By Nuhu Salihu Anka
My attention has been drawn to a bunch of guff by one Ibrahim Magaji Dosara( former commissioner of information) when he organized a press conference, at Kaduna challenging the recent interview granted to Arise TV by the Executive Governor of Zamfara state, Dr. Dauda Lawal.
During the press conference, Dosara talked foolishly and shamelessly against Governor Dauda Lawal in an effort to impress his paymaster, Bello Mattawalle.
I would have ignored Dosara’s blunders and leave the matter to the people of the state to judge particularly the civil servants who were denied payment of their three months salaries and the former Governor’s aides who did not collect their severance allowance due to cash crunch during Matawalle’s administration, but I find it very imperative to react in order to put the records straight.
During the Arise TV interview, Governor Dauda Lawal came out clearly and informed the whole world that his predecessor, Bello Matawalle left only four Million Naira in the government’s coffers which ibrahim Dosara was trying to dispute during the press conference, calling it “a blatant lie”.
Dosara shamelessly told the journalists during the press conference that his paymaster former Governor Bello Mattawalle left N14 billion bond proceeds, N2.6 billion accresals world bank funds, N6.3 billion UBE grants and N2.7 billion NGcares World Bank funds investment totalling to the sum of N42 billion to his successor Governor Dauda Lawal.
If the above amount was in the government’s coffers during Matawalle’s administration, then one would have asked Dosara to explain why his paymaster refused to settle the three months salaries of the civil servants and also denied his aides their severance allowance.
Infact, the former Governor had seriously mismanaged the state government’s resources on White-elephant’s projects and did not leave any legacy worthy of commendation throughout the state. He left huge debts, while the state went bankrupt during his tenure.
The people of the state are lucky to have Governor Dauda Lawal as their leader, otherwise Zamfara state would have been ungovernable because his predecessor Bello Matawalle had inflicted serious economic injury to the state which would be very difficult to heal.
In just few months, Governor Dauda Lawal used his vast experience as an economist to rebuild the state’s already bastardized economy. He was able to pay the three months salaries of the state civil servants and has also implemented the N30,000 minimum wage which the previous administrations refused to implement. He has also implemented the recent N70,000 national minimum wage.
As I am writing this rejoinder, Zamfara state is not owing anybody both within and outside the country, while government policies and programs are going on unhindered, unlike in the previous administrations when the state had to go cap in hand to borrow money and pay salary.
Dosara has already mentioned that, the former Governor Bello Mattawalle was not able to pay the civil servants their three months salaries because the banks refused to give him loans on the orders of Dauda Lawal before he took over the mantle of leadership.
This is shameful on the part of Bello Mattawalle. The banks had decided to stop giving out loans to the state because it was bankrupt and nobody would give you loans if he knows that you have no financial capacity to pay back the loan. That was what exactly happened during the tenure of Matawalle. So don’t blame Dauda.
The people of the state are currently noticing developmental projects both at rural and at the urban areas. Gusau town, the state capital is now wearing a new look and is competing with other important cities in the country.
Dosara has also accused Governor Dauda Lawal of not paying much attention to security situation in the state. This is laughable because everyone knows that the security situation in the state is far better at the moment than when Bello Matawalle was the Governor. I don’t want to play politics with security, as such I don’t want to delve much on Dosara’s baseless accusations.
Again, I want to remind Dosara that, his paymaster is the Minister of Defence whose responsibility it is to ensure the protection of lives and properties of the people of the country. It is a shame for you to challenge Governor Dauda Lawal on security issue despite the fact that he is doing well more than his predecessor. Ask your paymaster to tell us the efforts he has been doing to secure his home state and the entire country.
Finally, I want to advise Dosara and his paymaster to stop wasting their time as there is no amount of blackmail and campaign of calumny that could deter Governor Dauda Lawal from executing the people oriented projects.
He has started well and by the grace of God he will finish well in both first and second term in office. Dauda Lawal has come on a rescue mission and the people of the state have started reaping the dividend of democracy.
Nuhu Anka is the
Director General
Media and communication
Government House, Gusau
