CITAR-NGO:Tackling National  issues at Kaduna Town Hall Meeting
Newsdiaryonline Wed July 20,2011

Justice Alfa Belgore (retired)

At the second Kaduna Town Hall meeting organized by CITAR-NGO  inside Arewa House on Tuesday July 19, the myriad of problems plaguing Nigeria came under scrutiny. The issues of corruption ,good governance  and   insecurity heightened by the Boko Haram insurgency among others were placed adequately under the  searchlight for critical examination by chosen experts.

But it was the chairman of the occasion retired Justice Salifu  Modibbo Alfa Belgore,former chief justice of Nigeria   who set the ball rolling. He told the audience that corruption which is among factors fuelled by greed is a very dangerous thing. He narrated the story of an unnamed Nigerian official who was found to have stashed  $8 m and $7 m in separate accounts in some remote places outside the shores of Nigeria  including the Cayman Islands. Sadly the official is dead now and no one has access to the accounts .He noted that some of these  offshore banks always insist on one signatory to such accounts.

The lesson from the story, he said , was for everyone to be very careful.He  also noted that insecurity in various forms whether from Niger Delta militants or the Boko Haram may be externally induced in order to destabilize the nation.He called for reorientation  and awareness among Nigerians. He  believes that given the challenges ahead, Nigeria in fact needs more universities.

Ibrahim Coomasie the former inspector general of police that dealt thoroughly with the issue of insecurity  especially with respect to the Boko Haram insurgency.He joked that when he was invited to deliver the paper, he thought the organizers were trying to set him up against Boko Harma and this elicited a thunderous laughter from the  audience. The fear now is that if you speak about Boko Haram you become a target. In any case, Coomasie who traced the history of the insurgency noted that  government’s response to the Boko Haram in 2009 was a bloody mistake, a regrettable blunder. He further noted that Nigeria’s security outfits lack the ability to provide authentic information ;in essence, intelligence gathering has crumbled. Among other measures towards tackling the Boko  Haram challenge , the former IG of police said government must as a matter of priority reinvigorate the criminal instigations bureau:encourage inter service cooperation while inter-service rivalry must be discouraged.Also he said dialogue should not be ruled out, just as government should facilitate more effective prosecution of suspects:industries should be revived  and jobs should be created for the teeming unemployed.

Nenadi Usman a serving senator represented David Mark ,the  senate president on the occasion.Mark’s address on the role of the legislature in consolidating unity  noted that there is a nexus between lawmaking and the nation’s unity. The quality of laws can make or mar  the unity of the country.He reeled out several lofty measures so far taken  by the lawmakers to keep the nation together.The famous Doctrine of Necessity on the heels of late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s health crisis is always a case in point.The legislature balances the equilibrium by acting as the checks on the executive .Nenadi , also a former minister  noted that without the  national assembly, there is really no democracy. Aminu Tambuwal, speaker House of Representaives who  spoke on good governance through his representative Patrick Ikhariale said   that the attainment of vision 2020 will be undermined if nothing is done to sustain the war against graft.He listed the fiscal responsibility act, public procurement act and the freedom of information , FOIA  among the interventions by the legislature to ensure good governance.

Mrs Farida Mohammed also sent a representative, Mr Wakili Mohammed said to win the war against corruption there must be no sacred cows.She added that the EFCC is working hard to deemphasize the culture of materialism.She noted that honesty,integrity good governance ,transparency and accountability among others are important  in  the fight against corruption.The EFCC chairman said the impunity of the days of yore has declined.

Mohammed Alhaji Yakubu secretary general of CITAR-NGO in his welcome remarks noted that “there  is the worrisome incidence of insecurity adding to the deluge of sectoral decays in our society.’’The non governmental organization  he said, identifies negative trends  and tries to encourage dialogue in a convivial atmosphere “so that we can move.Enginneer Mohammed Lawal the national coordinator  of CITAR NGO did not only thank all the participants but also singled out Chief Ernest Shonekan for special appreciation due to his unflinching support to the body.Though the former head of interim government  earlier   scheduled to be the chairman could not attend the town hall meeting, he kept in touch by telephone seeking  to know about the progress being made.

Former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano state in his brief remark highlighted how at times police chiefs frustrate efforts by state governments to assist the police force .He cited the example of an event even before he became governor  of Kano where as permanent secretary in the state, a lofty attempt to support the police with vehicles for patrol met a brickwall to the shock of all. The issue is that there are inexplicable bottlenecks unknown to members of the public  that hinder progress, he seemed to be saying.

Alhaji Muhammadu Ari-Gwaska, acting executive chairman ,Federal Character Commission  used the meeting to educate the people about the workings of his commission.He said “federal character is anchored on the principle of social justice bearing in mind our diversities as a nation.It is a potent tool for managing our diversities by ensuring justice and fairness in the distribution of manpower in the public services nationwide as well as the spread of infrastructural facilities and distribution of economic amenities.’’ Alhaji Deda Attah, board chairman, federal mortgage bank of Nigeria who spoke on entrepreneur development  as a catalyst for self employment noted that the ‘most critical challenge facing entrepreneurial development in Nigeria is lack of access to finance’.This, he said, has remained a stumbling block  to the actualization of the dreams of majority of Nigerians.

Kaduna state Governor Patrick Yakowa represented by Timothy Gandu,commissioner for economic planning said his government is committed to  public service  reforms. Measures towards effective public procurement are in place and his regime is determined to ensure compliance.The Emir of Ningi,Alhaji  Yunusa Mohammed Danyaya in his goodwill message urged politicians to change their attitude towards electioneering, because in the emir’s view this  attitude to elections  is at the root of the crisis plaguing Nigeria today.Other dignitaries at the town hall meeting include Barrister Aliyu Umar, Alhaji Aliko Mohammedchairman ACF, Group Captain Usman Jibrin,Colonel J Ubah (retd) among others.

The event turned out to be a resounding success both in terms of the level of attendance and the quality of the papers presented  which dwelt on fiscal responsibility, security, corruption and  consolidation of national unity.It is an event that appears destined to attract more people next time .

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