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Governors Should Do More Than Pay Salaries – Gov. Ishaku
Born Friday 30th July, 1954, as the fifth of his parents’ 10
children, Darius Dickson Ishaku, trained as an architect at the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria. He made out time last week, to speak about his
mission in government, the problems of his state; its vast arid land and
the untapped potential for tourism; the crises of leadership that set
the state apart from the rest since 2012 and why the country needs a new
orientation towards electioneering. He spoke to KUNLE SOMORIN
For the first time in his 40 days in the saddle as the executive
governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, confessed he only had a good
sleep the night before he was sworn in. Taking away his sleep are the
myriad of challenges of governance, development and security of
Tarabans. Like most governors, he also claimed to have met an empty
treasury and raising funds to turn the rural state to one huge
construction site has taken a toll on the psyche of the professional
architect turned politician.
It’s been 40 days since you were sworn in as executive governor of Taraba State. How has it been?
The journey has been tough and tortuous, but it has been fulfilling.
The lack of funds has made it quite daunting, especially for someone
like me, who has got a lot of vision for the state. I came with so much
zeal to cause the state to rise, but faced with lack of funds, it has
been a huge set-back for me. However, we are going on and, by the grace
of God, we will succeed.
The first major task, I believe, will be turning the fortunes
of the state around. How are you hoping to do this in the face of
paucity of funds?
First of all, I have been negotiating with our bankers. We have been
talking about the heavy loans we have to repay and how we can spread the
payment of the interest reasonably, so that it can be easier to pay and
give us some lee-way for capital development and then create an avenue
to tackle the issues which trouble the people of Taraba the most.
Soon, we hope, we will achieve some results from that end and get the
needed opportunity to begin infrastructural development in earnest.
I do not believe that a governor should just come and stay for four
years paying only salaries. Even for the salaries, I have my doubts. To
that end, we are carrying out staff verification to plug the leakages
and, though we will pay sooner than people think, I have huge doubts
about the salary figures of this state. For a state as small as Taraba,
the salary bill is too heavy. The fact that we even have to get loans at
intervals to pay these salaries, calls for some inward looking.
You mentioned a huge debt. What was the exact state of the treasury when you assumed office?
Actually, the treasury was quite empty. When the transition committee
handed over to me, the state was in debt to the tune of N30bn and still
counting, because some of these debts keep popping up in the course of
governance. That said, I am equal to the task and will do my best to
make do with what I have.
You just said you are trying to verify staff employment status. This
means that some people may lose their jobs. Though you promised the
people more jobs during your campaign, recently, it was revealed that
you have placed an embargo on employment in the state. What informed
that decision?
Yes,
I promised during my campaign that I would create jobs for the young
people in the state who have no employment. However, before my coming,
there had been recruitment exercises which did not conform to the
standards of the civil service in the state. A lot of people found
themselves getting employment outside due process – even people who are
not from the state – but I have ordered that every employment letter
issued between 2012 and the present time should be suspended. I want to
verify, that’s all. I did not terminate their appointments as was
wrongly published. If we verify and someone’s services are truly needed,
we will engage that person, but if we verify otherwise, that person’s
service would not be needed any longer.
Why should you employ someone as a teacher and the person can hardly
write his own name? That is one case in point. All we want to do is
sieve the wheat from the chaff. When we are done with sieving and we see
what we come up with, we can provide them with employment – which is
the intention, anyway, but only for those whose services are needed and
employable. The chaff will be done away with.
Given the clamour for more states and the case of most states
presently in need of funds to pay the salary of civil servants, do you
think the call for more states is justified?
A state should be in a position to cater for the needs of her
citizens. Fortunately, I was one of those who clamoured for the creation
of Taraba State and drew the map with the late Inusa Yerima. One of the
conditions we were given was to provide sufficient proof that the state
could pay the salaries of its civil servants.
Now, as governor, we are not collecting anything near paying the
civil servants. The IGR (internally generated revenue) is very low, not
because we do not have the potential; we do, but due to a number of
things which are happening; poorly driven IGR, too many leakages in the
state’s finances etc. So, there is a lot to be done to drive the IGR as
it should be, to prevent the leakages. One of the goals of the present
verification exercise is to stop the leakages in the state.
Another challenge you will face is that of security;
cattle-rustling, inter-ethnic rivalry and killings in the interior parts
of the state. How are you going about tackling this headache?
Let me correct you; we are already tackling them, not “hoping to
tackle them,” as you said. I was in Takum for a meeting between the
Jukun, Kutep, Chamba and other ethnic groups in that part of the state. I
advised them on the need to learn to live peaceably.
The Jukun-Kutep-Chamba-Tiv strife was as a result of land disputes.
Due to the population explosion among the ethnic people, the land which
belongs to us is being encroached on by those from Benue and the ethnic
people within the state are quite unhappy about that. Ultimately, it is a
question of coming to understand one another and live as amicably as we
can by accommodating one another.
When you move further to Wukari axis, you have the ethno-religious
unrest. That situation has been on for years and, I dare say it was
sponsored by some individuals to create tension and, as a result,
depopulate the area. Hitherto, that area was peaceful and there was
harmonious co-existence between the ethnic people. Presently, we have
calmed the people and we are working quite hard to see that peace
returns to the area. I am trying to get to the community level and build
from there, instead of going from top-to-bottom. I have been advised by
the leaders of these communities that it will be better to get to the
people who are involved in the conflict and that is wise.
If you move to the boundary between Benue and Nasarawa, the
insurgence which you mentioned involves the Fulani from Nasarawa State.
They cross the River Benue and strike towns like Chinkaye, Kente and
other areas around that axis. We have deployed police patrols to those
areas and we are doing the best we can to pre-empt some strikes which
were once incessant.
Moving upwards from Lower Benue to Ibi, the insurgents come from
across the Benue, on the other end of Nasarawa State to kill farmers in
areas like Ibi and the inhabitants. That is being curtailed too.
If you move up the stream, in Ibi local government, the boundary with
Plateau, the cattle-rustlers give them a lot of headache. These ones
are thieves and criminals, not insurgents. That crime is committed by a
number of ethnic people, not just one.
I understand that a local government in Plateau State has installed traditional rulers in two of these villages in Taraba State.
Who gave them staff of office?
That is an issue which I need to resolve with my colleague in Plateau
state, so that we can make the people safe again across our borders.
In Donga area, the Tivs, for some reason we have not identified, are
having an intra-tribal disagreement, but we are recording success. If
you ask me, it is not good enough, (the effort) because we need to put
an end to all the bad blood. We cannot carry out all the development
which we want with these things going on as well.
Where will one begin without peace as a bed-rock? How can I get to
these places when the people are at their throats all the time?
You also need a team, but that has not happened yet. What is the reason for the delay?
Like I told you earlier, paucity of funds has not helped issues.
Also, by the time you get full-fledged commissioners, it is a burden for
the state, because you have to be sure to know how they will be
accommodated, their mobility, offices, budgets, allowances etc. All
these are tied to the existing salaries we are struggling to pay.
Secondly, it gives you room to get the right people. I have been
appointing people, but if you notice, it is at a slower rate, so as to
ensure that those I invite on-board will have the capacity, know-how and
be on the same pedestal as we are to drive the state.
Taraba State is blessed with vast arable land for agriculture. Also,
it has huge tourism potential but sadly, nothing much has been done
about these sectors of the state’s economy, which have the potential to
make the state viable. What will your administration do to scale-up the
level of agricultural development in the state?
Taraba is truly blessed with fertile land. In terms of agriculture,
Taraba is one of the best if not the best. More than half of the yams
consumed in our country come from Taraba. In this state, anything grows,
even without fertilisers.
We had two investors which began processing sugar from cane sugar,
but the tempo died off, sort of. Presently, we are trying to settle a
few issues and get them back into it. If it goes full-scale, it can
employ up to 15 to 30 people.
The same can be said for rice production in Gassol. All the machinery
have been imported and they are already on site for the past 18 months.
We are ironing out the issues and, when we are done, it has the
capacity to employ more than 30,000 to 60, 000 people. That will
contribute hugely to the employment drive and create a huge impact on
the human capital development of the state. We are working assiduously
to ensure that both farms come afloat as quickly as possible. If you ask
me when, I can say yesterday.
Taraba is also the best tourist centre in the country, if you ask me.
I even told the former president that whenever he wants to opt for a
retreat, he should consider coming to Mambilla. That is the best part of
the country. The weather is cool, the temperature hardly goes beyond
22oc and 23oc. The climate over there is temperate and good for
cattle-rearing. It is the best place for tea and coffee. Our tea factory
is there and doing very well with the constant power supply, thanks to
the United Nations’ Development Organisation (UNIDO). Any moment now,
the UNIDO people will call for commissioning of the hydro-electric plant
which will provide daily power supply to the area.
It is a haven of tourism, but there are a few problems; how does one
get there? How does one communicate to people that such a place exists
and ensure that they have a pleasant time when they go there? You don’t
just have tourism for the sake of it; it must be attractive to people.
Also, you must be able to get the people there. Mambilla has a high
altitude and having an airport up there may not be right. However, an
airport needs to be close by to air-lift people to the nearest place
where they can take a cab. There is nothing like that. We do not have
trains, it could have been better to take a train there. The only means
we have of getting people up there is road transport and we are working
to get the road completed. There is need for a five-star hotel in that
area, golf course, resort and all sorts of infrastructure which will
please tourists.
