By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has promised that his government is committed to creating a favourable atmosphere for all its citizens to enjoy a “good life ” and to creating the necessary environment for the citizens to triumph.
Governor Fintiri decried that it is unfortunate that the sad mood under which Nigerians celebrated last year’s independence as reflected in his speech then, still persist due to terrorism, banditry, shila cult activities, farmers/herders clash, among other Security challenges, targeting the most vulnerable people in our society.
Fintiri, however, assured Adamawa residents that his government in the last two years, has made a very strong statement aimed at strengthening the people’s resolve and faith in democracy by providing necessary and critical infrastructure for the people to achieve their goals, including creating a safe school initiative for students to return to school, providing roads across the 21 LGA’S, commenced a human capital development project, and started and completed the first fly-over in north east Nigeria in order to bring the gains of democracy to the people.
This is contained in a speech delivered by the Adamawa state Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, during Nigeria’s 61st Independence Day Celebration, in Yola, Adamawa state.
Gov. Fintiri said, “Today marks the 61st Anniversary of our Country’s Independence as a sovereign Nation.
“The first two years in office of my administration were marked by triumphs and tribulations, benefits and burdens, opportunities and challenges. We made some far reaching advances in building a strong, united and prosperous Adamawa State. We also overcame the forces of disunity that culminated in a debilitating civil insecurity. We have also renewed our faith in one another, and in our Country and proven that we are truly a resilient Nation.”
Speaking on the state of the nation, he said, “In my address to the Adamawa people last year, I did emphasised that we were in a sober moment in our Country, we are still in that mood in spite of the many accomplishments of our administration.
“Our sombreness has to do with the crises of insecurity occasioned by the activities of terrorist elements, which have done the unimaginable to challenge our unity as a people.
“On an occasion like this, it is important that we remember all the precious souls that have been lost in the unprecedented war of terror, kidnapping and the menace of Shila Boys and Farmers/Herdsmen crisis before the advent of this administration by individuals who wanted to compel us to live our lives their way.
“They have maimed. They have killed men, women and children, rendering many children orphans and several women widows.
“They have made violence their ideology and are bent on destroying the peace of the people. We will not allow them.”
Commending the relentlessness of the Nigerian Armed forces, he said, “Night after night, day after day, our Security Forces continue to engage the terrorists in battle under my watch as Governor and Chief Security Officer of Adamawa State.
“My gratitude goes out to the men and women of our armed forces whose will has been greatly challenged by this insurgency at more than any other time, since the Civil War.
“Yet, they have remained undaunted and unwearied in the face of constant challenge and mortal danger. Driven by patriotic zeal, they are turning the tide by their prowess and determination.”
Restating his commitment to strengthening security in the state, Fintiri assures that, “As Governor, I will continue to do all it takes to support Security Agencies in Adamawa State to keep on inflicting devastating blows at the heart of terror.
“Fellow Citizens, it is our collective duty as patriots to avail our men and women in uniform of all the support they need to fight and win this insecurity ravaging the Country.
“This Administration is also committed to making Adamawa safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of our places of birth, how we worship God and our political persuasion.
Adding that, “The administration’s strategy to end the Herdsmen and Farmer’s crisis has yielded positive result since the last two years. all those engaging in kidnapping, Shila against our State, I ask that you embrace peace and turn a new leaf.
“I urge every Son and Daughter of Adamawa State to put aside Political, Sectional or other parochial considerations, and support whole-heartedly the efforts of the Government in checking this evil. It should now be clear to anyone who was ever in doubt that those terrorising the people through the guise of kidnapping and Shila Boys or Cattle Rustling do not mean well for anyone, of whatever Religion or Dispensation.
“Their persistent choice of the weakest and most vulnerable in society, for gruesome attack, provides an insight into their abnormal mind-set. We will continue to deploy our resources in the fight against insecurity, recognising the great toll the conflict is taking on our people.
“This is why, to assist the afflicted, we have made critical investments in Human Capital Development to aggressively support our people and provide them with sustainable means of livelihood.”
And on the massive infrastructural leap in the state, he stressed that, “We had taken cognisance of the suggestion over the years by well-meaning Nigerians on the need to focus attention on building Adamawa that generations yet unborn will be proud of.
“It was in that regard that we commence the Giants Infrastructure Projects that litter the nooks and cranny of the State.
We have successfully delivered on that promise as we are the first State to build and commission a Fly-over in the North East.
“We are building Roads, Bridges, to make it easier to traverse the State and increase the integration of our people and our ability to do business with each other.
“We will continue to upgrade our Infrastructure to make life easier for all and create an enabling environment for enterprise to flourish.
“The result of this Infrastructural drive is that two and a half million informal jobs have been created over the past two years. This is a record, which we are committed to improve upon to continue to provide jobs for our Youth.
“Let us therefore unite with one heart and one mind. All our people must have access to the good things of life. All our people must be empowered to pursue the gift of life with happiness.
“This is our State; we must build it for our common posterity.
“The protection of individual rights, liberty, equality before the law, freedom of thought, and a progressive pursuit of a sound economy must be our goal.”
He further adds that, “We are making giant strides in the Agricultural sector which we are re-positioning through Adamawa Agro-Business Support Programme to diversify our economy.
“We have commenced the building of 1000 Housing units for our Civil Servants. It is expected that, in addition to creating additional Housing units across the State, this initiative also represents a huge job creation opportunity.
“In partnership with our Development Partners, we have also introduced the Safe Schools Initiative which is aimed at promoting safe environments for education state-wide, starting with the Deboarding of students where security is not guarantee within the State.
“Our overall objective is to do all we possibly can, to sustain the gain of Civil Service Reforms, Infrastructure/Urban Renewal, mass Housing for Adamawa Civil Servants and the momentum of Economic advancement, which is on-going in the 21 Local Government of the State despite the financial constraints orchestrated by the Corona Virus.”
Ahead of the local government council elections, the governor declared that the culture of a free and fair elections has come to stay in Adamawa state. He said,
“Our administration has made a commitment to ensure that we build and sustain a democratic infrastructure anchored on free and fair elections, especially on Local Government elections.
“Observers have attested to the positive evolution of electoral credibility of the last council election in Adamawa and we cannot afford to relent.
“We will continue to ensure that the will of the electorate prevail so that political leaders would be reminded at all times that there is a day of reckoning when they have to go back to the people at the polls.
“Election days must not be days of violence and death. We must remain vigilant to ensure that our electoral process is characterised by peace, security and transparency.”
Adding that, “As we inch towards another council election in Adamawa State, desperate moves to overheat the polity are becoming a regular occurrence. Our political leaders in particular must know that the contest for power should not translate to the destruction of the polity.
“The contest for the leadership of our council must yield good governance, and not ungovernable spaces. The love of State and Country should rank higher than our individual ambitions.
“We must remain committed to a united and indivisible State within democratic parameters.
“I enjoin the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC) all Security Agencies, Politicians and the Electorate to work conscientiously and peacefully, together, to consolidate on the gains of the recent elections.
“Free and fair elections have come to stay; nothing else will be acceptable to our people.”
The governor took time to commend the medical workers who have been in the Frontline in combating the coronavirus pandemic and called on residents to continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols in order not to diminish the gains already made in it’s fight. particularly thank the medical
The governor said he is optimistic that there are better days ahead. “As we look forward to another year in our life, I am more than confident that our tomorrow will be better than our yesterday and today.
“Adamawa Sons and Daughters have got the human and material resources to excel and we shall lead the way in that journey to our manifest destiny,” he concludes.