“If you can tell… and show… let them see and feel… taste or smell the evidence, then you will reach the jury” ----Merlin Bellis (1907 – 1996) US lawyer.
“I have opinion of my own, strong opinion but I don’t always agree with them. -George Bush, former American President (1924)
He was lavishly advertised as the only governor in the country that has concern for the poor and less privilege because of the Talakawa summit that he organized in the state which is excitely one year now.
The talakawa summit which the physical challenged persons (destitute) who were invited last year to say their own predicament in the midst of our religious leaders, traditional rulers, political groups, elites, journalists, NGO’s, F.G representatives, foreign bodies among others up till now nothing is heard from the summit, to uplift their standard of living and their families, beside the initial N7,000 allowance given before the summit to about 4,000 down trodden out of over 50,000 destitute in the state.
If Governor Lamido of Jigawa State is truly serious with his agenda of poverty eradication and he means well for the people of Jigawa State, he should not ignore the cries, appeals, suggestions, opinion and testimonies of the masses during the summit last year in the State.
Lamido should hearken to their appeals and set the motion for proper implementation, modification and improvement of their suggestion but Alas, that is on the contrary because, the water runs deep, because even the selection of the beneficiaries has been politicalised.
Let me borrow a word from former U.S President Harry S. Truman (1884 – 1972) where he said “Every segment of our population and every individual have a right to expect from his government a fair deal”.
His eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad III, said during the Talakawa summit in Jigawa, “Unless they give education proper attention and send their children to school, health care delivery, agriculture and others then solving problems of poverty will become difficult”.
Also a representatives of Handicaps in Jigawa Mallam Hassan Musa during the Talakawa summit said, “There were handicaps that are tailors, mechanics etc. but there is no support by government to come to their aids, and unless this is done, the issue of street begging and poverty will continue to bedevil the commoner”.
Once again, Hajia Amina Ibrahim S.A to President Yar’Adua on Millenium Development Goals said “Already over 1.4bn has been released last year to Jigawa State by the FG to help reduce poverty in the state” (Sunday Trust 19 Oct – 2008). Also there were NGO’s and foreign bodies aids, please! where have all these monies gone to? And beside the N7, 000 allowances to N4, 000 destitute out of over 50,000 of them, what has been done to them so far?
It was recently a read in the pages of Newspapers in other for Lamido to again a cheap popularity that, Jigawa state government has released 28.2m only as loan to nine hundred and forty (940) people out of over four million (4,0000000) people in the state. Haba! Is that how to eradicate poverty in Jigawa state with only remaining one and a half year to go?
Please, we should not kill justice in the table of selfishness; we should as well stop deceiving ourselves and the world that Jigawa government has concerns for the poor or the physically challenged persons. Jigawa government should concentrate on doing the right things at the right time and for the right purpose, because Governor Lamido needs not to be informed verbally (Talakawa Summit) that he needs no extraordinary research to know the problems of the poor masses because as we all know, he demands of Talaka , right from the 60’s has always been the same.
Such demands are education, good health care, portable water, electricity, good roads, shelter, agricultural production, job opportunities, security, poverty alleviation, industrialization, and desertification control, most especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria, precisely in Jigawa state.
Your Excellency, Jigawa state needs greater care and attention because possibilities of greatness are limitless; truly, we need rapid improvements.
In line with our discussion, if the government of Sule Lamido has good, serious, and lasting agenda for its people, what is it doing about its plan on a Fadama strategy and paradigm shift in Jigawa which the adviser to the governor on media, Mr. Adagbo Onoja announced two years back? (See Daily Trust of 18 and 25 December, 2007).
Also, what is the Jigawa government’s genuine plan on the abandoned agricultural projects by the previous government; The Hadejia Sugar Processing Company, Gumel Flour Mills Company, Kazaure Tomatoes Processing Company, and Birnin Kudu Diary Processing Company among others?
If the above companies can gain the attention of Lamido’s administration with sincerity of focus and purpose, the projects can serve as a source of revenue to the state, a solution to unemployment to hundreds of thousands youths and a way of achieving the paradigm shift of the administration, so to say.
Sir, you need to pattern your belt very well and very tight to rule with speed. We wish you God’s guidance to save Jigawa from its present predicaments. Your Excellency, all we care and mind is honesty, transparency, accountability, equity and commitment for Jigawa to reach a greater height. May God come to our aid and bless Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole. Amen.
Adamu Muhd Usman
Kafin~Hausa, Jigawa State
[email protected]
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