Borno State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Inuwa Bwala at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, lamented the security challenges before the state government in the face of the onslaught of Boko Haram. JOE ADIORHO was there. Excerpts:WHAT is the state government doing to manage the security challenges and adapt to the reality of the presence of the joint task force in the state'Borno State has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons. People tend to portray Borno as a war zone, where no one is safe. It is true that the state has been under siege, and naturally everyone is worried. Every patriotic Nigerian should be worried with the issues of security in some states in the North, especially Plateau and Borno. As a government concerned with the security and welfare of its citizens, we cannot afford to fight; we prefer dialogue. It is the most viable option available to us. While the Federal Government chooses to adopt a carrot and stick approach, we prefer the carrot option. And without prejudice to what the Federal Government is doing, we believe that the matter will eventually end on a roundtable. We have been pleading with our citizens to show understanding in the prevailing circumstances due to the introduction of certain security measures that might have curtailed their freedom. The presence of military operatives on the streets has become a necessary evil and there is nothing anyone can do about it except to accept it.What is the government doing to stem the tide of youth unemployment now that it has accepted that the bulk of the recruits in Boko Haram are youths'Part of the measures so far introduced includes the purchase and distribution of 5,000 tricycles to the teeming unemployed youths. This is to make them less vulnerable to the schemes of mischief-makers who are willing to use the youths as tools in their machinations against the people. The government has banned the use of motorcycles as a means of transport and in their place has provided 100 buses for intra town service. The government recognised the fact that the motorcycles provided the only source of self-employment for the youths. But its continued use had security implications.Before the military took control of the security in the state, some states had evacuated their citizens from Borno. What has the government done to guarantee the security of citizens'The state government is alive to the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians living in Borno, irrespective of tribe or religion. Suppressing an insurgency of the magnitude we experienced takes its toll on resources, both human and material, but we have never failed to support all efforts targeted at arresting the situation. In addition to its efforts, the state government is planning to identify the socio-economic and political conditions that have given rise to the insurgency, with a view to addressing them and safeguarding the lives of citizens. Normalcy is returning; schools have reopened and confidence is being rekindled. We pray that the infrastructure affected by the crisis will soon be rebuilt.In what specific ways have the challenges affected the government in implementing its programmes in Borno'Governor Kashim Shettima assumed office with a very pragmatic agenda and members of his executive have been forging ahead even in the face of the challenges. It has been very costly managing the situation but the pace of governance has not slowed down. We can only see Borno rising from the ashes. The government knows that great societies go through one ugly experience or another, but their ability to survive defines their rate of development. In Borno, we are succeeding in the face of the challenges. We believe that what we are going through is temporary. We have not been slowed by the security situation; rather we are spurred to give our best.How has your office managed to keep the citizens abreast with developments especially after the initial misinformation regarding the activities of Boko Haram in the state'The challenges of keeping the communication open are indeed daunting, but we have devised the capacity to surmount them. We need time to create the desired impact, and with the experiences available to us, I hope we shall deliver. The expectations are very high from the government. The people are expectant, and the government is not unaware of this.We are facing security issues occasioned by the recent insurrection, which have instilled fears in the hearts of the people. For example, people have capitalised on the situation in the state to commit all forms of crimes, which they attribute to Boko Haram. As a state that is in the opposition party, there is always the feeling that there could be a serious gang up by habitual mischief-makers to cause trouble or undermine the efforts of the government. These mischief-makers never see anything good in government irrespective of who is in charge at any particular time. Some have even attempted to launch a campaign to put pressure on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state. These are some of the tough challenges we have to contend with.This is a government, which after barely four months met its inaugural promises to the people. The government of Shettima has demonstrated sufficient will power to deliver the dividends of democracy with practical evidence of achievements. The hospitals the government promised to commission are there for the sick to visit. Farmers have the tractors and farm equipment to hire. The boreholes are there and the taps are running. Beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programmes are witnesses to the government's efforts at empowering the people. The transport section has being flooded with 5,000 tri-cycles and 100 commuter buses. Since its inauguration, there are evidence of achievements.If the world can get to know about half of the things the government has done, within this time, even critics of the government will appreciate that there are really no issues to criticise the government about in the face of the challenges it is going through. I challenge those who lampoon the government to come forward for a practical verification of our submissions. By all standards, the state government is living up to expectations, but mischief-makers will not allow the world to appreciate the work.
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