By: John Bassey, Zamfara.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi has again described as unacceptable the way and manner the state government is handling issues of armed bandits under the watchful eyes of Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration in the state, despite his campaign promises to end wanton killings by the criminals over two years ago.
This is coming on the heels of the killing of 38 out of 56 victims kidnapped four months ago from Banga ward of Kaura Namoda local government area who were slaughtered like rams after Governor Dauda Lawal Dare abandoned them to their fate in the hands of the assailant.
Earlier, while presenting the worrisome issue under matters of urgent public importance on the floor of the parallel factional Assembly, the member representing Kaura Namoda North Constituency, Hon Mukhtaru Nasiru Kaura (Jikan Shehu), said his local government is under siege but has been abandoned and forgotten by Governor Dauda Lawal Dare and his government.
Hon Jikan Shehu pointed out that he had made several calls to the state government over the mayhem caused by the marauding insurgents. Still, all fell on the governor’s deaf ears, culminating in the recent gruesome cold-blooded murder of the 38 victims.
These people had earlier raised 50 million naira and paid ransom to their captors, but they were still gored. The issue of insecurity bedevilling our various communities and our pressure on the state government, without action from the state government, led to our purported suspension from the House.
In their separate contributions, member representing Maru North Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru, Member Representing Bungudu West Hon Bashir Bello Bungudu condemned the way and manner the governor is handling issues of security of lives and properties of the citizens, urging they colleagues to pass a vote of no confidence against the governor for the second time and also reminding the governor that one day, he (governor) will stand before God and give account of the souls innocently killed due to his failure as governor.
The house called on the Zamfara State government to compensate the families of all the 38 people killed with immediate effect.
Hon Aliyu Ango Kagara Member representing Talata Mafara South said Governor Dauda Lawal Dare has openly demonstrated a lack of seriousness to security matters in the state on many fronts including abandoning the citizens, poor support to security agencies, and sabotaging the federal government in the fight against insecurity leading to the escalation of the situation to the present unfortunate level.
He said while as humans we know death is inevitable, the way and manner governor Dauda Lawal handled the medical case of the late Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello was unfortunate as the governor only released N2 million for the treatment of the first class monarch but doled out N48 million to transport the deceased Emir’s body from Abuja to Zamfara after he died.
The House questioned how the five percent deductions for the Emirates from the 14 local government council funds were being utilised by the Dauda Lawal-led administration, calling for an extensive investigation into it.
The members lamented that the governor briefly came to the state to attend the burial of the late monarch, who passed on last Thursday, and hurried back to Zaria to his waiting plane jetting out to London for his daughter’s birthday party.
The members observed a two-minute silence in honour of the late Emir and the 38 slain Banga ward citizens.
Members representing Maru North, Hon Nasiru Abdullahi Maru, Maradun 1 Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara, Bakura Constituency and Hon Ibrahim Tudu Tukur said governor Dauda Lawal Dare has not recognised the contributions of the late Emir starting from his time in the civil service, political role and traditional institution and that the inhuman treatment the government is giving the traditional institution in the state has brought them to where they cannot even settle their medical bills, they called on the house to invite the Special Assistant on chieftaincy affairs to appear before the house and unravel the circumstances of not releasing the Emirate’s councils running cost as contained in the state local government and chieftaincy laws.
Similarly, the member representing Tsafe West, Hon. Amiru Ahmed Keta, presented a motion to compel the state government to pay the salaries and allowances of some civil servants withheld for six months without following due process or any reasonable justification, noting that their families and other dependents have been suffering untold hardship.
The motion was seconded by Hon Mukhtaru Nasiru Kaura, member representing Kaura Namoda North.
Civil servants in Zamfara State are going through hell in the hands of Zamfara State government some of them have spent over 20 years in the service but were denied their constitutional rights.
Contributing, member representing Bukkuyum North, Hon. Barr Bashir Abubakar Masama said democratically elected government is to help its citizens not for profit maximisation.
The House unanimously called on the state government to reintegrate the affected workers and pay all their entitlement.
They questioned that “if Kabiru Mato, Barau or Modibbo who are non Zamfara indigenes can receive N20 million each as monthly allowances, what stops the governor and his government from paying ordinary civil servants their statutory minimum wage of N70,000 per month.
Similarly a motion is moved by the Member representing Maru North Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru for the house to investigate the ongoing deductions of 3 percent educational levy from the 14 local government allocation, meant to fund Zamfara State University, Talata-Mafara but upto now the institution is not receiving a dime from the Ministry for local government with all the development taking place in the university being funded by TETFUND and other education donor agencies.
The motion was seconded by member representing Bukkuyum North Hon. Barr Bashir Abubakar Masama.
Contributing, Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara and Hon. Ibrahim Tudu Tukur Bakura said education is paramount to any development but the government is neglecting the sector despite law passed. The house unanimously called on the government to release the said funds for the purpose intended.