The road is long and tortuous but Taraba will work again. This I promise.
Don’t you think that a properly structured private-public-partnership
can easily get this done without the state sinking all her resources
into it?
Well, we are working on a proper PPP model, but we need an enabling
environment in the state. We are also doing that. We are putting
finishing touches to our airport in Jalingo. That is the first port of
call. If you take a flight from Abuja, in 50 minutes you are in Jalingo.
If a chopper lifts you from there, in 10 or 15 minutes, you are on the
plateau.
We are working hard with Kashimbilla, another tourist destination in
the southern tip of the state – where we have a 40mw power station – to
get these things up and running. The multi-purpose dam has been
completed and all that is left is just a few details. Surprisingly, we
have got certification for the airport in Kashimbilla which can take
smaller aircrafts. Kashimbilla is 35 minutes from Abuja by air and, if
you get here and a chopper lifts you to Mambilla, you will be there in
10 minutes. These are the things which the government has to put in
place before the private individuals can come in. Which people will
throng this place? People from all over our country and beyond – Abuja,
Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, just name it.
We are working on that and I pray that God will create avenues for us to get more funds to see this through.
A few groups have discredited the elections from which you emerged.
Your party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in the state and lost
in the presidential election. Are you convinced that the election was
free and fair?
Without a doubt, I am absolutely convinced of the fairness of the
election at the state level. Remember, we conducted the election twice
and I won at the first instance, but was denied victory. It was not
inconclusive; it was an election that was concluded, but some people
somewhere truncated it. We went for a second election which I even won
more than the first.
What are you saying? I, Daruis Ishaku, cannot sit in my house and
wish to be a governor just for the sake of it. I must earn it from the
people. I have to be voted for, if the people did not vote me, I cannot
go to the court.
I appeal to all politicians that they should have a big heart.
Jonathan could have also taken President Buhari to court, but he opted
to congratulate him. What stops the All Progressives’ Congress (APC)
from following that example? Taraba is a PDP state. We have three
senators. Of the six, we have four House ofRepresentatives members. In
the state house of assembly, we are almost 17. Taraba has been PDP since
1999 and they are still PDP and they voted me. I don’t want to join
issues because it is still in the tribunal. But, let if suffice to say
that I am the governor who went to the polls twice and got it right
twice. The record is there. They cancelled the results for Donga local
government which has 160 wards, just because five wards had issues. I
didn’t say a word. Is that fair? You say this country belongs to all of
us, but we must be seen to be fair and do what is correct. Politicians
must learn to accept defeat. The state belongs to all of us, whether we
are in the PDP or APC, so we must come together to make sure that the
people of Taraba profit hugely from our administration.
If you had lost would you have congratulated your opponent?
If the former president, my boss, could do that, why wouldn’t I? The
water which we now enjoy in the state capital and the increased
megawatts we can now boast of does not have PDP imprinted on it; it is
for the people of the state. Everyone is enjoying it. The whole idea is
to give service to the people. I am doing it and will continue to do so.
In the last two years, Taraba has produced three chief executives. What is the reason behind the leadership crisis in the state?
There is no leadership crisis in Taraba State. What happened was that
we were unfortunate. Our former governor, Danbaba Suntai, was a
well-loved man, loved to a fault, but for the unfortunate accident in
October 2012.
Shortly before that accident, he appointed a deputy governor who he
had never worked with or knew so much about. They did not even campaign
together. This fellow came in raw and new, with no proper knowledge of
the state and how it works. He had no administrative experience. As a
result, his administration was hijacked and he was misled by power
brokers. The rest, they say, is history. So, we have no leadership
crisis here. Taraba is very peaceful and, assuredly, within the next few
years, the peace we once enjoyed will return. Only, the people have to
support his administration to get it right. We can do all things by the
grace of God. Soon, actual physical developments will be on ground and
the people will be proud of them.
-Leadership
2015 Elections: Sen. Alhassan Solicits Women Support At Tribunal
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| Sen. Aisha Alhassan |
Sen. Aisha Alhassan, the 2015 gubernatorial candidate for the APC in
Taraba, has called on Nigerian women to support her toward achieving
victory at the tribunal in her governorship race.
Aisha made the call at a “Thank You Iftar/dinner’’ with Nigerian women on Thursday in Abuja.
She said that her victory at the tribunal, as the first elected
female governor in Nigeria, would be a breakthrough for women within and
outside the shores of the country.
“While thanking you again for standing by me through these turbulent
waters of politics, always remember to put this project in your prayers.
“Victory at the tribunal will be a victory and breakthrough for women, not only in Nigeria but also everywhere.
“What we are doing is not for us and our children but for posterity,” Alhassan said.
