Zamfara Souvenir news

From : Aminu Umar Bukuyyum

Journalists in the Nigeria have been advised to refrain from any act capable of endangering national unity and work towards achieving peace and security.

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state gave the charge when he declared opened a one-day capacity Building Workshop for information Officers of the state Ministry of Information and Culture tagged, “Contemporary Methodology of News Gathering and Reporting”.   

 The Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum said, ”As newsmen, your position in the society is prime, therefore, must refrain from any act capable of endangering national unity.”
Bagudu who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Babale Umar Yauri said, the Press, popularly known as the ‘Fourth Estate of the Realm’ is saddled with statutory role and responsibilities of educating and enlightening people on government policies and programmes.

Governor Atiku stated that, the press being the mirror through which government policies, actions and inactions are viewed, measured, monitored and evaluated needs to be educated, enlightened and well trained for it to diligently carry out its responsibilities of informing and educating people about government at all levels. 

”We are faced with security, economic and political challenges, among others, bedeviling the nation these calls for more concerted efforts by media practitioners and all stakeholders to address the challenges’ he declared. He however called on members of the press working in the state to put hands on deck in reporting objectively the developmental objectives of the present administration, according to him the in-house capacity building at the end is expected to sensitizes and sharpen your practice as well as update you on ethics of the job such as, fairness and balance in reportage.

 Earliar in her address, the Kebbi state Commissioner of Information and Culture, Hajiya Rakiya Tanko Ayuba-Haruna  said, it is always an inspiring experience to partake in an in-house interactive session of this nature especially, amidst the Information practitioners of the Ministry of Information and Culture, particularly in the new world order of information dissemination.

She stated that Information dissemination as an act of informing, imparting new knowledge, notification or bringing awareness on issues, therefore needs to be regulated and guided in order to open several gates towards a better society and humanity.

”Information officers play an important role in educating, informing and entertaining  the society, this make it imperative for the state to make use of them in the dissemination and propagation of information” she re-iterated.

This is what informed the state government according to her to again sponsor this in-house interactive capacity building workshop with a view to inculcate professionalism into the works and practice of the brothers and sisters in the department of Information of the Ministry of Information and Culture in the state. 

She commended the efforts of Gov. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu in actualising the capacity building workshop and assured him that her Ministry shall not relent in propagating all government policy thrust towards the development of the State.

Commissioner of Information was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Garba Hamisu Zuru at the event.

From : Aminu Umar Bukkuyum

Kebbi State Governor,Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu says the victims of the recent bandits’ attack in Shanga Local Government area of the state will be assisted.

Speaking during a sympathy visits at Tungar Zarumai and Baking Turu villages in Shanga, Yauri emirate, Governor Bagudu said assorted relief materials,including food items and other domestic needs are procured and will soon be distributed to the victims of the act in the area.

” all efforts will be geared towards alleviating the suffering of the victims and we are here to commiserate and condole you over the unfortunate deaths recorded as a result of the attack” Bagudu re-iterated.

Bagudu described the attacks as unfortunate and preached to the victims to regard the incident as an Act of God and assured that all those who fled due to fears will soon be reunited with their families.

While soliciting the support of all and sundry in restoring peace in the state Bagudu further assured that efforts were intensified by the state government and security agencies to recover the abducted persons and appealling to vigilantes and youths groups to complement the efforts of the security agencies in that direction.

He however call on youths in the area to organise themselves and assist the community in providing security in collaboration with the security agencies .

From: Our Reporter

A Senator representing Zamfara central, Senator Hassan Mohammed Nasiha Gusau has been sworn -in as the new Deputy Governor of Zamfara state.

This followed the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau by the state Legislature.

Speaking during the swearing ceremony held at Government House Gusau, Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle of Zamfara state said the decision to immediately swear-in a new Deputy Governor became imperative in order to end the long vacation of absenteeism from that office so that the constitutional duties of a Deputy Governor in the stare can now be effectively performed.

Governor Matawalle said a Deputy Governor must be vibrant, honest and loyal to the goals of the administratio which according to him after wider consultation, Senator Nasiha was selected as he best qualifies for these qualities.

While congratulating the new Deputy for the appointment, Governor, Matawalle informed that he was coming at a time when the state requires committment and out-of-box solutions to its mounting security problems, economic and social challenges.

 ” I called on you to always be guided by constitutional powers which were spelled out as to assist the Governor in the discharge of his duties and further do justice to every citizen in the state, irrespective of religion tribe or creed” Governor Matawalle advised.

The new Deputy Governor was sworn in by the Chief Judge in the state, Justice Kulu Aliyu, OFR, and also separately sworn in with the Holy Quran, distancing himself from bandits and banditry in the state.

In his acceptance speech, the new Deputy Governor affirmed his loyalty to Governor Bello Matawalle and his administration and assured that he would employ all that is in his powers to ensure that the Government and people of Zamfara state succeed.

According to the statement issued to newsmen in Gusau by the Special Adviser to Governor on Public Enlightement, Media and Communication, Malam Zailani Bappa stated that, the 62-year Senator Hassan Nasiha who was the immediate APC caretaker Chairman in the state has since assumed duty with immediate effect.

From : Our Reporter

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara state has flagged off the distribution of essential drugs to all the General Hospitals and 147 newly constructed Primary Health Centers accross the state.

Presenting the items to the beneficiaries in a ceremony held in Gusau the state capital, Governor Matawalle  said, the flagging off excercise is part of his administration’s ongoing efforts to support people in all facets of their lives. In consideration of the enormous importance the present administration attaches to the issue of health.

“we have taken decisive steps since May 2019 to revamp the health sector to meet the healthcare needs of our growing population, the majority of whom fall into the less privileged category” he emphasised.

In a statement issued to newsmen by the Special Adviser to Governor on Public Enlightement, Media and Communication, Malam Zailani Bappa quote Governor Matawalle saying that, his administration has outlined some efforts in the Health sector which included the establishment of the Zamfara State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency to ensure broader health coverage and to assist in reducing the obstacles our people face in accessing both public and private healthcare services.

Others commitments made by the present government according to the statement are the launching a programme  named “Care for 34,000 Vulnerable Persons” under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in November 2021 and the supply of ambulances to General Hospitals.

According the Special Adviser in addition to to all these achievements, Governor Matawalle further mentioned that his administration has again provided rickshaw ambulances to all the 147 newly constructed primary healthcare centres and constructed an infectious diseases hospital at Damba.

Others are the resuscitation of the State Drugs Management Agency such that the agency is able to produce some generic drugs as well as numerous interventions and health projects at the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020, among others. 

From : Aminu Umar Bukkuyum B/K

A non governmental organisation based in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state, Active Support for Rural People’s Initiative (ASURPI) has begun a sensitisation Programme for students, teachers and other stakeholders on safe schools in Kebbi State to avert abduction of students by the terrorists.

Briefing newmen in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital,, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ASURPI,  Alhaji Ibrahim Ngaski disclosed that the abduction of innocent young students in Nigeria has become worrisome as the case in Chibok, Borno state, Kankara, Katsina state, Tegina, Niger state and Birnin Yauri, Kebbi state among others.

Ngaski recalled that in March 2019, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved for Nigerian Government to put in place a national policy to guide the implementation of Safe School Declaration (SSD) nationwide, adding that the FEC also gave approval for national policy to guide the implementation of SSD which resulted in the development of a national policy on safety and security in schools.

He said the sensitisation exercise carried out by ASURPI in collaboration with Nana Girls for Women and Girls Empowerment Initiative with support from Development Research and Project Centre (DRPC) and Ford Foundation was meant to enlighten relevant stakeholders, including; students, teachers, parents, members of School Base Management Board Committee (SBMC), security personnel, host communities and government on necessary measures towards ensuring safety in schools.

Ngaski added that their NGO has sensitised over 50 students and teachers of Government Girls Secondary School, Alwasa in Argungu Local Government and organised a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) on Safe School Declaration (SSD) in the community to ascertain the level of perception of the concept.

” We carried out four radio programmes to properly disseminate safe school declaration as well as sensitisation for safe schools declaration to SBMCs, Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs) and security personnel and further held series of sensitisation workshops and came up with certain recommendations” he re-iterated.

Some of the workshops recommendation according to him are a combine security outpost to all schools far away from towns to ensure protection of schools and students in Kebbi state and implementation of SSD initiative in all schools across the state.

Others according to him, are government to provide parameter fence with verve wire to schools without such facilities and farming within and outside the schools should be suspended except for leguminous crops, while planting of non leguminous crops should be 100 metres away from the school parameter fence.

The stakeholders while commending the organisers of the workshop however urge Kebbi state Government to ensure all security personnel deployed to schools have the needed fire arms to discharge their duties and further advised state Ministry of Education to put in place a good and sustainable monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

From : Haruna Muh’d  Gusau

Zamfara state Government said it has accorded equal status to different tribes domiciled in the state with that of the state  indigenes in terms of relevance and citizenship.

Special Advisern to Zamfara state Governor on Inter Community Relations Alhaji Aliyu Suleman Dansadau announced this when the leaders of different communities ( tribes ) residing in the state paid him a courtesy visit in his office, Gusau recently.

Hon. Aliyu Suleiman who described members of different resident communities in the state as partners in progress as they part take in the development of the state economically, socially, traditionally as well as politically.

“some members of resident communities have been in the state for very long time and some were even borne and brought up in the state and therefore deserved equal status to that of state indigenes” he stated.

While commending the leadership of the resident communities for their committement toward contributing their quota for the economic development of the state, the Special Adviser further disclosed that as from next Ramadan period, they would be consider for the state government’s usual Ramadan/Sallah welfare packages, while henceforth they will also be remembered in the distribution of any palliatives.

He however called on them to support and cooperate with all government Programmes and policies with a view to achieved in delivering to its citizens.

Earliar in his remarks,  Chairman of Resident Communities’ Leaders Forum in Zamfara state and Sarkin Yarabawa ( Oba) of Zamfara state, Alh. Abdulrazak Shobanke, said they were at the Special Adviser’s office to congratulate him over his recent appointment and to informed him that members of the forum have been playing a vital roles toward development of the state as according to him, about 70% of them are business men and Women who contributes in revenue generation and actively participates in politics and other engagements in the state.

The forum’s chairman while appealling  to the state government to always consider their members for permanent appointment into the state civil service further assured their total support to the state government’s policies and programs for it to succeed.  

Leaders of the forum who accompanied the Chairman, Alh. Abdulrazak Shobanke on the visit includes,  Yoruba, Igbo, Ebira, Nupe, Igala, Tiv, Zuru, Uroboh, Etsako,  Ogari,  Idoma and host of others from Plateau, Kaduna,  Borno Niger  Benin, Bayelsa states.

From Our Reporter

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara state has assured to work with the security agencies working in the state with a view to end the menace of banditry in the state.

Receiving the Assistant Inspector of Police in-charge of Zone 10, Sokoto, AIG Sani Bello who was on an official visit in the state at Government House Gusau, Governor Matawalle thanked the new AIG for the visits and further informed him the challenges in confronting the fight against banditry in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States, as the zone is the most crisis ridden area and epic centre of banditry cases.

While reitrating his government commitments in assisting security agencies in addressing the insecurity challenges affecting the state and zone, Governor Bello Matawalle advised on the Nigerian Police Force to provide enough logistics that includes operational vehicles, gadgets, fighting trucks and other support to Zamfara state for fighting bandits and affective service delivery.

He commended the Federal Government and President Muhammadu Buhari for his committement in tackling the monster of terrorism and insecurity in state and country in general.

Earlier in his address, AIG Sani Bello said he was in Zamfara state to familiarize with police formations in the state and to encouraged men and officers in the discharges of their assignment and further inform the executive governor of his new assignment as the new AIG Zone 10, comprises, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara state.

AIG Sani assured his men commitments to work in synergy with Zamfara state government in order to tackled the insecurity challenges facing the state.

The visit was attended by the Speaker, Zamfara state House of Assembly, Right Hon. Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Secretary to the state Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, former state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Muktar Ahmed Anka, Commissioner of Police Zamfara state, CP Ayuba El-kana, some members of the State Executive Council, senior Government officials and other senior police officers.

From : Aminu Umar Bukkuyum 

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudo of Kebbi state has commences the distribution and sales of 2022 dry season farming fertilizer to farmers across the state.

Speaking to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, the General Manager, Kebbi State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCOM), Dr. Sani Danjuma stated that, 83 trucks of fertilizer procured by the state government have been distributed to 17 Local Government Areas that engage in large scale production of farm produce in the state.

The breakdown of the distributions exercise to all the local government areas according to the General Manager, are as follows, Aliero 4 trucks, Gwandu, Bunza, Maiyama and Kalgo local Government areas 3 trucks each.
Others are Augie, Jega, Dandi, Koko Besse, Shanga, Birnin Kebbi (Bulasa Depot) and Birnin Kebbi ( Badariya Depot) have allocated with 5 trucks of fertilizer, Suru, Yauri and Ngaski 6 trucks each while Argungu and Bagudo local governments were allocated with 7 trucks each for sales to the farmers in their respective areas.

Others areas are, Augie, Jega, Dandi, Koko Besse, Shanga, Birnin Kebbi (Bulasa Depot) and Birnin Kebbi ( Badariya Depot) have allocated with 5 trucks of fertilizer, Suru, Yauri and Ngaski 6 trucks each while Argungu and Bagudo local governments were allocated with 7 trucks each for sales to the farmers in their respective areas.

While assuring farmers in the state government commitments to assist farmers at all levels in state the General Manager, however stated that the sales of fertilizer would be on cash and carry basis  through a formidable plan to ensure that the fertilizer reached genuine farmers.

To ensure the smooth and transparent sales of the commodity across the state according to him, government has constituted a committee to oversee the distributions of the commodity in each of the local Government Areas which comprises the Commissioners, Members of the State House of Assembly, Local Government Chairmen and Councilors.

Others members are, the Special Advisers to the Governor, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Party Chairmen and their Exco, District and Village heads, the Ulama, representatives of the Farmers Associations and officials of the Security Agencies respectively.

He therefore commended the Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for approving the sales of the fertilizer which according to him will assist farmers in the state to harvest more crops in this year’s dry season farming in the state.

From Our Reporter

Governor Bello Mohammed of Zamfara state has inaugurated a 12-man Zamfara State Development Committee charged with the promulgation of a 25-year Development plan for the state.

Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of Zamfara state has inaugurated a 12-man state development committee charged with the promulgation of a 25-year Development plan for Zamfara state.

In a statement issued to newsmen in Gusau by the Special Adviser to Governor on Public Enlightement, Media and Communication, Malam Zailani Bappa quote Governor’ Matawalle saying that, the decision to constitute and inaugurate the committee is born out of the government’s desire to establish a scientific and policy guided development strategy for the state.

“Our decision to constitute the State Development Plan Committee is based on our understanding of development in its wide and multifaceted perspective. Therefore, we will need a long-term strategy that is both sturdy and broad to guide the development process in the State” Governor Matawalle stated.

Highlighting on the importance of the committee before inauguration, Governor Matawalle revealed that, taking into cognizance the importance of this document to the entire life of the state, government have carefully drawn the membership of the committee from different walks of life and had a believed that they are experts and could carry out the task to expectations.

While congratulating membersb of the committee, Governor Matawalle however urge them to consider it as a state assignment, which is decisive in determining the present and future development of Zamfara state.

The Committee which was under the Chairmanship of Professor Yusuf Adamu Tsafe from the Bayero University, Kano, according to the statement has the following membership that includes; Head of the Civil Service, Chief of Staff , Government House, Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Commissioner of Education, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Commissioner for Agriculture, Commissioner of Health, Special Adviser, SDGs, Special Adviser, Strategy and Development, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning respectively.

Terms of reference of the committee according to the statement includes: to take ownership and responsibility in driving the state development Plan; perform oversight function on the activities of the state technical committee; serve as an intermediary between the state technical committee and the Executive Governor; secure adequate funding from the Government; to conduct monthly meetings with the technical committee and any other activity deemed relevant to the conduct of the committee’s assignment.

In the same vein, Governor Bello Matawalle also inaugurated the State and Local Government Projects Monitoring Committees under the co-ordination of Hon. Sanda Mohammad Danjari and Hon. Sulaiman Tunau Anka to effectively monitor all projects executing at all levels of government in the state.

He urged the two Committees members to maintained high standards in all projects implementation and report any issue of concern to the government for appropriate action.

FROM : SURAJO MUHAMMAD

A Federal High Court sitting in Gusau has dismissed a case seeking for the removal of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle as Governor of Zamfara state following his defection from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to All Progressives Congress APC.    

In a statement issued to newsmen in Gusau, by the Commissioner of Information Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Dosara and made available to our reporter explained that, in a judgement delivered by the presiding Judge, Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu ruled that, the originating summons filed before the court by the plaintiffs lacks merit, as the matter brought before the court was neither pre- election nor election matter.

“the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the relief sought by the plaintiffs. Both the PDP and the Nigerian constitutions did not in anyway prohibit any person from joining any association or political party of his or her choice” Justice Aminu Baffa revealed.

According to him, only the Election Tribunal or State House of Assembly have the constitutional power of removing Governor from his office.

While delivering the judgement, Justice Baffa in addition to the dismissing the suit further awarded one million naira fine to each of the Five dependent in the suit, to be paid by the plaintiffs.

Earlier, the plaintiffs Bashir Saleh, Abdulhamid Hamma and Ibrahim Mohammed Turaki, represented by the lead Counsel J C Shaka sought for the declaration that; the first defendant Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle was returned by the forth dependent, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC as duly elected to assume the duty of the office of the Executive Governor of Zamfara state on the 29th May 2019 by virtue of being the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP which scored the majority of the votes cast.

The second declaration demanded from the court by the plaintiffs is that, since the Gov is elected on the platform of the PDP, he should vacate the seat of Gov following his defection from the PDP to APC.

The 2 declarations were however contested, countered and defeated by the Gov Matawalle’s legal team led by a Senior Advocate  of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome in an interesting and convincing argument.