Yar'Adua insists on funding new councils
From Olawale Tunde, Katsina
DESPITE the fact that three of the five states affected by the Federal Government's decision to withhold council funds have retraced their steps, Katsina State Governor, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, has continued to fund all the 64 councils in the state.
Although, what will eventually befell the new councils remains unknown as the state government withdrew from the suit instituted against the Federal Government on the said matter at the Supreme Court, Governor Yar'Adua has proved the point of belonging to the selected few among the 36 state governors who through exemplary management of public resources can damn the consequences of disregarding the Federal Government.
As the withholding of councils allocation entered the fourth month, Katsina State remains the only state out of the five affected states that has not for once cry for the shortage of funds in payment of the councils' workers and also for execution of less capital intensive projects for the rural dwellers.
Rising to the declaration of his mission in governance when he told the people of the state on September 14, 1999 that, "we believe that government has a moral responsibility to be forthright, keep trust and fulfil covenants honestly and timely," Governor Yar'Adua as at the beginning of May this year according to Permanent Secretary, Department of Local Governments Inspectorate, Mallam Abu Dan Malam Karofi, saved N3.2 billion in the joint account of the state and councils.
Commenting on the approach of the state governor in managing public resources, three of the local council chairmen in the state, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri, Comrade Bilyaminu Rimi and Mustapha Bala Batsara said in unison that if not for Governor Yar'Adua, socio-economic activities in the state would have been paralysed following the withholding of allocation by the Federal Government.
Collaborating this position, the National Publicity Secretary of Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Danyabu told The Guardian that "although stoppage of allocation to councils in Katsina State has greatly hindered the local council chairmen in the state to fulfil their electoral promises to the electorates, the effect would have been worst and devastating if not for Yar'Adua's prudent management of resources."
Ahmed who absolved Yar'Adua of any blame as regards the creation of new councils in the state is concern, frowned at the attempt to strangulate the third tier of government while calling for constitutional review to guarantee autonomy for councils across the country. He lamented that the essence of establishing local council by the constitution would be defeated if the statutory allocation of councils was not disburse to them as stipulated by the constitution.
Yar'Adua during his electioneering campaign for second term has declared to the people of the state that if given the mandate and support once again there would be no going back on war against eradication of poverty in the state through programmes and policies meant for empowerment of the people.
Apart from this, he assured the residents of the state of the determination of his administration to revolutionise the agricultural sector and reposition it to an enviable position among all the states in the federation. Following the information that India earned annually about $5 billion on neems tree which necessitated the Federal Government to set up a National Committee on Neems tree production. Katsina State in recent survey conducted reveals data of about 13 million Neem trees in the state has commenced processing of commercialisation of the tree with prompt release of N5 million for the purchase of the tree seeds alone.
Similarly, over 10,000 metric tones of fertiliser were sold to farmers in the state recently at subsidised price of N1,200 against the market price that ranges between N2,500 to N3,800, aside soft loans granted to farmers to boost agricultural production.
Investigation revealed that not less than 85 villages have been electrified under the government's rural electrification programme with the total cost of about N2.5 billion. Also, over 450km of rural feeder roads have been completed in addition to about 200 kilometre of urban and inter-town grade 'A' roads that spread across the state.
Similarly, a new approach has been adopted for a sound Healthcare delivery system as a result of the purchase, distribution and installation of equipment, instruments and other diagnostic tools worth N450 million. Likewise, the Drug Revolving Fund Scheme, which is highly subsidised with quality medicines has been enhanced with the purchase of drugs worth N60 million to all hospitals in the state.
Recently, the state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Mustapha Muhammed Inuwa, told journalists in the state that in this year alone, Yar'Adua has so far approved the release of N450 million to the ministry in addition to N62 million earlier released to the state science and technical board. The money so far released to the sector was in addition to the annual expenditure of approximately N200 million expended for students' feeding.
The governor at a different forum said the state government would take the education standard of the state to an enviable position. To further demonstrate the commitment, the state Special Adviser on Higher Education, Alhaji Muntari Lawal, told The Guardian that the singular contribution of Katsina State government to the school of Basic and Remedial studies located at Funtua, has reached N600 million, while the other 18 northern states which are also co-founders of the school were yet to contribute beyond N15 million.
Narrating the position of the state education status, Dr. Mustapha said apart from the "huge investment made in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, the administration of Yar'Adua is also paying exam fees. Also in the view of ever increasing number of eligible candidates in post-primary schools in the state, this year alone, about 50,000 primary school leavers has set for the state common entrance examination."
The state multi-million naira modern secretariat complex project conceived and abandoned at foundation stage before the inception of Yar'Adua administration, is now ready for commissioning with the state of art facilities made available for the comfort of civil servants at the complex.
To cater for the welfare of primary school teachers in the state, the idea of motorcycle loan scheme was conceived in order to alleviate the hardship usually experienced by primary schools teachers when going to their places of work. A total number of 1,860 units of motorcycles were purchased at a total cost of N139.5 million according to the executive chairman of the state primary education board.
Yar'Adua known for his romance with prudency, transparency and accountability in governance has succeeded in inculcating discipline in management of public resources into the state civil service, the culture which has translated into good governance with attendants laudable projects and programmes.
To further establish the practise of transparency and accountability in the state, the government despite numerous projects being executed without owing any contractor, the state treasury as at the end of July this year according to the Special Adviser on Media Affairs, Alhaji Abdul Nasiru, was credited with N7 billion.
There is no doubt about the fact that the governor pursuance of prudent management of public resources has pitched him against so many people who see governance as opportunity to acquire wealth.
