Governor Idris Wada has pledged to implement the 2010 white paper on the political crisis in the central senatorial district of Kogi State.
The governor made the promise when Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, representing Kogi Central in the Senate, led a high-powered delegation from the district to Lugard House to discuss the way forward for the current security challenges in the area at the weekend.
Wada, who was commended at the meeting for his prompt response to the recent slaughter of over 20 innocent citizens including two soldiers, equally vowed to lift the curfew imposed in the central axis of the state soon.
“I will implement the white paper on the investigation that was done in 2010. We will review it and we will implement them. I have no problem in implementing government position on the white paper. If there are changes that have occurred since then, that have brought new dimensions, we will look at them and take actions that are current and are in the best interest of all our people.”
Speaking earlier, Abatemi-Usman while presenting the position of his constituents lauded the governor for seeing consultation as paramount in tackling issues affecting the people.
He said “Your Excellency, your meeting with us today gives us hope that you have embraced the spirit of consultation and that you want to listen to your people. Yesterday, i was privileged to host a meeting of concerned citizens from my constituency, many of whom are here today – and our deliberations produced some key action point – prayers of the people – that we humbly request to share with you: address the issue of unemployment, which has made some people susceptible to manipulation by evil-doers. Suggestions to tackle unemployment include: reviving Ajaokuta Steel; providing scholarships to the less privileged; creating jobs for new graduates to encourage others to pursue education.”
The Senator observed that “In the past six years, official investigations, first in 2007, with a committee led by the eminent Gen. Chris Alli (rtd), then again in 2010 with another committee led by a Commissioner, raised some laudable recommendations in a government white paper on securing lasting peace in Kogi Central. Shockingly, the past administration decided to handle our people’s grave situation with reckless frivolity, platitudes and aloofness in order to protect their protegees. Not surprisingly, nothing has come out of those recommendations as we speak.”
In their separate remarks, General Emmanuel Abisoye and Dr. Tom Adaba expressed confidence in the ability of Wada to pilot the affairs of the state to greater heights, while urging him to work closely with political officer holders from the central senatorial district, particularly, Senator Abatemi-Usman and Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bello.