She acknowledged the support she received from various women groups,
adding that it had accorded her strength to thrive in the political
terrain perceived to be exclusive to the male folk.
She, however, said that her participation in the governorship
election had aroused so much controversy hence the need for women to be
duly informed.
“After the PDP candidate was returned and declared winner of the
gubernatorial election of Taraba, I filed a petition challenging the
outcome of the election.
“My petition was premised on the fact that the election was marred by
widespread irregularities which was contrary to the Nigerian
Constitution and Electoral Act,” she said.
The Senator said that the irregularities distorted her mandate and the yearnings of Nigerian women for a female governor.
She further said that the petition was presently being considered; adding that exchange of pleadings had been concluded.
She expressed optimism that her chances of gaining victory over the
governorship race were high, adding that it was the era of change.
“I have confidence that we shall succeed at the tribunal because this
is the era of change and the full observance of the rule of law.
“It is not the era of impunity and subversion of justice,” Alhassan said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Women in Politics Forum
and WRAPA, NGOs, were some of the women groups and civil society
organisations in attendance.
Others are Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Women Change Advocates
(WCA), National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and Federation
of International Lawyers (FIDA). (NAN)
-Leadership
Most States In Nigeria Not Viable – Taraba Gov
The governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, has stated that the
calls for creation of more states in the country is unnecessary and
should therefore, be discontinued to give way for the economic
development of already existing states.
Governor Ishaku who stated this in an exclusive interview with
LEADERSHIP also said that many states in the federation are not viable
and therefore, grapple with the challenge of paying workers, just as
internally generated revenue of most states is not anything to rely on.
On whether more states should be created as advocated in several
quarters, Ishaku said, “With the experience I’m having, I would say
‘no’. A state should be in a position to pay her citizens. Fortunately, I
was one of those who wrote for the creation of Taraba State drew the
map and one of the conditions then was that we should write down the
justification that the state has enough resources to pay her citizens.
“But where I am talking from now as the governor, we are not
collecting anything but we are paying the staff. The internal generated
revenue (IGR) is very low; it is not that the state doesn’t have the
potentials. We do have the potentials but there are so many things that
are happening. There are too many leakages which burdens the state
treasury. Then, the IGR is not properly driven. So, there is a lot of
work to be done even in the IGR so that you can drive the state and then
to prevent the leakages”.
On tackling incessant breakdown of security in the state as often
witnessed among Fulani herdsman, the Tivs and Jukuns in the state, the
governor said his administration is already taking necessary steps
towards resolving ethnic conflicts in the state.
He said, “Yes, we have problem of security. It is not an issue of hoping to tackle them; I am already tackling them”.
He attributed the cause of ethnic clashes in the state to population
explosion in the state and its neighbouring Benue State as a result of
which there is encroachment on the use of land across the two states.
The governor, however, appealed to citizens of both Taraba and Benue
States to sheathe their swords in the interest of peaceful coexistence,
stressing that both sides can live peacefully.
“So, the land that belongs to us in Taraba is being encroached upon
by those from Benue. So, it is a question of coming to understand one
another and live amicably. We can all accommodate ourselves and give
ourselves room to live peacefully”, he advised.
Governor Ishaku Complains Of Empty Treasury, Huge Debt
Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, on Saturday said that his administration is being confronted with three major challenges of a huge debt profile, empty treasury and insecurity, since inauguration on May 29.
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| Gov. Ishaku |
Governor Ishaku told reporters that he inherited an empty treasury and a huge debt of over 20 Billion Naira from the former administration.
At a send-forth ceremony organised in honour of the Arch Bishop of Kaduna, Anglican Diocese, Most Reverend Josiah Idowu Fearon, who was recently appointed the Secretary General of World Anglican Communion in Canterbury, England, Governor Ishaku explained that his administration was owing workers only one month salary due to lack of fund.
He further stated that the government had resorted to borrowing money from banks in order to settle workers salaries and execute some projects since its inauguration.
Governor Ishaku, however, assured the residents of the state that his administration would do everything possible to ensure that workers salaries were paid consistently, that projects were execute and that the insecurity in some parts of the state was addressed, in spite of the poor state of its economy.
-Channels TV
Football | Nigeria
Taraba Extend Winless Run
It is often said that losing as well as winning
can become a habit. Just ask the players and supporters of FC Taraba
losing is fast becoming a habit.
The last time the club won a league game this term was back in March 2015.
In two seasons as a top flight team, winless runs have become a regular occurrence.
After a club record of seven winless matches during their top flight debut last term, the club has since moved beyond seven.
The struggling side missed the chance to move out of relegation zone
on match day 13 after losing at a resurgent Heartland to extend their
winless run to 11 matches this term.
Goals from Bright Ejike and Roland Koffi condemned the Jalingo side to their third consecutive defeat in June.
