Governor on Special Duties and also the chairman of Arewa
community in South-south and South-east. In this interview,
Tukur speaks on how government is collaborating with the
people to promote peace in the state.
Excerpts:
How long have you been in Delta State?
I was born and brought up in Asaba. I am a businessman and
also a politician. I started politics when I was in secondary
school during the NRC and SDP period. When I finished
school, I continued my business and politics too. I joined
UNCP during the Abacha era; I was their PRO then. I later
became a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party
in the state.
His Excellency, Chief James Ibori became the flag-bearer of
the party and we mobilized our people to vote for him. He
really did well and got our support throughout his two tenures.
I was a board member of the Pilgrim Welfare Board. When
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan came in, he also appointed
me a special assistant to him and this is our second term in
office.
When you look at this country, Dr. Uduaghan is the first
governor to appoint many non-indigenes into his cabinet.
Today, you have an Hausa man in his cabinet representing the
Arewa community, that is myself. We also have special
assistant to the governor representing the Yoruba community,
Mr. Ola Oni. We have another one representing the Igbo
community, Attani Nwachukwu, and we have Mrs. Linda
Nwokolo in charge of Akwa Ibom/Cross River. There is
another special assistant looking after other minority tribes in
the South-south. That you see these non-indigenes in
government means the governor likes everyone living in the
state and takes everybody as one. He is a man that believes in
fairness, unity and peaceful co-existence of this country.
You have been government since 1999; how do you assess
the PDP government right from the tenure of Ibori till date?
Ibori laid the foundation, now, if you see the massive
infrastructural development that is taking place in the state,
especially in Warri and Asaba, you see the influx of people
into Delta State to invest.
Asaba is wearing a new look. Today, Delta State is the fastest
growing state in the West African sub-region. We have
massive construction of roads going on and we have the best
schools. It is only in this state that you have you primary
school children being taught with computers.
The governor has empowered Deltans beyond reasonable
doubt through micro-credit, and YETA. Many youths are
being trained at Songhai, Amukpe. Even youths that are non-
Deltans, Hausa and Yoruba are being empowered through
the initiative of Uduaghan. The governor is a true Nigerian;
he is a man that fears God.
Some years ago, some people from across the Niger ran to
Delta State for shelter and the state government catered for all
those that ran into the state. They were given shelter, food,
security and to crown it all he gave them over 11 hectares of
land to trade. If go to along Onitsha/Asaba road you will see
a very big market being operated by my people.
In terms of security, you know there is peace and security in
the three points agenda of the governor. So, in terms of peace
and security, today in Delta we have peace. Before, you hear
of kidnapping, today that is no longer the case. And that is
why you see investors both foreign and local pouring into the
state.
In term of infrastructure, government is constructing the
Ughelli/Asaba express road so that traders from across the
Niger can move their goods to Warri and from Warri to
Asaba and Onitsha. Look at the massive development at the
international airport. It is the first of its kind in the South-
south.
As special assistant to the governor on special duties, how
have you used your position to promote peace between
Deltans and Fulani herdsmen?
Deltans are peaceful and very accommodating. We were born
here and we grew up here, we never had any problems until
recently when there was a problem with Fulani herdsmen
and farmers. I had several meetings with the Fulanis and I
cautioned them. Delta is a peaceful state and we have been
living in peace for decades. We do not want what is
happening in other states to happen in Delta State. Now you
no longer hear stories about Fulani herdsmen clashing with
farmers because we have talked to them.
Via: Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment