Looted Palliatives, Vindication of Sadiya Faruk and the Bauchi Example
By Mahmud Yahaya
AREWA AGENDA – It was on 22nd of October, just about five days ago when President Muhammadu Buhari appeared on television to address the nation on the #EndSARS protests which took the country like a storm.
Many believed his address would calm fraying nerves and bring an end to the situation where rampaging hoodlums found the protest as an opportunity to wreak havoc on innocent citizens and the Nigerian government.
Unfortunately, it had little or no effect on the situation as it took another dimension occasioned by massive lootings thereby usurping the opportunity #EndSARS protest would have brought.
However, it is a matter of fact that the activities of these hoodlums have revealed irregularities associated with the distribution of covid-19 palliatives as vested on the shoulders of state governors.
It could be recalled that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Sadiya Umar Farouq claimed the Ministry distributed covid-19 palliatives worth billions of Naira to various states to cushion the effect of the corona virus pandemic.
The federal government had earlier said the palliatives were for the most vulnerable in the society, though there were no laid down parameters for determining the most vulnerable. She was quoted to have said “there is hardly anyone who didn’t receive the Federal Government Palliatives care in this covid-19 pandemic. All the tribes in Nigeria received the palliatives; in fact it was evenly distributed”.
When she made the above assertions, it was received with boos and grumbles on the account that the Minister is a liar. Sadiya Umar Farouq was labeled all sorts of ignoble names, however, the recent operations of hoodlums on warehouses have come to vindicate the honourable minister and those who accused her are now regretful of their injustices. Thanks to the so-called hoodlums.
With allegations against state governors of having hijacked and politicized the process of the distribution of the covid-19 palliatives, I came to discover that in every general rule, there must be an exception. This brings me to Bauchi State as I neither saw, nor heard any incidence of looting or vandalism in the state.
Just at the height of the looting on warehouses where covid-19 palliatives are kept, the narrative in Bauchi State is different and I am certain this is due to the fact that His Excellency Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed could not sit in comfort while the common man is suffering hence, he had since judiciously distributed the items to the designated beneficiaries.
On 11th August, 2020, Governor Bala Mohammed launched the distribution of COVID-19 palliative to beneficiaries across all the twenty local government areas of the state. For transparency and unbiased distribution of the relief materials, Governor Bala Mohammed set up a committee headed by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Suleimanu Adamu as the chairman, the governor himself, the Deputy Governor, Sen. Baba Tela, PDP Chairman and all chairmen of political parties.
Governor Mohammed during the distribution exercise said that the relief materials to be distributed were received by the Bauchi state government from the CACOVID committee and other federal government agencies. The items include 269,350kg of rice, 100,500kg of maize, 320,000kg of beans, 795,000 pieces of spaghetti, 400,000 pieces of noodles, 16,000kg of salt, 292,934kg of sugar, 11,950 litres of palm oil, 150,000 pieces of spice cubes and 406,900kg of millet.
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During the launching of the distribution exercise, Governor Bala emphasized that any person found wanting in the distribution of the palliatives would not be spared. “I want to let you know that I have a third eye on the mode of operation of this distribution. A grain or any component of this palliative commodity diverted by any group of persons would be treated as an act of both theft and sabotage. I want to appreciate the CACOVID-19 and its foot soldiers, the federal government and its agencies, our state committee on COVID-19 and all those who are involved in the fight against COVID-19,” said the governor.
One funny event that happened on Sunday in Bauchi was that hoodlums attempted to follow the footsteps of their counter-parts in other states on the looting spree but unfortunately, what they found was contrary to their expectation.
Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir himself revealed that in the early hours of Sunday, hoodlums in Bauchi State had attempted to raid Covid-19 Palliative warehouse, but found it empty.
The governor who posted this on his verified twitter-handle said “Today, hoodlums attempted a raid on the #COVID19 palliative warehouse in Bauchi State.
“My Chief of Staff was informed and he ordered the warehouse to be opened. They looked in and saw it was empty, and they turned back. And that’s because we shared everything to beneficiaries as at when due, unlike other states where the state governors have no explanation as to the reason why the palliatives meant to be distributed to the vulnerable were hoarded in warehouses.
“For accountability, when we started distribution months ago, I ensured to set up a high-powered committee that included myself, my deputy, the State PDP Chairman and Chairmen of all political parties in the state, including traditional rulers, and others.
The core of my mandate remains the crucial drive to give Bauchi State citizens a better prospect and more excellent opportunity for a prosperous life. We are doing this, and we will continue to do more. #GreaterBauchi”
A report says the president through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, charged religious leaders to ask their subjects, parents to tell their children, wives and husbands to return looted palliatives. At this trying time? To return to the governors? When some of these looters are convinced it is God-given booty? Perhaps the president has forgotten the saying that ‘a hungry man is an angry man’.
My position may appear sympathetic to the looters, no! I shall never as a law abiding citizen be an advocate to crime. As a matter of fact, I align with the presidents assertion that attack on private property would scare away investors and is inimical to our economy. However, I am left in between as to whether to commend the looters for looting undistributed covid-19 palliatives or some state governors for hoarding. I think no one is innocent if justice must prevail.
As all these drama keeps unfolding, I couldn’t help but link it with the popular saying that an idle mind is a devil workshop. Youths’ restiveness and joblessness which are major factors that propelled the protests, lootings and vandalism attested to the above saying. It unveils the level of poverty and unemployment among the youths of today.
Although the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had come up with different initiatives to better the lives of youths, women and children such as the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) to mention but a few. Additionally, the Federal government has introduced new initiatives like, the Special Public Works Programme (SPWP) aimed at providing employment to 774,000 youths from the 774 LGAs across the country which is slated to commenced by November, 2020, the establishment N75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund aimed at turning youths into entrepreneurs, wealth creators, and employers of labour, and other poverty alleviation schemes. There is need to expedite the process for implementation.
I wish to call the attention of the Federal Government to, whenever any relief materials are allocated to states for distribution to the poor masses, set up a committee that will monitor and ensure they are distributed at the right time and to the right persons. Failure to do that, is tantamount to giving saboteurs the chance to proceed with their sabotage of this administration.
Mahmud Yahaya, writes from Bauchi State University, Gadau via [email protected]
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through positive narratives.
