Potiskum Students’ Killings: Yobe Declares Friday Public Holiday

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam

•Borno launches food-for-all initiative

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam has declared Friday as a public holiday to enable Muslims and Christians across the state to offer special prayers for the repose of the souls of the students who were recently killed in the attack on a secondary school in the state.

The governor also asked that the holiday be used to pray for the quick recovery of scores of students injured in the suicide attack on the Potiskum school as well as for the restoration of peace in the state and the country in general.

Gaidam made the declaration at the conferment of Merit and Productivity Award and the title of ‘Garkuwan Matasa’  (Shield of Yobe Youth) on him yesterday in Damaturu.

Also  honoured with awards were 26 civil servants and organisations who were said to have made remarkable  contributions to the development of the state.

It was revealed at the occasion that the state government has expended N2.4 billion on payment of allowances to 6,572 diploma holders, who were engaged in the state’s Special Youth Empowerment Programme in the last two years.

Making the disclosure is the Chairman, Yobe State Committee on Special Empowerment Programme (YSCSEP), Mr Kati Machina.

Machina said the conferment of the award on the governor by the youths in the state did not come to him as a surprise considering the immense contributions the present administration is rendering to the people of the state.

He said during the period under review, the committee swung into action, and since inception of the programme, the state government has expended N2.4 billion and created job opportunities for 6,572 beneficiaries between November 2012 and October 2014.

He revealed further that out of this number, 3424 were given short term induction courses by the National Teachers Institute (NTI), after which they were engaged to teach in Primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

Also speaking at the occasion, the State Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Dauda Yahaya said, apart from prompt payment of salaries and allowances to civil servants with workforce presently standing at 26,265, the governor has introduced a number of staff welfare packages which include the Home Owner-Occupier Scheme at 65 per cent  discount, payment of furniture loan, settlement of medical bills and medical assistance to both civil servants and members of general public.

The HOS said this year, the sum of N55.7 million  was spent on medical treatment of 146 persons both at home and abroad, this is in addition to the settlement of pension and gratuity of retiring workers which cost about N2.3 billion from January 2012 to date.

Gaidam, while congratulating the beneficiaries and other awardees, promised to fulfill his promises to transform  education, health, agricultural sectors and ensure provision of general welfare for all citizenry.

While Gaidam seems focused on education, his Borno State counterpart, Governor
Kashim Shettima is set to tackling the basic need of food to his people as he  introduced a programme: “Food for All Initiative” yesterday, aimed at making food available on all tables in the state in order to cushion the effect of Boko Haram insurgency on the people of the state.

Speaking during the launch of the programme in Maiduguri,  the governor decried the effect of the  insurgency, which has seriously affected the socio-economic and political life of his people, revealing that his government came up with the measures “to enable the citizens continue with their lives, while intensifying prayers for God’s intervention.”

He explained that the food-for-all initiative was meant for all people resident in the state irrespective of tribe, religious affiliation, political differences or any other consideration, insisting that: “Government is for the people.”

The governor while disclosing that each household is expected to get a medium bag of rice, oil, a bag of processed grain and an undisclosed amount of money as succour, promised that his government would continue to procure food for the people.

He however did not state the frequency of the supply of food items.
Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Grema Terab noted that the programme was designed to improve the general welfare of the people.

He said the agency also established an organising committee to ensure smooth distribution of the food items. “The organising committee of the state emergency agency has devised a means of identifying beneficiaries, contacting them, capturing their data accurately and landing their intended food items.”

Source: Thisdaylive....