(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/CSC_00211-300x199.jpg) The Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shehu Shema has said that any nation that hopes to grow cannot afford to promote disunity among its people, emphasizing that the diversity in Nigeria should be seen as a strength rather than a division.
According to the Governor, the people of the nation should harp more on what unites them as a nation and not what divides them as a people. He pointed out that the people need to appreciate the fact that since the country was currently going through what he described as the learning process of democracy, mistakes were bound to be made but what was important is that those mistakes are observed and corrected.
Speaking when members of the National Good Governance Tour paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House on Tuesday, Governor Shema equally charged politicians and the media to ensure that they build the confidence of the people in the country's democracy.
"The media can help and the media can destroy. We must at all times work in such a manner that will ensure that the media in Nigeria help this country and its people to develop", he stated.
"You should not engage in a pull him down syndrome but you should have a policy of help your brother and help your nation. We cannot pretend that our country's democracy which is barely 12 years old should match the democracy of a nation that has been at it for over 250 years. If we do that, we are not doing justice to our young and growing democracy or our nation or our youths or indeed ourselves.
"We are learning, we make mistakes and we correct them. We should move forward. We should be courageous enough to tell ourselves where we have gone wrong and take steps to correct them. That is the way this nation can hold firm", the Governor stressed.
Shema also appreciated the visit of the NGGT Team to Katsina saying that the Tour was a fundamental instrument to begin a discussion. "It is a time for us to talk to ourselves and see what we can do to improve on the services we are delivering to our people. The Good Governance Tour is a platform by which people can learn. Leaders can be accountable for what they are doing. The world should be let to know exactly the progress and development democracy is making in Nigeria", said the Governor.
He further stated that democracy cannot thrive without rule of law and press freedom. Governor Shema was however quick to point out that such freedom should not be abused as the ethics of the profession as well as responsible and objective reporting should be adhered to. "Press Freedom means even if there is a criticism against the Federal, State or Local Government is should be objective with a view to correcting leaders.
Nobody is infallible. Therefore, where leadership makes mistake especially in leading a great and large black African country like Nigeria with over a hundred and seventy million people it is easy to make mistakes but it is important to correct it and help the leaders to correct it", he stated.
Highlighting the achievements of his administration since coming into office, the Katsina Governor also emphasized that the state has not borrowed any money locally or internationally to fund any of its projects.
The State Governor told the Team that his administration chose to complete all existing and abandoned projects in the state before embarking on new ones. "As I'm speaking to you today, there is not a single project left behind by our late amiable President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as governor here that has not been completed. The contractors have been paid and equipments and facilities have been put to use", Shema declared.
Some of those projects include the Umaru Musa Yar'Adua University (completed within 18 months), Child and Maternal Health Hospital Foundation, Expansion of Katsina International Airport which can accommodate Boeing 747 aircrafts, electrification and water supply projects.
"Our focus was then centred on three critical areas which include, Agriculture, Education, Solid Minerals Development and Youth Empowerment", Governor Shema added.
In his remarks earlier, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku said the Team was in Katsina State in continuation of the National Good Governance Tour as decided by the 36 state governors.
"Katsina is special to us because this Government of His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan is a Government that originated in a partnership between him and our late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua of blessed memory. May God bless his soul. That partnership is responsible for all the progress we are seeing in the country today and the President considers Katsina as his second home state as far as the leadership and governance of this country is concerned", Maku noted.
He restated that the NGGT was designed to fill a very important gap in the polity. He said since the advent of democracy development has not been reported. "That is why we have decided to keep partisanship aside to see what Federal, State and Local Governments are doing for the people who voted us into office", the Minister explained.
"In this case development has no political coloration. If you build a road in Katsina no one needs to present his political party card to be able to drive on that road. If you build a hospital you don't have to belong to a political party to receive healthcare", Mr. Maku reiterated.
The Information Minister insisted that "We must find a way of engaging people especially the political class in discussing development".
Maku said the Tour has been very revealing stating that "This is the 19th State we are visiting and in all the states we have gone there is evidence of development and work in progress"
Also highlighting Federal Government interventions all over the country, Maku said the President had prioritized his development plan. He said Federal Government was building 10 new power plants and would deliver on the 2000 mega watts Mambilla power plant initiated since the 1960s in addition to improving transmission infrastructure in the country. "From 2014 second quarter most of the power plants we are building will be ready and we are expecting more stable electricity", the Minister said.
He equally said the railways were being restored. "We have finished Kano-Lagos, we will finish Kano-Maiduguri in December and we are half way building the modern rail line from Abuja to Kaduna and it will be extended also up to Kano. We have started the one from Ibadan to Abuja and we have started designing the one that would take us to South South States, South East and other parts of the country. Standard modern gauge rail lines", Maku said.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria