Gov Lamido and the down trodden concept in Jigawa State

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, Federal Government  representatives, foreign bodies, Non Governmental Organisations like UN Millennium Campaign Against Poverty, Centre for International Technology and Development, Global Coalition against […]

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, Federal Government  representatives, foreign bodies, Non Governmental Organisations like UN Millennium Campaign Against Poverty, Centre for International Technology and Development, Global Coalition against poverty, Action Aid International, Centre for Democracy and Development and Millennium Development Goals among others. However, 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 , unless jamboree and negotiation  was done with some unpatriotic element in the state to tell the world that Jigawa government has concern for the poor.

Please what can Jigawa government say about the present ritual killings and the outbreak of diseases in the state like; Leprosy, Tuberculoses and Meningitis among others devilling and killing people 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 reality of knowing and attending the suffering of the masses in his state. Lamido should have from the beginning of his tenure as governor, as NEPU orient and Late Malam Aminu Kano disciple set a motion for proper implementation, modification and improvement of the standard of living of Talaka but alas, that is on the contrary because, the water runs deep, because even the selection of the beneficiaries of N7,000  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.”

Hajiya Amina Ibrahim M. D. Millenium Development Goals said, “Already over 1.4bn has been released two years ago to Jigawa State by the FG to help reduce poverty in the state.”  (Sunday Trust 19 October – 2008). Also there were foreign bodies’ and NGO’s aids like UN Millennium Campaign Against Poverty, Centre for International Technology and Development, Global Coalition against poverty, Action Aid International, Centre for Democracy and Development. 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?

Recently I read in the newspapers in order for Lamido to again a cheap popularity that, Jigawa State government had released N28.2m ,in another report they said N108m  as loan to nine hundred and forty  (940)  people out of over four million (4,0000000) people in the state which N3,000, N5,000, N10,000 were given. Haba! Is that how to eradicate poverty in Jigawa State with only remaining one year to go?

His eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad III, said during the Talakawa summit in Jigawa last year, said, “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, Malam Hassan Musa during the Talakawa summit said, “There were handicaps that are tailors, mechanics etc. but there is no support by the government to come to their aids, and unless this is done, the issue of street begging and poverty will continue to bedevil the commoner.”

Malama Gambo Musa Babura testified  during the one year anniversary on 29th Oct 2009 that, they were trained as Traditional Birth Attendants by the state in order to improve their profession and their standard of living but nothing came  from Jigawa government as an assistance  to them since, beside the reward their patients give them after the delivery  services which “Mudun Gero (Measure of millet) Sabulu (Soap) and Barkono (Pepper)’’ were  given to them, which  total cost is not more than three hundred naira (N300)

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 concern 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  that he needs no extraordinary research to know the problems of the poor masses because as we all know, the 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 Muh’d Usman, Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State, [email protected]