OF LAMIDO’S TALAKAWA SUMMIT AND GENUINE TRANSFORMATION OF JIGAWA(2)

[Nuruddeen]

Indeed, Lamido's administration has to decide on top priority areas and articulate them in its sustainable plan and design supporting programmes with NGOs to make sure that the social policy stipend and beggars' issue become practical. They should be targeted to reduce poverty in the long term by enabling the poor and disabled to gradually become aware and interested in government's activities. We shall make them know that the resources at government's disposal are not hers but theirs.
The social angle of the problem is not farfetched from building a solid foundation for effective social service delivery. The rehabilitation of the disabled and destitute, including senior citizens (aged people) through creation of reformatory centres for them, is very important in this regard. And where we have one, government should rehabilitate it and put health care facilities that will take care of their health status and living. I remember, in Gumel local government area, there was a rehabilitation centre where one hardly sees a disabled person roaming on the street in those days. But today due to lack of duty of care to these people, their life is day in day out becoming generally socially frustrated.

Honestly, I beg to disagree with Lamido that the rehabilitation of what he referred to as "the untrainable", is not going to be easy. It is my humble submission that there is nothing in human being that is beyond repair provided that he/she is alive. In fact, even properties have their period of wear and tear, but it does not mean you cannot properly discharge and/or take care of them judiciously after their usable period is being exhausted. The "untrainable" can therefore be kept and considered as liability and hence can go to liability homes. We should have, for instance, a local community organization whereby those that are extremely physically challenged can be sorted out by community mayors (Masu unguwanni) or ward heads and be taken care of adequately. Their stipend or whatever assistance that the government intends to give should be submitted to them through the mayors. This will go a long way in minimizing the selectivity approach to government's intervention. And it will be difficult for the mayor (Mai unguwa) or ward head to corner away the money for his own benefit if he knows that the relative of such a disabled are fully aware of it. The government should also strictly evaluate, monitor and keep eye on who gets the money.   Because the issue is: even if you give these disabled people N7, 000 at the end of every month, majorities have no physical ABILITY to spend it on themselves wisely and economically. They usually call their relatives or close associate to help them buy food or anything they so desire, because they don't have the power and energy to do so. So they practically need our help! After all, the money given to them in my view will even make them become more dependent than independent on government.

This method and procedure can also be achieved at local government level. For Allah's sake what is the use of our local government social welfare departments? Instead of the state government to engage these local government welfare departments into things like homes for the blind or elderly or even destitute, it leaves them with  little work that fetch them enough  salaries they hardly strive or work for. What a waste? Comfortably, our local government social welfare departments can be directed to suit the prevailing circumstance, which is akin to adult and mass literacy programme that was done in those days popularly called Yaki da Jahilci. They should be used to flag off local community organization campaign on the mission and vision of government's intention to make Talakawa and Gajiyayyu self reliant and independent. As we do this, we should make them understand that not everything that has to do with their life is government's responsibility. They should be made to understand that they too have a stake in promoting their welfare and social status. We should make them know that they also have a voice, which the government is ready to listen, particularly on yaki da talauci da fatara i.e. poverty alleviation.

Indeed, the Talakawa summit's committee and stakeholders need to look at this issue very seriously. They need to actually engage themselves into local community organization programmes. The path to salvaging Talaka may be rough and tedious, but as I often say, President Barack Obama never had the fullest idea of becoming a community organizer. But he told himself that organizers did not make any money; their poverty was proof of their integrity. All the same he chose to be one even when he could not answer his classmates directly on the importance of community organizing. He was in the end able to convince them that change won't come from the top. But it will surely come from mobilized grass roots.

Hence, organizers of Talakawa summit such as Adagbo Onoja should  understand that the Talaka in Jigawa may not give him the desired attention, especially when viewed from the fact that he is not in the best position to understand their top priority areas, because of cultural differences and/or barrier. The fact that he lacks understanding of Jigawa people's triple cultural heritage i.e. values, tradition and religion, it is certainly going to be difficult for him to make any meaningful impact on the "matter at issue". He therefore needs to tread softly and persuade these people through ample consultation with the elderly. But the only worry here is that Onoja may not necessarily achieve the target goal in this very important programme. The little encounter one had with him, revealed that he is too advance for the masses in terms of attitude and life style let alone coming down to their level.

Therefore, if Governor Lamido really wants make poverty history for Talakawa there is the need to intensify effort and face the biggest challenge of improving the poor living and trading architecture locally so that more people can lift their status by themselves to prosperity through self reliance and by developing an independent mind toward poverty eradication. As it is, Jigawa is one of the poorest and most poverty stricken state in Nigeria according to recent Central Bank rating and UNDP report.
So many vested interests and powerful political lobbyists that bedeviled the state since 1999 have made the poor to lose so much with nothing to show in terms of state reform.

In view of the aforesaid therefore, we need to ask the question of the 21st century, can Lamido really make poverty history in Jigawa, for how long the poor will have to wait for this to happen, what can the Onojas and co do to speed it up?
We need to answer these cardinal questions in earnest. And the answer to both is simple: all of us have a role to play. It does not require a rocket science for one to understand that a local farmer or artisan in Jigawa or tailor making traditional attire can make more money in their local businesses without necessarily selling their products to rich customers abroad.

The youth Development Volunteers Scheme programme in Jigawa also has a role to play. Their effort can be used on the goalistic thinking philosophy to help the lives of the rural hapless.

On the issue of agriculture, I urge Lamido to please revisit the 2008 comprehensive agricultural research programme led by Dr. Salisu Ingawa. Contained therein the programme committee's submission are Jigawa's agricultural solutions that have to do with all potentially viable lands, crops, plants, and modern agricultural storage techniques and even marketability for all farmers' produce both in house and abroad.
The government should as a matter of fact try to persuade those road side hawkers, petty traders, retailers and vendors to move inside the market and do their businesses. As it is, the main road linking Dutse, Kiyawa and Kwanar Huguma is looking rowdy and disfigured, most especially along the Motor Park and present market area. God forbid, but in case of eventuality an accident happens or any driver that loses control in that area, there will be massive casualties, because ample people have made the road sides more or less a "safe-haven" for their businesses and investment. Government should therefore try as much as possible to expedite action to complete the new market along the bypass road so that these people can move to their permanent site.

The government should pass a strong law that will force families to stop abusing their children's right to education by allowing them roam on the streets selling petty things. Parents should be made to understand that educating their kids is a moral duty and religious obligation that each must shoulder as a responsibility. Governor Lamido has already paved the way for them in this regard i.e. by relieving them up from payment of school fees for their girls' child education in the entire state. For Allah's sake, if they cannot take these kids off street by sending them back to school, why have they given birth to them from the onset?

Jibo Nura, a Quantity Surveyor, is on assignment in Jigawa State. Email: jibonura@yahoo.com

[Lawwali]

Jibo Nura, a Quantity Surveyor, is on assignment in Jigawa State. Email: jibonura

Kawai Nuruddeen???????????????????????????????????