No youths attacked Shema’s convoy
According to a publication, “the governor was in Jibia to flag off the sale of fertilizers to dry season farmers and had a stopover in Danmarke to commission a comprehensive health center before proceeding to the venue of the fertilizer sales. However, youths in their hundreds barricaded the road to the venue, wielding machetes, sticks, […]
According to a publication, “the governor was in Jibia to flag off the sale of fertilizers to dry season farmers and had a stopover in Danmarke to commission a comprehensive health center before proceeding to the venue of the fertilizer sales. However, youths in their hundreds barricaded the road to the venue, wielding machetes, sticks, and throwing stones… Although the attempt failed, it was frightening enough to have forced Shema’s convoy to make a detour to the venue of the public function”.
For the benefit of members of the public some kids who are between the ages of 10 – 13 were chanting “Sai Buhari,” carrying stones and making advances to hurl the stones on any car that passed the road on the day of the event. But they were later dispersed by security agents in the area. This incident happened almost an hour before Shema’s convoy passed through the area. The fact remains that except Governor Shema and his entourage were informed about the incident, there was no way they could know about it, because the incident did not happen in the presence of his entourage. So, one is at a loss why they decided to link the incident to the governor who came to the area not for political campaigns, but in the continuation of his people-oriented project across the state, of which our community is a beneficiary.
The health center that was commissioned is in Magama and not in Danmarke village as reported by the writer. In fact this obvious distortion discredited the report. Hundreds of villagers came out to welcome Governor Shema at the venue of the commissioning of the health center and also at the launch of the sales of fertilizer. From all indications, those who mobilized the underage who are not even of voting age to the streets for political reasons, succeeded in proving to the rational members of the public that those who can differentiate between their left hand from the right hand are appreciative of Shema and they are with him, hence they decided to use kids who don’t know what they are doing.
Another fact that the incident has established is that the sponsors of the kids are not responsible. In a civilized society, you don’t play politics with the lives of innocent children and go free. But in Nigeria everything is politics. There is need for security agents to unravel the masquerades behind those kids and prosecute them accordingly, so that others can learn from them. It is also amusing to note what was said: “it was frightening enough, to have forced Shema’s convoy to make a detour to the venue of the public function”. The question is, which other route did the governor’s convoy follow from Magama to Jibia, the venue of launch of the sales of fertilizer?
In terms of dividends of democracy, Governor Shema has done a lot for the people of Jibia. For instance, the Jibia irrigation dam project was rehabilitated by Shema administration and the farmers in the area are now cultivating 2500 hectare from 100 hectares cultivated more than 20 years since the establishment of the dam. Last year alone, the farmers at the irrigation site produced 5000 metric tons of food and with additional support from the state government this year 2010, the farmers intend to produce 10,000 metric tons of food. Already, the state government has provided tractors and vehicles to farmers in each of the 34 local governments, as a measure to boost productivity.
The market price of fertilizer is between N5,000 and N6,000, yet Katsina State government is selling fertilizer to the farmers in the state at the subsidized rate of N1,500. How will Katsina farmers not be happy with Governor Shema’s administration?
The state government also, within two years, established 52 cottage industries across the state utilizing vast mineral deposits in the state. The government has also disbursed N100 million interest-free loans to about 6,000 traders and artisans under the small scale trades special credit scheme. Over N100 million was also distributed under the youth entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises loan scheme in which over 3,000 youths benefited. There is need for all well meaning Nigerians to make the country a market place of ideas and is by doing this that the country can move forward.
Mohammed, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina, was on Governor Shema’s entourage to the activities mentioned in this piece