Southern Kaduna: Zangon Kataf, Kaura on the brink

Manchok Plains of Kaura, Kaduna-Nigeria

By Dangwa Danjuma,

Kaduna

Seven communities in Kaura and Zangon Kataf local government areas of Kaduna State are now at risk of deforestation should the proposed Access Quaint solar and Vicampro projects take root.

In a dramatic twist last week, Dr. Zwahu Bonat of the Kaduna State University and a native of the communities where the proposed solar power project and potato processing facility are cited, was briefly detained by the Kaduna State Police Command for his stand on the matter.

Bonat, was released shortly after members of the community marched to the Police Headquarters in solidarity with their kinsman. On the solar power generation project, spokesman of the community, Dr. David Duniya Adam told our correspondent that "contrary to the popular mischief making rounds, our communities have no problems with the siting of the investment. We are only asking that the investment be positioned uphill away from the people's arable land the only source of their livelihoods".

On the potatoes processing facility, Adam said: "Our men, women and youths are already willing to produce potatoes to feed the Vicampro processing factory, what we are however against is any attempt to confiscate our lands under any guise."

Cubinks learnt that Bonat was arrested on trump up charges by the Kaduna State Government, that he allegedly destroyed properties belonging to Messers Access Quaint Nigeria Limited and Vicampro Farms Nigeria Limited. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of the affected community revealed that "there were threats by Access Quaint, Vicampro and the office of the Governor to silence the community for vested interest."

When our correspondent visited the Command, for confirmation, Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Mukhtar Aliyu was unavoidably absent.

Comments

Expert advocates for prudence and and accountability in Treasury Management

By EDDY OCHIGBO L ack of efficient and prudent treasury management in the country have been identified as the source of fraud and sharp practices in nation's public and private sector. Dropping the hint during a breakfast meeting with Correspondents in Kaduna during the week, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Treasury Management of Nigeria, Mr Adedoyin Olumide, reiterated that poor treasury management remains the bane of public and private finance utilization in the country, calling for greater synergy among all professionals in accounting, banking and finance. He disclosed tha...

Fiscal responsibility: Kaduna State's debt burden and unrealistic budgeting

By YUSUF ISHAKU GOJE T he budget is said to be the second most important document outside the constitution, without which even the constitution cannot fully function. It enables governments to turn campaign promises articulated as policies into concrete public services that seek to improve the overall living standard of the people. That is why it remains the most critical socio-economic policy tool that outlines the government's priorities in financial terms. The extent to which the government's proposed spending sticks to what it has projected as realistic revenue makes a budget credible. Therefore, it also becomes a measurement of government's sincerity and capacity to deliver on campaign promises. More importantly, the credibility of any budget depends on its realism, as you cannot spend what you cannot get. That means for a budget to be realistic it has to be substantially achievable. However, politicians are always under pressure to spend more, most times overshooting ...

NIGERIA: Need for more transparency in Education

Pupils in a class without facilities A seasoned governance and human development expert, Dr Otive Igbuzor has identified lack of monitoring, accountability and transparency in the system, as the major factors militating against the progress of the nation's waning education sector and called for a holistic and well-thought-out approach to reverse the trend. Igbuzor who made this known at a one-day parley with Correspondents and Media Executives in Kaduna Nigeria, spoke extensively on the root causes of corruption, the need for probity in the education sector, budget analysis as well as education as key to human development. The one-day sensitization program put together by Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW/LEADS) alongside Mac Arthur Foundation, harped on 'enhancing reportage on Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects in the state as well as Public Procurement Process in the sector' to strengthen accountability and transparency in the...

Anniversary Feature: A Toast for Nigeria @ 59

By Yusuf Goje T he fundamental difference between dictatorship and a liberal democracy is the existence of the legislative arm in the latter. The legislative arm empowers the people via direct representation of their elected legislators to amplify and reflect their voices (needs) in decision-making process; such as in law-making, appropriation and other national or state issues. It is envisaged that the legislative arm either at the Federal or State level should be the closest link between the people and government. As the legislators are expected to regularly consult their constituents on legislative issues to be tabled and provide feedback on the resolutions reached at the Assembly. In view of the foregoing, Nigeria which practice a Federating system with the States as component units has seen section 90 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria establish the House of Assembly of a State; while section 100 provides for the mode of ex...

PERL trains Planning Officers, Citizens on Accountability, Service Delivery

As Stakeholders review 2022 Local Government Draft Budget Cross-section of participants at the engagement during a session By EDDY OCHIGBO, Kaduna I n its sustained drive to enhance accountability and seamless service delivery at the local government level in Kaduna state, Partnership to Engage and Learn in collaboration with Local Government Accountability Mechanism (LGAM), on Monday October 25, 2021, organized a two-day technical session to increase the capacity and technical expertise of citizen groups and planning officers in the state. To this end, the Local Government Accountability Mechanism (LGAM), a collaborative initiative of the Ministry for Local Government Affairs, Civil Society partners and Partnership to Engage, Reform & Learn (PERL/FCDO), working as technical working groups to strengthen governance at the grassroots, have reviewed the Kaduna state 2022 budget with trend analysis, observations and recommendations. The review of the ₦1,134,051...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog