MAY is a special month in Jigawa State. While other states look forward to May 29, to mark Democracy Day, the state actually spends the entire month celebrating democracy. Jigawa prides itself as the only state that spends an entire month giving accounts of its activities to the people.Democracy month is the time for every ministry, council, government agencies, and departments to account for their deeds before the people on a special programme on Radio Jigawa. And they are not required to spare details, including explaining how many staff were promoted or attending courses.The idea according to the governor, Dr. Sule Lamido is for the 'political appointees to explain to the people how they have spent government allocation. We want to drive home the point that we are servants of the people and the money, we have come to account for, is the peoples money held in trust.' The question is, 'has government provided what is generally referred to as dividends of democracy''From the first week of May, the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning Alhaji Nasiru Umar Roni as a prelude to the 'statewide trial,' reeled out the funds the stated had allocated to each department and council. He indicated that government received over N78 billion from the federation account from May 2011 to April 2012.According to him, of the amount, over N18 billion was paid as staff salaries and allowances, over N23 billion used for recurrent expenditure and over N28 billion for capital projects. He noted that the government has over N9 billion in its account.The commissioner also said the 27 councils received over N53 billion out of which over N20 billion naira was paid as salaries and allowances during the period under review. He explained that the government never took any form loan from any financial institutions to execute any project.The commissioner's deposition set the tone and in the following days, the commissioners explained how they ran their ministries, which they did with gusto.According to the Commissioner for Works Baba Santali, 'the purpose of this is for the citizens to measure the development of the state with those who are in charge of affairs today.'He explained that beyond the 'reeling out of numbers and explaining where we have put the money, it is apparent to the people that we all, including the governor are reporting to the people who put us in positions.'Santali, who explained that the government expended over N56 billion on road projects in the past five years, said, 'six road projects were proposed in the 2012 budget, which include, and a number of twons will be provided with streetlights while those of Gumel, Kazaure, Birnin kudu, Kazaure, Hadejia will be expanded soon.'The high point of his testimony was when he revealed that, 'N356 million was spent on streetlights in five towns -Hadejia, Gumel, Kazaure, Ringim and Birnin Kudu. He said similar projects were being undertaken in Babura, Kaugama, Maigatari, Roni, Kafin Hausa, Gwaram and Kiyawa towns.'Perhaps the high point of the entire rendition was the presentation of the Commissioner of Health Dr Hassana Hussaini Adamu, who noted how the state health sector 'has developed in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years.'There was a sense of achievement in her voice when she noted that, 'the government has increased the number of medical doctors from 40 to 140; pharmacists from 13 to 28; nurses from 211 nurses to 500, and midwives from 30 to 211.'She noted that, 'I see this entire programme as a trial by the people. The people are waiting to see where we have done wrong and they will not hesitate to point it out. It is also another way for Governor Sule Lamido to remind us that we might be political appointees but we owe our mandate to the people who voted him in, and in this case, it is the people of Jigawa.'This she said was only complimented by the 'government expending about N2 billion on the completion of Rasheed Shekoni Specialist Hospital while another N2 billion was spent on the construction of College of Nursing and Midwifery Birnin Kudu.'The Commissioner for Local Government Alhaji Salisu Saleh pointed out that the 27 seven councils received more than N53 billion from the federation account from May 2011 to April 2012. According to him, over N7 billion was paid as staff salaries and allowances, while over N11 billion was paid as salaries to primary school teachers.Saleh said the 27 councils had got N4.694 billion from the excess crude account, which was kept in government account.The Commissioner for Environment Alhaji Muktari Muhammad said the government has distributed and planted about 21 million seedlings to farmers in the last five years. Muhammad said that in 2012, his Ministry is nursing three million of different seedlings at 27 nursery centers. The commissioner said the government has released funds for the survey of Tumbale and Mawadaci pitches for rehabilitation while Lamido has approved the expansion of Indirawa and Kirikasamma town, for which N70 million was approved.The Commissioner for Commerce and Industries Hajia Hauwa Lawal disclosed how the government spent over N376 million for the execution of