| YOUR LETTERS
Gov Kure and democracy dividend
There have been discussions at different fora
about the non-performance of the state government. Indeed, the resolve in many quarters within and outside Niger State is that Engr. Kure, is part of the problem of the state. This opinion seems to be shared even by the most highly placed Nigerlites.
It is a common knowledge that even during the most dreadful military regimes there are elders who are responsible enough to checkmate or call erring military governors or administrators to order but not governor Kure. If I may refresh our memories, there was a time when a very pragmatic military governor referred to Niger State civil servants as drunkards. Some elders in the state called him to order. Similarly, the erstwhile military administrator of the then Gongola State was summarily dismissed from the army on the recommendation of some of the state elders. In fact, instances abound where real elders of a state have checked the excesses of a governor even in the era of dictatorship.
All of us in Niger state agreed unanimously that Kure’s government is part of our problem and we are pretending to be helpless. I believe that some people must be up to some games.
It is a common knowledge that if all state governors are to be scored, Engr Kure will certainly emerge among the below average ones. He has not achieved much despite the present Federal Governments’ magnanimity in fiscal allocation to states and local governments. It may be overindulging to attempt a highlight of the numerous areas of Engr Abdulkadir Kure’s government’s non-performance and arrant failure. Perhaps, for the records, I should be permitted to mention just a few areas.
Since 1999 no new government residential houses were built not even in the state capital, the existing ones have all been sold off; Apart from Lapai – Paiko road and Suleja and Bida Township roads whose construction dragged for more than four years to be executed, no new roads were built, even the old ones were not maintained; Again no new hospitals, urban or rural, and even the ageing ones in Minna, Kontagora and Suleja were renovated nor supplied with drugs and vital equipment luckily, the Bida general hospital has been bequitted to the Federal Government to serve as the Federal Medical Centre. Even though compensated for, the state has not done anything tangible for the people of Bida to address the issue. Only recently, the Governor “magnanimously” approved N250million for the conversion of some dilapidating office blocks into Bida General Hospital and another N8 million for Minna General hospital.
On education, no new schools, (Nursery, Primary or Secondary) were built, even the existing ones were not well maintained in real practical terms.
For now we should simply call the Engr. to a forum where the truth should be made known to him, or team-up, mobilize our already impoverished and half dead populace and wait for the next general elections to ensure that he is succeeded by a purposeful leader who will among other things set up a Truth Commission.
Garba Abdullahi, Minna.
NEXT...
|
|