The club’s poor run last term included four consecutive defeats and
eventually picked their first victory in eight matches with a 3-1
victory over Warri Wolves.
Taraba were destined for relegation, but were saved by a win at
Sharks on the last day of the season which came as a surprise to
bookmakers.
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| Nuru Ahmed, one of the Players |
Abdulmalik Mohammed, who scored the goal that salvaged the club’s top
flight status continued from where he stopped by scoring one of the
three goals on match day one this term.
Supersport.com examines the implication of FC Taraba’s 11-match winless run.
Early Leaders
Things have suddenly changed from bad to worse for the club that was on top of the log at the end of March.
After their opening day victory over Enugu Rangers, the side inspired
by Bobby Abel claimed an important road trip victory at Akwa United on
match day two.
Under23 international, Usman Mohammed finished an Abel effort to record their first away win.
However, Lobi Stars reduced their pace by sharing points in a goalless affair on match day three.
Challenges
It appears the world has turned against Tony Ogharanduku’s side as they struggle to make things work.
There is no doubt that the remote cause of the club’s dwindling
fortune is acute financial problems as players grumble over unpaid
wages.
Motivation has reached an all-time low and key players and
supersport.com learnt that key players are weighing their options ahead
of the mid-season break.
To compound their woes, the team now has to contend with a new home
ground in Makurdi away from their traditional fortress in Jalingo due to
the poor state of the pitch.
Poor preparation led to their late arrival in Makurdi and events on match day only confirmed the situation on ground.
Ironically, their baptism in Makurdi ended in futility as Wikki Tourists claimed the maximum points.
Apart from its record as the team with the longest winless run, FC
Taraba also have the worst defence after 13 matches.
If the situation remains unchanged then the club might be early candidates for relegation.
Winless Account
Week 3: March 21: FC Taraba 0-0 Lobi Stars
Week 4: April 19: Bayelsa United 1-0 FC Taraba
Week 5: April 22: FC Taraba 0-1 Enyimba
Week 6: April 26: Kano Pillars 2-1 FC Taraba
Week 7: May 3: Sharks 2-2 FC Taraba
Week 8: May 10: FC Taraba 3-3 FC Ifeanyi Uba
Week 9: May 17: Giwa 0-0 FC Taraba
Week 10: May 20: FC Taraba 1-1 Dolphins
Week 11: June 14: El-Kanemi Warriors 2-1 FC Taraba
Week 12: June 17: FC Taraba 1-2 Wikki Tourists
Week 13: June 21: Heartland 2-0 FC Taraba
-SuperSport
Taraba State University Government has given us only N100 million, strike continues — ASUU
Strike lecturers at the Taraba State University will continue their
three-month long action until the state government fulfils its promises
to them.
Strike lecturers at the Taraba State University will continue their three-month long action until the state government fulfils its promises to them.
The chapter Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Reuben Jonathan, who spoke to Daily Trust, said the need for proper funding of the university by the state government led to the industrial action.
"University is capital intensive and now that the state has delved into, she has to fund it," he said.
Jonathan
noted that the state government had refused to pay lecturers five
months strike during the infamous national ASUU strike in 2013.
The
union leader said after two change in government in the state, the
union had only received N100 million of the nearly N500 million owed it.
"Apart
from the N100 million given by the state government so far, nothing has
come to the university from the state, which is too bad."
He added that the university would not have existed but for the projects executed under the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
- Daily Trust
Taraba Poly Matriculates 920 Students
The joy of pursuing higher education by 920 males and female, young
Nigerians, came to fruition recently as the Taraba Polytechnic, Jalingo
upgraded their provisional admission status as full students of the
institution.
The matriculation ceremony witnessed by top government officials,
management of the polytechnic, family and friends of the new entrants,
no doubt signified a new phase in the lives of joyous students as they
swore to the oath of matriculation for the commencement of the 2014/2014
academic year collectively.
Rector of the institution, Mr. Gladson Dogo Sallah in his welcome
address congratulated the matriculated students on successfully scaling
over the various verification processes to gain admission into the
polytechnic.
His words, "Today mark a turning point in your life by virtue of this
memorable matriculation. This brief ceremony, which is the culmination
of weeks of the registration exercise qualifies you to be duly
registered students of this prestigious institution, thereby making you
an integral part of the polytechnic family.
"On behalf of the Governing Council, Management, staff and the
continuing students I wish to felicitate with you as you have just taken
the matriculation oath to be of good conduct and decorum in the pursuit
of your educational goals," he added.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. William
Lamu, assured the Polytechnic community that the challenges facing the
institution would be tackled by the Arc. Darius Ishaku led
administration in the state.
In an interview with Daily Independent, an excited student of
building construction in the engineering department, Ode Paul Ogaji
said, "This is the day I have been waiting for, I am now a full-fledged
student of the Taraba state Polytechnic".
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NGO Urges Taraba to Improve Maternal, Child Healthcare
An international non-governmental organisation, Evidence
for Action (E4A) mamaYe, has called on the Taraba State government to
improve maternal newborn and child healthcare (MNCH) delivery in the
state.
National coordinator of the organisation, Dr Aminu Garba Magashi,
made the call yesterday in Jalingo during a two-day capacity training
for members of the Taraba State Accountability Mechanism on MNCH
(TaSAMM).
He explained that E4A is a United Kingdom funded programme which aims
at improving maternal and newborn survival in six sub-Saharan countries
namely, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
In Nigeria, the programme is being implemented in five states - Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Kano and Sokoto.
"E4A acts as a catalyst for action, using evidence strategically to
generate political commitment, strengthen accountability and improve
planning and decision making at sub-national and national levels. E4A
also works to strengthen international and regional accountability," he
said.
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FOOTBALL: Heartland will tackle FC Taraba in their new found home
The hosts have vowed to beat the Jalingo Boys in Oba
near Onitsha on Sunday despite their inability to have the game played
in Owerri
Heartland will tackle FC Taraba in their new found home at the
Rojenny Sports Complex, Oba near Onitsha on Sunday in a NPFL Week 13 tie
after their request to play at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba
was turned down.
The Owerri side had preferred the Enyimba Stadium after the League
Management Company (LMC) clamped down on the Dan Anyiam Stadium asking
that renovation work should be done on the stadium if it wants to host
Heartland’s matches but with Enyimba and Abia Warriors already
designated for the stadium, Heartland looked for alternative so that the
stadium turf won’t be burned out.
The Media Officer of the club, Cajetan Nkwopara told Goal that hands
have been put on deck to ensure FC Taraba return home empty handed.
He also said the management of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri
supervised by the Imo State Sports Council has swung into action to
ensure that the stadium is put in good order in the next few days so
that Heartland don’t get to stay outside the state capital for too long.
“We are set for the match with FC Taraba. The venue change almost
destabilized the team but we have gone over it and are ready for our
opponents," Nkwopara told Goal.
"There is no small game again in the league and so we expect our
players to lift up to expectation. We want our supporters too to come
and support us."
Heartland are eighth on the log with 18 points from 12 matches while FC Taraba are 17thwith 11 points from 12 ties.
Bank Verification Number (BVN), Done Yours Yet? You've 8 Days to Register or Risk Losing Your Account
By now, just about every person with a bank account in
Nigeria should have registered and received their BVN. The BVN is a
unique identifier aimed at streamlining personal information across all
banks in Nigeria. It should eliminate multiple identities and reduce
fraud. As tech security professionals are working to make sure our
assets in the banks are protected, the bad boys are working just as hard
to devise new ways to defraud you.
This past week, I received an email, purportedly from my bank,
telling me there were some issues with my BVN, and asking me to follow a
link to rectify the issues. Unfortunately, I deleted the mail in
annoyance without reading the details, which might have been worth
sharing. The email address was masked to look like it was coming from a
bank, but my first tip off that the bad boys were at work was that the
email was supposedly coming from a bank that I no longer do business
with.
Some banks have sent out emails sensitising their customers to the
BVN and warning them not to respond to emails asking for their BVN.
Please beware and protect yourself. It should not be easy for the bad
boys to cause havoc in your financial life because thumbprints are
associated with BVNs, but one cannot take anything for granted.
Therefore, I just want to add my voice to the banks in saying that we
must all be vigilant and protect our BVNs. Do not share your BVN with
anyone. Do not follow any links to the internet to update any personal
details related to your bank accounts. Carry out all BVN, mobile banking
password, etc details at the bank branch close to you or through the
bank customer service telephone number found either on your ATM card or
on the bank’s website. When you go to the bank, only deal with someone
seated behind a desk or counter, with visible identification, not just
any random person in the banking hall who claims that they want to help
you. For those of you who have received your BVN card, keep it in a very
safe place. Your wallet is probably not the best place to keep the
card. The card has your BVN and thumb print. If your wallet gets stolen,
who knows what the bad boys can get up to with the card?
Publisher @Yunusxonline
HOW NIGERIAN PRESIDENCY DECLARED GOVERNOR DANBABA SUNTAI DEATH ON 25 OCTOBER 2012
A misleading tweet by an official of the Nigerian Presidency helped
fueled nationwide speculation Thursday that Governor Danbaba Suntai of
Taraba died in a plane crash. Anxiety had mounted over the fate of
the occupants of the ill-fated plane after the story broke that six
passengers and crew, including Mr. Suntai, were aboard the small
jetliner which crashed Thursday evening close to the NNPC depot in
Yola. But rather than help defuse the tension over the crash, which
came less than five months after a Lagos-bound Dana-operated aircraft
from Abuja crashed into a two-storey building in Lagos, killing all 153
passengers, and 10 others on the ground, the presidency added to the
confusion, pronouncing the governor dead without getting confirmation
from officials on ground in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
“May the
soul of the late departed Governor, Danbaba Suntai, of Taraba State
rest in peace and may God grant the state peace this trying time,” the
Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Reno Omokri, said via
his twitter handle, @renoomokri. But after this newspaper reported
claims by witnesses and Taraba State officials that the governor
survived the crash and was in hospital, Mr. Omokri hurriedly deleted his
misleading tweet. When we checked his twitter handle at 9.25 p.m., the
tweet was no longer there.
He did not offer any apology or explanation.
Mr.
Omokri had in the past used his handle to convey presidential
statements and information to Nigerians, and many were quick to believe
the information he circulated.“Once I saw Reno condoling Taraba and
the family of the governor, every doubt I had about the purported death
of the governor evaporated,” a state House correspondent says “It is unfortunate that the presidency misled the
nation once again. The Federal Ministry of Aviation later issued a
statement saying the Taraba State Governor, Danbaba Suntai, and the
other five passengers aboard the crashed plane are alive.
This is the
second time the presidency would mislead the nation in less than a
month. In his Independence Day anniversary speech, President Goodluck
Jonathan had lied that global corruption watchdog, Transparency
International, had endorsed and praised his administration’s war against
corruption.
“In its latest report, Transparency International (TI)
noted that Nigeria is the second most improved country in the effort to
curb corruption,” the President said with glee. But after this
newspaper exposed the lies contained in the president’s broadcast after
doing a thorough fact check and interviewing officials of TI, Mr. Omokri
took to social media deriding our medium and labeling it an opposition
platform.
President Jonathan and his officials are yet to apologise
for the misinformation and the global embarrassment many believe the
false claim brought upon Nigeria.
No presidency official has also been punished over the matter.
The
Special Adviser on Media to the President, Reuben Abati, could not be
reached to comment for this story. Calls to his telephones were neither
answered nor returned.Taraba Acting Governor Congratulates President Jonathan, Tarabians and Nigerians on Nigeria At 53rd Independence Anniversary!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Taraba State acting Governor Alhaji Garba Umar UTC has congratulated
President Goodluck Jonathan, people of the state and all Nigerians on
the occasion of the nation’s 53rd Independence anniversary.
Alhaji Garba in his anniversary message said: “We have no doubt made
appreciable progress as a nation and in spite of our challenges, are
more than ever before, looking forward to the future with renewed hope
and vigour”.
He said the state would continue to take pride in the federation and would contribute its quota to national development.
Umar said Taraba State is endowed with abundant agricultural potentials
for willing investors, adding: “The process for allocation of 45,000
hectares of fertile land is being made for Dangote sugar, while an
American firm, Dominion Farms is getting hectares for rice cultivation”.
138 Wukari Youths Were Arrested On Their Way To Jalingo On A Suspicious Mission.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Commissioner of Police in Taraba, Jibril Adeniji, said on Tuesday
that the command arrested 138 youths who were being conveyed from Wukari
to Jalingo on a suspicious mission. He told the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) that the youths, whose ages ranged from 20 to 30, were
intercepted in Mutum-Biyu on Monday as they were being convened to
Jalingo in seven buses.
“Although no incriminating items were found on them, we suspect that
they were being drafted to the headquarters for some mischievous
purpose,” Adeniji said.
The commissioner explained that when
interrogated by the police, the suspects said they were invited for
screening in Jalingo by one emergency rescue organisation.
He
said the organisation was operating illegally, adding that four of its
leaders had been arrested and were assisting the command in its
investigation.
According to the police boss, the investigation
was also to ascertain the motive behind the existence of the outfit and
why it was mobilising the youth into the capital.
Adeniji said
that the suspects and their alleged four masterminds were from Ussa,
Wukari, Takum, Donga and Ibi local government areas of the state. The commissioner warned that the police would not treat any person
found to be causing public disturbance with levity, no matter how highly
placed.
- NAN
GOV. DANBABA SUNTAI: THE CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE
WHAT is the true health status of Mr Danbaba Suntai, the Governor of
Taraba State? Is he responding well to treatment in the American
hospital where he is now? When will the governor come back home? For how
long will he be away from his duty post as governor? When he eventually
returns, will he be physically and emotionally fit to carry on the
duties of a governor? For how long will the people of Taraba State
remain without a substantive governor? These are questions begging for
answers but which the concerned authorities in the state, for political
and selfish reasons, refuse to provide the needed answers.
