National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
North
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
55
Terrorism: We don’t need GSM network yet –Borno INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI
T
he Borno State Government has said that it is not interested in the restoration of GSM network services in as much as it will distablise the relative peace being enjoyed by residents. The state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zanna Umar Mustapha, spoke yesterday while receiving
members of the Senate Committee on Defence, Police, Army and National Security (SCDPANS) in Maiduguri, the state capital. Mustapha commended the committee, led by its chairman, Senator George Sekibo, for its concern on how to end the Boko Haram insurgency in the North. He said the committee had demonstrated a sense of nationalism by revisit-
ing the state to assess the security situation. The deputy governor said: “We, as the government and the people of Borno State, want to use this opportunity to thank the SCDPANS, the Joint Task Force (JTF) and members of the vigilance youth group popularly called Civilian JTF for their commitment to stamp out terrorism in the state. Your efforts are highly commendable as
we are witnessing tremendous improvement on the security challenges. “The 6:0am to 9:0pm curfew has been relaxed to 11pm and if restoration of GSM network will affect the relative peace we are enjoying, it is better we go to Adamawa or Yobe to make calls and come back to Maiduguri.” Mustapha, however, acknowledged some pockets of killings by suspected Boko Haram sect in Mai-
nok village, Biu and Kukawa council areas, but assured that the government would soon restore peace to all parts of the state. The deputy governor called on all to use the Ramadan fast to pray for the peace and unity of the state. Earlier, Senator Sekibo told the deputy governor that the team came to reassess the security situation, meet with relevant agencies and stakehold-
ers with a view to collectively review the challenges confronting the state. He said with what the team saw, the declaration for the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states had started yielding positive result. It will be recalled that telecommunication services were cut off the declaration of the state of emergency in the three states.
PDP chieftain tasks traditional rulers on crime fighting JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA
T
Representative of Plateau State Deputy Governor, Mr. Solomon Maren (left) and Commissioner for Water Resources, Mallam Idi Waziri, at a workshop on rural water supply and sanitation sector reform programme in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
Dankwambo approves deposition of Pindiga Emir
DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE
G
overnor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State has approved the deposition of Emir of Pindiga, Alhaji Adamu Haruna Yakubu, who was recently suspended for alleged misconduct. According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Sule Bage, the deposition was in the public interest. The statement said Alhaji Ahmed Jauro, Galadiman Pindiga, has been directed to oversee the affairs of the Emirate pending the appointment of a new Emir. The governor also approved the dissolution of the Council of King makers of Pindiga Emirate and appointed a new council under the chairmanship of Alhaji Ahmed Jauro, the Galadiman Pindiga with six other members. The other members are
District Head of Kaltanga, Magajin Garin Pindiga; Turakin Pindiga, Gambo Garba, Gimba Marafa and the Chief Imam of Pindiga. The suspension statement issued earlier read: “Following the persistent complaints received from the people of Pindiga Emirate on the activities and conduct of Alhaji Adamu Haruna Yakubu, the Emir of Pindiga, the government has set up a committee to investigate the allegations raised against him”. Governor Dankwambo, however, said that his administration had been fighting poverty by providing friendly environment for the people to create wealth for themselves. Addressing journalists after inspecting vehicles purchased by his administration for onward distribution to members of the public under its wealth creation programme, the governor said wealth creation is not a function of idleness. He said that his admin-
istration had been creating wealth for the people through offering opportunities that will in turn bring food in their tables in the last two years. Dankwambo said: “What we have attempted or have started doing since we came was to see how opportunities can be created for our people so that they will solidly be in place to create wealth and to have opportunity to better their lives. “These vehicles will be used by the people of Gombe; they will own them in one form of financing
arrangement or the other, including the outright purchase from the government. “What government is doing in the area of transportation is to see how we can modestly improve the dignity in which people move around in town and also improve and enhance the living standard of the people. “When you have decent taxis and buses and other modes of transportation, people can move in a more dignified way and we will be more organised.”
raditional rulers in Katsina State have been called upon to be adequately involved in the fight against crime. A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Usman Alaliya, stated this in an interview with journalists, saying that traditional rulers were closer to the people, hence the need for their adequate involvement in the fight against crime. Alaliya said: “Involvement of traditional institutions in monitoring activities around them, including the influx of people to their respective domains, could help avert security challenges.” He said information dissemination and surveillance efforts should be made in such way as to incorporate community, religious, security and relevant government establishments for prompt response to suspicious movements. The PDP chieftain, however, recalled that colonial administrations as well as subsequent governments in the country made proper use of traditional institutions for peaceful
Kogi earmarks N2bn for SURE–P projects WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA
T
he Kogi State Government has earmarked N2 billion for the execution of projects under the Subsidy, Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). The state Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, stated this yesterday shortly
after the SURE-P Committee meeting held in Lokoja, the state capital. Awoniyi said the projects would provide jobs youths. He said that the Youth Advancement Programme, which is a component of the SURE-P, had so far employed 4,000 people across the state. He said N651 million had been released to the 21
local government areas of the state for the execution of projects. The deputy governor, who spoke through the committee’s spokesman, Mr. Ali Atabor, told journalists that the committee would soon begin an inspection of the 327 projects across the 21 local governments. He said: “The inspection to the projects by the
co-existence. Alaliya stressed the need for collaborative efforts between individuals and organisations in tackling security challenges confronting as many of the crimes perpetrated in the urban areas were usually planned outside the targeted areas. He called on security agencies to identify flash points for robust surveillance. Alaliya also asked the security agencies to be proactive by foiling planned attack on the people and public institutions. Advising youths to shun violence, the PDP chieftain called on parents to provide adequate moral training of their children. He also called on stakeholders to provide necessary skills and empowerment programmes that would enable youths become self-reliant.
PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur
Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the State SURE-P is to ensure the judicious use of the 70 per cent of the funds already released to the councils.” The committee added that Governor Idris Wada had approved the renovation of some tertiary institutions as well as rehabilitation of general hospitals in the state.