Daji Sani writes that Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has found a way to wriggle out of some challenges left behind by the immediate past administration
Adamawa state has been experiencing security challenges for close to nine years without adequate infrastructural development and basic necessities of life, especially in the camps for internally displaced Persons (IDPs). These persons are made to suffer double jeopardy, as they had leave their original homestead as a result of the insecurity challenges.
More than 10000 persons are alleged to have lost their lives to insurgency and herdsmen attacks. This is aside from properties worth billions of Naira and socio- cultural activities that have been destroyed due to the incessant attacks on the people of the state.
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), the IDPs are threatened by outbreak of diseases like cholera, measles, diarrhea, malaria fever, yellow fever because of the hash environment they live in, by implication all hands must be on deck to save more people from dying particularly children and women who are more vulnerable.
The diversity of the security challenges in the state can be divided into three, while the Boko Haram insurgency is ravaging the northern senatorial district, the “Yan Shilla” are terrorising citizens, as perpetrators of kidnapping and banditry particular in the state capital which is in the Central senatorial district; then there is the rampaging herdsmen attacks in the Southern senatorial district.
This development has rendered the economy of the state comatose. The Transition Committee had discovered a huge debt left for the state by the out-gone administration of Governor Mohammed Jibrila Bindow, which has left the state more impoverished than it used to be.
However in the face of these challenges, the Governor of the state, Rt. Hon , Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has promised that his government will restore hope and true change to the people of Adamawa state.
Fintiri said this shortly after, he was sworn-in as the newly elected Governor of the state by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ishaya Banu, at the Mahmood Ribadu Square on May 29 2019.
At the event, Fintiri said, “this historic event taking place today embodies and highlights the heroic sacrifice of patriots and a celebration of the triumph of the will of an embattled and battling people, loudly expressed through the last election.”
He further explained that his government is a popular consent and he was mindful of the honour and the responsibility this has bestowed on him.
“I hereby affirm and declare that hope has been restored, and true change has come to Adamawa State. Let us embrace it, as I solemnly pledge to provide the leadership that is required to make this change work for the good of all,” he said
According to him, the change will balance policy and politics and also a change that will eschew might over right and treat all citizens as equals adding that a transformational change that will harness the vast human potentials of the state.
As he reiterated that a change where security of lives and property of citizens will not be negotiated or compromised.
He also promised to revamp the civil service, health system, education and agriculture, provide youth employment through skills acquisition programmes and he will also see to prompt payment of salaries and gratuities in the state.
“Fresh Air” as he is popularly call appealed to all stakeholders to put behind the twisted narratives of the past and embraced peace and unity for the benefits of the state.
“Politics is over and the stage is now set for the extra ordinary job of making Adamawa State work again”
“I am conscious of the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead but someone once said that “the task ahead of us can never be greater than the power that lies within us,” he said
According to him, nothing can stop the momentum of a determined people with a purpose to accomplish a goal.
However, security experts said providence has made the choice of Fintiri and his Deputy, Chief Serth Crowder the right people for the job.
Following the fact that the governor hails from Madagali Local Goverment Area in the Northern senatorial district where the Boko Haram insurgency is more prevalent and his deputy is from Numan LGA in the Southern senatorial district of the state where the rampaging herdsmen are holding the people to ransom.
They said the governor’s ability to tackle the insecurity challenges most especially “Yan Shilla” who have become a threat in recent times in the state, will score him good marks. They also advised that the governor to set up a security monitoring team outside the normal security meetings with security chiefs in the state to enable him achieve that goal.
They suggested that the members of the team should involve the Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations working on security issues, private media, security agencies, judiciary and traditional rulers, saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and evaluating the security challenges with recommendations to government on the right step to tackle insecurity and improve security in the state.
They also implored the governor to strengthen the security network and support security agencies with logistics and transportation to enable them respond promptly when there is a distress call.
The big question posted was whether the governor and his deputy will continue to allow terrorists kill their relatives and others with impunity for some parochial reasons? Only the future will tell.
Secondly, the transition committee recommended that for the governor to overcome these challenges, he needs to deliberately improve on the current Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state by setting up an economic team to assist improve on the revenue generation in the state .
Political experts in the state have also suggested that Fintiri should be technical in his bid to step on toes particularly on those who had allocated government properties to themselves and the last minute employment by out-gone administration of Bindow.
The fear is that if the governor does not give people reasons in clear terms why he is stepping on toes as he had promised, he may acquire for himself more political enemies and he has to be careful of empty promises because the people are now more advanced in their level of awareness.
However Fintiri has set a committee to look into the last minute employment and he ordered the police to crack down Yan Shila. The police has arrested 65 of them and some are on the run. This is a promising start.
QUOTE:
They said the governor’s ability to tackle the insecurity challenges most especially “Yan Shilla” who have become a threat in recent times in the state, will score him good marks. They also advised that the governor to set up a security monitoring team outside the normal security meetings with security chiefs in the state to enable him achieve that goal
