From the Government House, the trophy will move to the palace of the Emir of Bauchi, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Rilwan Suleiman Adamu, who will also have opportunity of receiving the prestigeous trophy.

  • Lack of political will stalled Bauchi airport – Yuguda

    Lack of political will stalled Bauchi airport – Yuguda

     

    Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State said on Friday that lack of political will by previous administrations delayed the building of Bauchi International Airport conceived in the 1980s.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Yuguda made the remark while laying the foundation stone for the International Airport estimated to cost N7.98 billion.

    He recalled that the airports in Abeokuta, Ibadan, Minna, Akure and Warri were conceived at the same time but Bauchi could not build its own airport.

    Yuguda said that contract for the construction of the airport was awarded to Messrs Triacta Nig Limited at the cost of N7.98 billion to be completed in 18 months.

    He said the government had paid the contractor 70 per cent of the project cost.

    Yuguda said work on the 3.4km long and 1km wide runway had reached advanced stage and promised that Muslim pilgrims would travel from the airport during the year.

    A former minister of information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, commended Yuguda’s foresight and described the project as “strategic to the people of Bauchi State.”

     

  • Tambuwal, Yuguda, others flay attack on monarch

    Tambuwal, Yuguda, others flay attack on monarch

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State yesterday condemned the attack on the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim.

    The Speaker called it callous and inhumane “and from all indication, meant to shatter the resolve of peace-loving persons in the federation,” while Gov.Yuguda described it as barbaric.

    In a statement in Abuja, Tambuwal said the Emir, one of the most respected traditional rulers in the country, is a man of peace whose words and actions have promoted peaceful coexistence among people of diverse backgrounds in Kano state and beyond.

    He said the attack, coming at a time when the security agencies have made considerable gains in their fight against terrorists especially in the Northern part of the country, should be fully investigated and all those involved be brought to justice.

    He condoled with the families of those who lost their lives in the attack and urged all Nigerians to embrace peace and allow peace to reign where ever they may be.

    He reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives to work with other arms of government and all interest groups and persons to find lasting peace in the country.

    Yuguda, in a statement in Bauchi said: “I received the sad news with shock, wondering why someone will want to take the life of another person particularly that of one of the leading royal fathers in Nigeria who is genuinely and deeply committed to peace and peaceful coexistence.”

    The Governor, while sympathising with the immediate Royal family over the attack, also condoled the families of those who lost their lives defending the Emir, saying that, “they died in active service laying down their lives for the Emir, and may Allah grant the departed aljannatul firdaus and their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

    In its own reaction, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) described the attack as “a rude shock.”

  • Yuguda, Aliyu, Wada present budgets

    •Bauchi N137.3b, •Niger N83.8b, •Kogi N130.99b 

    Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, his Niger and Kogi counterparts, Babangida Aliyu and Idris Wada, yesterday presented the 2013 budget proposals to the states’ Assemblies.

    The governors said the budgets would lead to accelerated development in the states.

    Yuguda presented a N137,342,108,137 budget proposal, giving the Ministry of Education N5,566,347,686.

    The Commission for Youth and Womens Rehabilitation and Development got N4,432,205,940.

    The proposal is tagged: Budget of sustainable development.

    Yuguda proposed N63,348,292,151 for recurrent expenditure and N73,993,816,176 for capital expenditure.

    Giving details of the budget proposal, the governor told the lawmakers that N94,538,869,048 is for recurrent revenue. From this, N10,038,869,048 is to come from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and N84,500,000,000 from statutory allocation.

    A breakdown of the recurrent expenditure showed that N25,992,985,052 is for personnel cost. Overhead takes N23,864,115,893; consolidated revenue fund charges is N13,491,191,206, making a total of N63,348,292,151.

    The consolidated revenue fund charges comprise pension and gratuity of N2,312,000,000; public debt charges and debt servicing take N8,714,939,436 and public officers’ salary is N2,464,251,770, totalling N13,491,191,206.

    The government projected that Bauchi State would receive N73,933,816,176 from an opening balance of N500,000,000. Transfer from consolidated revenue funds is N31,190,576,897; internal loans, including development bonds, are projected to fetch N7,270,000,000; Federal Government grant is N7,814,961,045, and technical assistance is N524,629,115.

    External development is expected to contribute N6,294,457,920; local government joint projects, N15,000,000,000 and miscellaneous N3,509,296,000.

    Justifying the expenditure in the outgoing year’s budget, Yuguda explained that his administration touched critical sectors of the state in the last five years.

    The governor promised that the government would improve on its achievements.

    Aliyu presented the budget to the House of Assembly in Minna, the state capital. It is 9.2 per cent less than the N95billion appropriation for the outgoing fiscal year.

    He said N71.7billion would be for recurrent expenditure and N12.06billion for capital receipts.

    The governor told the lawmakers that the budget would be implemented with N53.7billion to be generated from the statutory Federation Account allocation; N8.5billion from the Value Added Tax (VAT); N2.8billion expected from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and N6.6billion from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    He said the recurrent expenditure, put at N46.7billion, comprises N25.1billion for personnel cost; N15.04billion for overhead and N6.5billion for consolidated fund charges.

    Giving a breakdown, Aliyu said with the allocation of N11.3billion, the economic sector takes the lion’s share of the proposed bill, followed by the social sector with N10.9billion and the regional sector with N4.6 billion.

    The governor said N10.08billion goes to the administrative sector. Science and technology gets N50million.

    Aliyu reassured the residents that his administration would continue its free education policy to cushion the effect of the global economic meltdown on parents and encourage more children to attend school.

    According to him, agricultural mechanisation would be boosted to generate income and create jobs for the people.

    Aliyu added that his administration would, next year, concentrate on provision, maintenance and improvement of water schemes.

    The governor said the Mokwa, Gwada, and Ibeto water schemes would be reactivated, adding that the Kuta water supply scheme would be completed.

    Speaker Adamu Usman said the budget would be given speedy attention.

    Wada said the N130,996,844,415

    proposal, tagged: Budget of transformation, would meet the aspiration of the residents.

    The proposal is the governor’s first since he assumed office on January 27.

    He said capital expenditure would take N65,595,793,246 and the recurrent expenditure N65,401,510,169.

    The budget, Wada said, was increased by N4.7billion or 3.5 per cent over the outgoing year’s budget.

    According to him, the increase would enable his administration to meet the rising challenges of the state.

     

  • Suspect gets bail over Yuguda’s son’s wedding comment

    A Bauchi State Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by Adamu M. Kafin Madaki, has granted bail to a worker of the Ministry of Finance, Abbas Ahmed, over his comments on the social network, facebook, on the funding of Mr. Idris Isa Yuguda’s wedding.

    Idris, 30, is the son of Governor Isa Yuguda.

    He was wedded to Bilkisu Hanifa, the daughter of Dr. Musa Babayo, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, on September 8, at Azare, Bauchi State.

    When the matter came up yesterday for hearing, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), politicians, civil society organisations and others indicated interest to defend Ahmed.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Mohammed Garba told the court that “the State Criminal investigation (SCID) Department has received a request from the Office of the Bauchi State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Almustapha Suleiman, directing the SCID to investigate the case of injurious falsehood and defamation of character of a public servant”.

    He said the alleged offence is contrary to Sections 393, 394 of the Penal Code.

    But counsel from the various organisations, led by the Bauchi State NBA Chairman, Mohammed Alhassan, announced appearance for the accused.

    Sergeant Garba said the accused was not in the court, contrary to the court’s procedures.

     

  • Yuguda condemns attack on Kaduna church

    Yuguda condemns attack on Kaduna church

    •Evil, jealous forces behind attack, says Ndoma-Egba •Arewa decries bombing 
    •Makinde to Fed Govt: expose perpetrators •Activist: it’s barbaric

     

    Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda has condemned last Sunday’s suicide bombing of a Catholic church in Kaduna.

    Eight worshippers were killed in the attack and scores of others were injured.

    The governor described the attack as barbaric, unfortunate and an act of cowardice aimed at creating disaffection among Nigerians.

    Yuguda commiserated with the government and the residents on the attack.

    The governor urged them to avoid reprisals.

    He said: “Vengeance is for God and He will do it at the appropriate time.”

    Yuguda spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Michael Ishola Adeyemi.

    The governor urged those killing their fellow beings to have a change of heart.

    He said: “Such an act will never take those killing others to Heaven but will rather lead them to the suffering of the Hereafter when every soul will be made to give account of every deed while here on Earth.”

    Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba yesterday blamed Sunday’s bombing on evil and jealous individuals, who want to create divisions between Christians and Muslims.

    In a statement in Abuja, the senator noted that the blast was coming on the heels of the euphoria that greeted the elevation of Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Bishop John Onaiyekan, as a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.

    He said it was worrisome that the incident happened after the Eid-el-Kabir in which Christians joined their Muslim brothers and sisters to celebrate.

    The Cross River Central lawmaker congratulated Onaiyekan on his elevation.

    Ndoma-Egba noted that evil forces, which were not happy with the peaceful Sallah celebrations, with “Christians joining their Muslim brothers to celebrate the festival, were behind the weekend bombing”.

    He added: “It is curious that two days before the dastardly act, Christians and Muslims gathered together on Sallah Day and celebrated the festival.

    “This was an unprecedented first, which we all thought would usher in the much-needed peace for a state that has reeled from countless bombings in the past.

    “I find this new spate of bombings not only wicked but also evil, for anyone to wreak such havoc less than 24 hours after followers of both religions celebrated together in the spirit of peace, tolerance and brotherhood.”

    The Senate Leader advised those affected to avoid reprisal killings but leave vengeance to God.

    The North’s socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and the Muslim umbrella body in the region, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, yesterday condemned the suicide attack on St. Rita’s Catholic Church at Ungwan Yero in the Malali area of Kaduna.

    The ACF, in a statement by its National Publicity, Anthony Sani, said the attack was inhuman.

    It noted that the attacked occurred when there was an agreement among religious leaders that killing is not a part of any religion.

    The forum noted that those who resort to killing innocent people to address perceived grievances should embrace peace in the interest of the nation.

    The statement reads: “The news of suicide bombing of a Catholic church in Kaduna, which took place on Sunday, resulted in the death of eight people and injury to many. It is totally condemnable because of its inhumanity, especially at a time leaders of all religions have agreed that killing oneself and other people in the name of God is not in line with God’s injunction in favour of the sacred inviolability of the individual with a clear sense of what is right and what is evil.

    “It is more distressing, considering the efforts being made by the youth across all faiths to bring about lasting peaceful coexistence in Kaduna.

    “Those who, therefore, derive pleasure in killing themselves in order to kill other people in the name of God to address their perceived grievances should lay down their arms and embrace constructive dialogue, precisely because resorting to violence can never solve the problems.”

    The JNI urged security agents to ensure that those bombing the country are brought to justice.

    In a statement by its Secretary-General, Sheikh Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the JNI prayed that those involved in the act would fail to cause chaos in Kaduna.

    The statement reads: “Jama’atu Nasril Islam, under the leadership of Sa’ad Abubakar (the Sultan of Sokoto), received with bewilderment the news of the bombing at Unguwar Yero, Malali, Kaduna, on October 28 during a church service.

    “We condemn the act in its totality and call for calm and restraint. It is our prayer that the perpetrators behind the act will never succeed in causing chaos in Kaduna.

    “However, we implore the security agents to be more vigilant and intensify measures of curbing this dastardly act of bombings. As for those affected, we pray for a better return of what they have lost and the families of those who lost their lives, may Allah grant them fortitude to bear the loss.”

    A rights’ activist Shehu Sani said: “The reported attack on the Catholic Church in Unguwan Yero Ward, Malali area of Kaduna stands condemned. It’s a dastardly, evil, ungodly, barbaric and unprovoked attack.

    “It’s an attack on our freedom, peace and humanity. The attack is a savage and despicable onslaught against civil liberties and our constitutional rights to life and religion. We condemn it without reservation…”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Yuguda’s succour to the education sector

    Yuguda’s succour to the education sector

    SIR: When Governor Isa Yuguda took over the mantle of leadership in 2007, the education sector in Bauchi State was on the verge of collapse. There were less than 1,000 trained teachers to manage Bauchi State’s 247 public secondary schools with more than 200,000 students – a ratio of 1 to 200. Also over 7,000 out of 16,000 primary school teachers in the state were not qualified as they did not possess the required minimum qualification of NCE.

    The glaring decay in the state’s education sector was so malignant that only nine

    candidates out of over 3,000 who sat for the 2004 common entrance examination passed. Again only four, out of the 8,000 candidates who sat for the 1999 Senior Secondary School examination in the state scored five credits and above.

    Against the backdrop of the over N700 million spent on the sector in that year alone, the poor showing was discouraging and revealing.

    Faced with the disturbing situation, Governor Yuguda immediately zoomed into action to salvage the sector from imminent collapse. First he declared a state of emergency in the sector and began the immediate renovation of dilapidated structures in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions across the state. The budget for education sector was jacked by over 100 percent from N2.5 billion in 2007 to N6.6 billion in 2009 and N19.4 billion in 2012, in an effort to restructure the sector. The Yuguda administration also procured and distributed six million copies of assorted textbooks to all state-owned primary, secondary and tertiary institution at a total cost of N6.5 billion as a support to the sector. The administration also distributed brand new cars to those qualified by civil service regulation to own automobiles under subsidized loan scheme, including teachers training and retraining to improve their skills.

    To ease parent’s burden in part funding of their children’s education, the administration paid WAEC and NECO examination fees for all its students without discrimination as to the state of origin, tribe or religious inclination. To further develop the education sector, the government established the state university and plans have reached an advance stage to establish a teacher’s academy to produce quality teachers. The administration also expended over N1.2 billion on students allowance in the last three years. Over 21 students are in the USA for various degree programmes in critical areas like aircraft maintenance engineering while more than N80 million was expended on the sponsorship of 38 students studying

    Medicine in Egypt, while over 100 students are in Malaysia. The administration also renovated and equipped science laboratories in selected secondary schools. These apart, six special secondary schools for married women were established as the administration expended over N189 million on the purchase of 10,000 units of double decker beds and another N204 million on 45,000 quality mattresses which were

    distributed to various schools.

    Feeding allowance to students in government boarding schools was increased by 100 percent as N420 million is quarterly expended to feed students with quality and quantity meal. In line with his blue-print policies the governor introduced the symbolic teaching programme, where as the governor, he squeezed time to personally teach economics in some selected schools. This perhaps explains the decision of US Agency for International Development, USAID to invest about N25 billion in Bauchi and Sokoto states to boost their capacity in expanding education and good governance. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) acknowledged the efforts of Governor Isa Yuguda by bestowing on him its 2011 Best Governor Award.

     

    • John Akevi,

    Bauchi

     

  • Yuguda’s brother in-law kidnapped in Bauchi

    Yuguda’s brother in-law kidnapped in Bauchi

    Gunmen yesterday kidnapped a Bauchi Politician, Alhaji Muhammadu Sade, fondly called Osama bin Ladin.

    Yuguda is away in the United States on a trip with President Jonathan Goodluck.

    The gunmen killed the security guard, fired several shots, before taking Sade away.

    Bauchi State Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan said: “We are investigating the matter, we have so far arrested one suspect who is helping us in our investigation.”

    Sade,is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bauchi State and a very close political associate, is a brother-in-law to Governor Yuguda.

    He is also a businessman and a top car dealer in Bauchi.

    A family member to Sade, Mallam Hafizu Dahiru, said yesterday that his daughter called his wife and informed her that gunmen kidnapped Sade in their residence along Railway road, Bauchi.

    Hafizu said Sade was kidnapped on his way to a nearby Mosque from his house for the morning prayer, at about 5 am.But before they took him away,the assailants shot and killed the security man at the entrance to the house.

    No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnap.

    State PDP Assistant Publicity Secretary, Bashir Bukar Riminzayan, condemned the kidnap.

    He attributed the development to bad leadership saying: “we advised our leaders to be fair and just to all”.

    Riminzayan appealed to security agencies to beef up security in the state and protect lives and properties of innocent citizens.

     

  • Yuguda’s aide abducted

    Yuguda’s aide abducted

    One of Governor Isa Yuguda’s confidants, Alhaii Muhammadu Sade, was kidnapped on Sunday night.

    His security man known as Maigadi was also killed at his GRA residence in Bauchi, the state capital.

    The state police command confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Monday.

    He hails from Sade in Darazo local government area of the state.

    Sade is married to Yuguda’s sister and sources say he plays important roles in the governor’s political decisions.