But for Yar’Adua I might have remained Bayelsa Governor, says Jonathan Posted by: Augustine Ehikioya Recalling the lifetime of the former President, the late Umoru Musa Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he might have remained the Governor of Bayelsa State, but for the good role played by Yar’Adua. He spoke in Katsina State on Thursday night during the state banquet organized in his honour by the Katsina State Government. Without Yar’Adua, he went further to say that he might not have become President of Nigeria. He said: “My visits to Katsina are always a kind of homecoming. As you all know, without the role played by your great son, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, in my political career, I would probably still be in Yenagoa as Governor of Bayelsa State. “Without him, I probably wouldn’t have been President of Nigeria today. He was a very good boss. He was honest, forthright and patriotic. He had a great vision for Nigeria and set out to do things in a different and original manner. We all take consolation in the fact that he gave his best during the short period that he served our country. “If he were here today, I have no doubts that he would be impressed with the visible transformation that is taking place throughout the length and breadth of this state. Governor Shema and his able team deserve commendation not only for initiating new projects, but also for ensuring the completion of all the projects initiated by our late beloved President Umaru Yar’Adua who, by providence, was his, and also my own predecessor in office,” he added. Commending the state governor, Ibrahim Shema, he said: “Since our arrival this morning, we have gone round parts of the state to inspect and commission projects, and the projects that I have seen, are quite inspiring and highly commendable. They confirm what well-meaning indigenes of the state have often told me about the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of the people. “Let me use this unique opportunity to specially commend Governor Ibrahim Shema for the outstanding work that he is doing. He has shown with his commitment that what matters most in governance are the people, not politics. By justifying the trust that the people have reposed in him, he has also made the Peoples Democratic Party, our great party which he once served as Deputy National Chairman, very proud indeed.” He extended his condolences to the government of Katsina State, people of the state and families that lost loved ones in the attacks on innocent villagers in Faskari and Sabuwa local government areas. “We totally condemn the attacks which were carried out by unidentified gunmen,” he said. He also noted that Katsina State is an important beneficiary of his administration’s nationwide road construction and rehabilitation drive. “In Katsina, our administration has already completed the following roads: the Jibia – Kaura Namoda Road with a length of 97.10Km and the 97-kilometre Katsina-Daura Road at the total cost of N11 billion and the Funtua-Dayi – Yashi-Charanchi Junction of 166 kilometres at the total cost of N5.6bilion. “Apart from the completion of these roads, the Federal Government has also awarded the contract for the dualisation of the first phase of the Kano-Katsina Road to terminate at Yankamaye, the border village between Kano and Katsina states. “The construction of another 10 kilometres road from Kankara to Gurbi, with a long span bridge which will provide a short-cut from southern Katsina State to neighbouring Zamfara State, has also been contracted,” he added. The President also assured the people of the state that the contract for the 2nd phase of the dualisation of the Katsina-Kano Road from Yankamaye to Katsina metropolis will soon be awarded. “The Federal Ministry of Transport has also initiated discussions with the Katsina State government for the construction of a dry port in Daura. “We are also doing a lot in agriculture. As I pointed out at the palace of His Majesty, the Emir of Katsina, we are intervening in the agriculture sector, not as a rural development programme, but as a business with emphasis on growth across the value-chains. “Here in Katsina State, in 2013, 210,000 farmers benefited from the Federal Government Growth Enhancement Scheme, in partnership with the Katsina State Government. “As part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, I launched the dry season farm support programme to increase our food production and stimulate job creation for the youth. In 2013, over 3,300 rice farmers from Katsina State benefited from the dry season rice farming support of the Federal Government, with free seeds and subsidized fertilizers. The impact was dramatic, as Katsina State rice farmers produced a record 13,000 MT of paddy rice which added an estimated N1bn to the local economy and created over 6,000 jobs. “Katsina State is the largest producer of cotton in Nigeria. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development were supporting the revival of cotton production in partnership with the Katsina State government. Over 65,000 cotton farmers in Katsina State received improved cotton seeds and fertilizers. Four ginneries in Katsina State were revived with financial support of the Federal Government.” President Jonathan assured the people of the state that the Wind Mill power project located in the Rimi Local Government Area of the state will soon be completed. He gave the assurance when he inspected the 10 megawatts power project during his two-day official visit to the state. The Federal Government, he said, would work with the state government to ensure the project is completed and put to use as soon as possible. The Ministry of Power officials who conducted President Jonathan round the project told the President that the wind power project, the first of its kind in West Africa, was 90 per cent completed and would be ready for commissioning in three months. The funds for its completion were said to have been captured in the 2014 budget. The project was stalled for some months in 2012, following the kidnap of one of the consultants.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 14:11:26 +0000
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