Governor Suntai was sworn-in on 29 May, 2011, for a second term upon
winning the governorship election of the year. Though a pharmacist by
profession, Mr Suntai elected to train as a pilot at the Nigerian
College of Aviation in Zaria in 2010 and was thus licensed as a
qualified pilot. Since then, the governor’s love to be in the air as a
pilot grew in leaps and bounds. However, this love was truncated on 25
October, 2012, when the Cenna 208, 5N BMJ aircraft he was flying from
Jalingo to Yola crashed. After receiving some treatment at the Adamawa
Standard German Hospital in Yola and the National Hospital, Abuja, he
was flown to Germany from where he was later taken to John Hopkins
Hospital in the United States, where he is now.
Therefore, Taraba State has been without a full-fledged governor for
nine months, a situation which is akin to the late president Umar
Yar’Adua scenairo in 2009. The Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji
Garba Umar, remained with that nomenclature until last May when he was
sworn in as the acting governor. There and then, there have been calls
for the need to upgrade the acting governor to a substantive one. This
situation has pitted the pro-Suntai Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
members against those who are opposed to the status quo ante, thus
polarising the politics of the state and putting governance in abeyance.
Loyalists of the governor keep on assuring the people that all is
well with the governor, that he is responding well to treatment and that
he would soon be back at his duty post. This has been the story since
December. They went as far as influencing pictures of the recuperating
governor for publications in some media. In one of the pictures, Suntai
was seen carrying one of his baby twins. In another, he was photographed
with the state chairman of the PDP and some family members. But seven
months after, all the stories about the good health of the governor look
like a conspiracy of silence over the true picture of the governor’s
health.
However, the opposing group perceived the photographs differently.
They argued that the photographs were computer induced and not a true
reflection of the reality of Suntai’s present physical appearance. In
the wake of the picture controversy, the chief medical director of
Jalingo Specialist Hospital, Professor Aliyu Zakari, was quoted in an
interview with a newspaper that Suntai’s case was getting worse in the
German hospital and spoke of the urgent need to transfer him to John
Hopkins Hospital in the United States. His comments drew the ire of the
state House Assembly, which set up a panel to ascertain the motives
behind Zakari’s comments. He was sacked in hazy circumstances.
All the hues and cries generated by Suntai’s health and prolonged
absence are needless. They are unnecessary because the Yar’Adua scenario
of 2009 ought to have taught Nigeria adequate lessons. As a result of
the crisis caused by Yar’Adua’s long absence due to his ill health in
2009, the 1999 constitution as amended in 2010, takes adequate care of
what is playing out in Taraba State. Section 189(1) of the constitution
provides that “The Governor or Deputy Governor of a state shall cease to
hold office if by a resolution passed by two/thirds majority of all
members of the executive council of the state, its is declared that the
Governor or Deputy Governor is incapable of discharging the functions of
his office.
Efforts to resolve the crises politically and legally were
frustrated. The PDP National Secretariat raised a committee to bring all
the stakeholders to a round table meeting for an amicable resolution.
But out of fanaticism and blind loyalty, some individuals went to court
to stop the committee. Similarly, efforts by some concerned individuals
in the state for court adjudication met a brickwall. Governor Suntai was
voted by the people of the state. Therefore, his health status should
not be a matter of hide and seek game as it is currently. The people
deserve to know the true health of their governor.
It is, therefore, incumbent of the state Executive Council members to
rise above sentiments and political fanaticism to do what the
Constitution requires of them. They have the constitutional
responsibility to resolve the political logjam in the state since
efforts to resolve it politically and legally were frustrated and
undermined by loyalists of the governor.TARABA TO SPEND N17BN ON ROAD PROJECT
The Taraba State government has signed a contract for the construction
and rehabilitation of Bali-Serti-Gembu federal road with Messers P.W.
Nigeria Ltd at the cost of N17 billion.
Overseeing commissioner for
the Ministry of Works, Iliya D. Wanapia, while signing the contract said
it was the third Federal Government road being constructed by the state
government. “It is not that the government has exhausted the
construction of its own roads or enjoys constructing federal roads but
these roads are key trunk roads that either give or receive traffic from
the other roads. They have been in very deplorable condition of
disrepair and there is no indication that they will receive adequate
attention in the near future,” he said.
Danbaba Suntai was not a rich man before he became the Governor of
Taraba State in the North Eastern part of Nigeria in May 2007. In fact,
he rode to the Government House in a 1986 jalopy Honda car that had
seen better days.
Russian scientists from the Institute
of Aerospace Instrumentation have discovered deposits of silver and traces of
gold and oil in central and northern parts of Taraba. Mr Valery Shaposhinkov,
the Economic Counsellor of Russian Embassy in Nigeria, disclosed this on Monday
in Jalingo while briefing Gov. Danbaba Suntai on their survey for mineral
deposits in the state.