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

Kaduna online Publishers move to tackle fake news

T he maiden Public Lecture and Award Presentation by the Arewa Online Publishers Association is underway in Kaduna to address fake news and promote ethical standards for overall good of the society. With the theme: 'The Role of New Media in Nation Building', the lecture will be delivered by renowned Professor Umaru Pate of Bayero University Kano (BUK) at Arewa House Banquet Hall, Kaduna tomorrow being Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Some distinguished great Nigerians and Corporate Organizations who have made outstanding contributions to nation building would be honoured at the epoch-making occasion. The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman is the Royal Father of the Day while the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufa'i is the Chief Host. The Association with its headquarters in Kaduna , is a cream of seasoned Journalists who operate Online Media platforms across the 19 Northern States and Federal Capital Territ...

EDUCATION

'We are only 32 Lecturers teaching 7000 students in Gidan Waya' - Don College of Education, Gidan Waya: Rot within By EDDY OCHIGBO A Senior English Lecturer with the College of Education, Gidan Waya, Dr Philip Hayab has expressed total dissatisfaction with the gross neglect of the institution by the Kaduna state government. Dr Hayab who was speaking at a forum put together by the Kaduna state Basic Education and Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM) to kick start 'Open Kaduna Education Sector' , lamented the worsening condition of the College of Education, Gidan Waya , calling on the Kaduna state government to urgently step in to redress the ugly trend. Hayab disclosed: "The college which has a student population of 7000, can only boast of only 32 lecturers. There are uncountable situations where students overwhelm the lecturer in the class. That is not talk about the terrible state of most of the structures in college. To aggr...

Lere agog over unprecedented people-oriented projects

Council Chairman(middle), flanked by dignitaries at the event N o fewer than 108 projects and programs in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna state are currently at 98% completion stages, a development citizens of the area attribute to the Council Chairman's determination and desire to put the people first, no matter whose ox is gored. Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, who dropped the hint at the 2019 Quarterly Budget Performance Review town hall meeting with stakeholders in Saminaka, Kaduna state, commended the Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai for aggressively creating the desired environment for societal growth - by initiating strategic and people-focused governance reforms at both state and local government levels. "Upon my assumption of office one year ago, we immediately keyed into the governance reform initiatives of the state government which were all geared towards putting the people first. We met on ground various far r...

Jagaba on Gov el-Rufai's 2020 Budget

Fallout of lopsided implementation of state budget in the education sector By Nasiru Jagaba j agabanasiru@gmail.com L et me start by commending the Governor of Kaduna state for being consistent in maintaining the January to December budget year. This provides some high level of fiscal and economic sustainability in the State. My commendation may come as a surprise to many who know that I have been a consistent critic of his government as the national youth Leader (out-going now) of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU). My stand has not changed as I remain a dogged fighter of injustice regardless of its form of manifestation. However, in analyzing governance, one must uphold a higher level of objectivity by appreciating progress (no matter how small) while fighting for fairness, equity and justice. That aside, I have committed myself to tra...

Making a case for Kaduna's Agric sector

By Yusuf Goje I t will be most appropriate to start by commending the Kaduna State House of Assembly for breaking the jinx of holding a legislative public hearing for the first on the 2020 draft budget. This provided citizens and civil society partners the avenue to make submissions on the various sectors of interest towards improved public service delivery and value for money. The Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED), a civil society working on governance reforms, submitted a memo and made a presentation making a case for increased funding for the agricultural sector and use of technology to collect data for effective planning, among other critical issues. Our presentation aligned with the words of Akinwumi Adesina, the erudite and charismatic President of the African Development Bank, who rightly posited that, “making agriculture profitable and ‘cool’ for young people in Africa is key to lifting millions out of pove...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog