Northern governors and New Nigerian Newspapers

But before our condemnations of some of these Northern governors, we will begin by saluting Vice President Namadi Sambo for his role in getting the Federal Government to release about 500 million naira of the over one billion naira pension areas of salaries of workers of NNNL. These areas were incurred by the federal government […]

But before our condemnations of some of these Northern governors, we will begin by saluting Vice President Namadi Sambo for his role in getting the Federal Government to release about 500 million naira of the over one billion naira pension areas of salaries of workers of NNNL. These areas were incurred by the federal government since it took over the publishing company in the mid 1970s, it did not pay anything to the owners of the company. Therefore when it returned back the newspaper company in 2010, it was only fair to offset the pension areas of the workers who were literally federal government workers.
  If we are to go back to the recent history of the pathetic travails of the New Nigerian, we will begin with the commendable role of late Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as governor of Katsina State who when he assumed the leadership of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), visited the NNNL in Kaduna to ascertain the extent of its financial travails. It was after his visit that he reported his finding back to the NSGF, which separated liabilities of the Federal Government and those of the Northern states. The governors, he argued, should be responsible for the outstanding salaries of about 700 million naira while the federal government should be responsible for the pension areas of about one billion, three hundred million naira up to 2010. It was not long after this that he became the President of Nigeria and the predicament of the company and its workers continued.
It was only recently that Vice President Sambo pursued the issue as a former northern governor to its logical conclusion. We learnt on good authority that the payment to the company was divided into three and they began with paying about 500 million naira a few weeks ago to the pensioners which seriously thrilled them from their abject poverty. But the amazing thing is that while the federal government has started paying its dues, some northern states governors have refused to pay up their commitments in the last ten years or more.
We regret to mention that Governor Murtala Nyako(Adamawa), Governor David Jang (Plateau), Governor Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Governor Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe) are yet to redeem their pledges in spite of several reminders and pleadings by all men of goodwill including Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State, when he chaired the NSGF. It is a great disservice to the North and the memory of Sardauna of Sokoto for these governors not to redeem their outstanding to make the New Nigerian back to the streets. It is a shame that Governor Jang who is parading himself as the nominee of the Northern Governors Forum to the exalted chair of the Chairman of the Nigeria’s Governors Forum, has not paid one kobo for the resuscitation of the NNN in the last ten years! Please someone should also remind Governor of Gombe State to redeem his pledges to the New Nigerian Newspapers. A payment of only 10 million naira is not enough. He has to pay up all the outstanding against Gombe State if not for anything, for the sake of history. We are waiting for him and his stories in 2019 God willing.
I am also ashamed to say that my own friend and fellow 1978 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria alumni has an outstanding balance of 11 million Naira against Bauchi state government..
On the other side of the coin, we will commend those governors who paid all their dues to the NNN. We begin with praying for the repose of the soul of late Governor/President Umaru Yar’Adua for giving the NNNL a loan of 50 million naira in addition to paying up everything for Katsina state. Governor Shehu Shema of Katsina State should be praised for his support. We also thank Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu for his noble role in paying all the dues for Niger State and his continued able leadership for the Northern Governors Forum. We also salute Governors Rabi’u Kwankwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Magatakarda Wamako (Sokoto), Sa’idu Usman Dakingari (Kebbi), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Muktar Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Captain Idris Wada (Kogi), and Tanko Al Makura (Nasarawa). With outstanding salaries of less than 400 million naira, we urge the governors who have not paid their dues to do so urgently. Upon paying up all outstanding, they should reorganise the northern newspapers company. These papers must hit the streets as soon as possible to educate, enlighten and unite the north back to its feet. It is only at this stage that the New Nigerian Newspapers should be sold to interested investors.
We support the idea in circulation for some time now that the governors of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara want to buy off the company. If the three states interested in sponsoring the publication whether for business venture or for the memory of Ahmadu Bello, please let all the recalcitrant states mentioned earlier should sell off their shares to them. But before we reach that stage, we are appealing to Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo to deduct their debts for the NNNL from the from the federation account and pay them directly and save them from unnecessary anguish and despair.
 Shariff wrote from Kano <[email protected]>;