I have seen a list being circulated in the social media of
the Federal Government appointees from Katsina state. This list is prepared to
dispel the belief in some quarters that PMB’s home state of Katsina has not
benefitted from the many offices he shared since he came to power. This list
contains ‘office holders’ ranging from the President’s personal assistant to
board chairmen and heads of some agencies.
First, I would like to thank His Excellency the President
for these appointments. The people who benefitted would be very useful to the
state if they bear in mind that they are representing the interest of their
people and work towards making sure that what is due to Katsina is given to her
without cheating other states. The sad story, however, is that most
appointments under democratic dispensation are obtained as a reward for
contributing to political campaigns and in some cases after an intensive
follow-ups that allegedly include financial inducements. That is why political
appointees are in most cases interested in the contributions they make towards
reelecting their principal as that is the surest way to retain their jobs. The
people who benefit from them, apart from their immediate family members, are thus
party stalwarts and other boot lickers contented with paltry dole outs from
such appointees. But for the teeming
responsible population, such appointments are of no use.
Kowa ya tuna bara bai
ji dadin bana ba
A very alarming crisis in Katsina state is the rate at which
the population of unemployed youth is growing. We are a polygamous people who
procreate at a very fast rate. The number of unemployed graduates and school
dropouts continue to grow every day. But I am not aware of any serious
initiative by Katsina state government to address this issue. In fact contrary
is the case.
Let me remind those who were there and inform the new born
about the military era. Since its creation in 1987 up to 1999 when Late
‘Yaradua took over, Katsina state was governed by military officers, one after
another, none of whom was an indigene of the state. Despite this, the soldiers
created an employment promotion centre which was, among other things, in charge
of deliberately looking for places at the Federal level where Katsina state was
underrepresented and following to make sure that we filled our quota. Today,
there are many senior military officers and Federal civil servants who are what
they are because of that centre.
Now the politicians have killed that initiative. Only
recently a list of naval recruits was out in which the entire Muslim North was
missing save for less than 5%. To the best of my knowledge, neither the
Governor of Katsina state nor any of his counterparts has followed to make sure
that it is reversed.
Not only are our politicians inactive when it comes to
fighting for their youth at the Federal level, even the state civil service is
permeated by non indigenes. Despite the teeming Katsina youth graduated yearly
by Umaru Musa Yaradua University, other state and Federal institutions, we now
have an unbelievable number of non-indigenes teaching nonessential subjects
like Business and Intro tech in our secondary schools. This was unknown under
the Military.
My take
Instead of celebrating political appointees, Katsina state
government under His Excellency Aminu Masari can help our people by addressing
the unemployment crisis in Katsina State. In specific terms he should resurrect
the Employment Promotion Centre of the good old days or initiate a similar agency.
In addition to placing our youth at Federal level and the private sector, the
agency should be supported to carry out other specific job creation duties.
It is very unfair to keep such a large number of non-indigenes
giving nonessential service when you have citizens of Katsina who can do
better. As a matter of urgency, therefore, I would like to call on His
Excellency the Governor to revoke all contract appointments involving non-indigenes
and replace the beneficiaries with bona fide Katsina youth.
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