projects at Sara, Gujungu and Maigatari markets. She said out of the amount, N166 million was spent on Sara, N121 million on Gujungu, N89 million for Maigatari markets. Lawal explained that government had also spent N269 million on converting Community Banks to micro finance banks while N1.1 billion was released to Investment and Property Limited.According to her, the Ministry had conducted a survey on various solid mineral deposits, which the government will soon explore.The Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alhaji Rabiu Isah had disclosed that over N7.7 billion on the purchased of fertiliser since 2007. While explaining how 3,237 work bulls were distributed to farmers across the polling wards, Isah indicated that government distributed 175 tractors to small scale farmers, while N450 million was expanded on the purchase of drugs for distribution free to veterinary clinics. He said the government undertook the artificial insemination of 3564 cows at the cost of N99 million.The Commissioner overseeing the Ministry of Economic Empowerment, Alhaji Rabiu Isah said the ministry spent over N77 million on renovation of five skills acquisition centers in 2008 and spent another N31 million to renovate Hadejia skill center while N157 million was expended on renovation and construction of Dutse acquisition center.The commissioner stated that N100 million was disbursed as loan to 663 trade groups, adding that N30 million was disbursed as loan to butchers union and N27 million issued loan to hides and skin dealers.He said N221 million was spent on construction and supply of working materials to Kila cassava processing company.The commissioner for special Duties Alhaji Auwalu Muhammad said 799 state indigenes were recruited into various posts in the Nigeria Army in the last five years and that 114 youths were recruited into paramilitary services - prisons, immigration, customs and Civil Defense.Muhammad disclosed that 1,079 others were employed into various federal establishments through the ministry.He revealed that the state Relief Agency disbursed N11.6 million, 5,800 bags of assorted grains as assistance to flood victims.Muhammad explained that the State Environmental Protection Agency(JISEPA) received over N128 million for execution of various projects during the period under review which included clearing of culverts, spraying of insecticide, clearing of Dutse town and repairs of its grounded vehicles.The Commissioner for lands, Housing and Regional planning Alhaji Muhammad Habeeb Barde said the government paid more than N63.1 million as compensation to people dislocated by the construction of roads in the state in the last five years, as well as over N152 million paid as compensation for land and economic trees affected by road construction in the last five years.The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General Yakubu Abdullahi said that the government constructed 12 benefitting sharia courts and renovated 31 others in the last five years of this administration. He said eight new magistrates' courts were constructed while 13 others were renovated. He recorded as an achievement the successful defence of a lawsuit by the government in the Supreme Court.The commissioner noted the provision of e-libraries to all judges and the establishment of additional law centers and law reform commission. He claimed that the state was the first to pay its judiciary the new salary structure, established law reform commission, to enact law on due process policy.The state Commissioner for Education Science and Technology Professor Haruna Wakili said three hundred and forty two additional primary school classrooms were constructed and provided 62,980 set of furniture. He also said the state government had supplied over 13,148 set of double bunk beds to boarding schools.Professor Wakili stated that the state Universal Basic education board would recruit 900 teachers, adding that Lamido has approved the re-instatement of qualified retired teachers on contract basis. He said government has also introduced free education for the females and physically challenged and improved infrastructure as well as welfare of both students and teachers among others.Gwaram council chairman Alhaji Bala Sule Kila said on a Radio Jigawa special program marking the fifth anniversary of the state that the council has distributed two trailers of cement worth N2.5 million to the 10 wards for renovation of mosques. He said the council distributed grains worth two point N5 million to less privileged and purchased hospital equipment worth N2 million during the year.Alhaji Bala Sule Kila explained that the council's new secretariat would be furnished at the cost of over N64 million. He said the council paid over N109 million as staff salaries as well as N198 million for primary school teachers.The inquiry will climax on May 29 when Lamido will sum up his scorecard based on what his aides and commissioners told the people. So far there are no counter claims from the public. Lamido maintained that the public inquiry is an in-built mechanism for checking corruption in the State.
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