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Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Elated members of the Joint National Association of People With Disabilities, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Chapter, have commended Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for extending Sallah packages to them.
The Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Abubakar Takalau, made the commendation in Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday, when he commented on the of Governor’s gesture.
According to Takalau: ‘The members of the Association have never had it so good like now, in the history of Kebbi State.
‘No governor, I repeat, no governor, no administration had remembered our members in this direction, like Governor Bagudu. Only the Almighty Allah can reward him abundantly.
‘The Governor has carved a niche for himself and we will never forget . We will continue to pray for him fervently.’
The Chairman also pledged to continue to collectively work towards ensuring the success of the State government’s programmes and policies.
One of the beneficiaries, Usman Tasha, expressed happiness with the gesture and prayed for the protection and guidance of the Governor in his quest to develop the State.
‘Let me say Alhamdulillah’ I give thanks to God and Governor Bagudu for his Sallah benevolence. We received cash and some food items. I am very much happy.’
Confirming the release of Sallah monetary assistance to groups of people with disability in the State, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishatu Maikurata, said the gesture was from the Governor.
According to her, the Governor had directed that all the leaders of persons with disability in all the State’s 21 Local Government Areas be handed their welfare for onward distribution to their members.
‘In all the 21 LGAs, I made sure that we deal directly with the leadership of persons with disability who will share the money with their members. This is a directive and staff of my ministry complied without any hesitation,’ the Permanent Secretary said.
‘To ensure accountability and transparency in the exercise, my staff issued forms to their leaders which they filled and signed.’
In a related development, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Hassan Muhammad Shallah, praised the Governor Bagudu for transforming Kebbi into what he called a ‘plausible Welfarist State.’
Shallah, who also commented on the Sallah largesse doled out to a cross-section of the people of the State, said: ‘The people of the State are evenly reaping the myriad dividends of democracy.
‘They range from assorted developmental projects like roads, hospitals, water and electricity supplies, education and other people-oriented programmes and policies.
‘Others are several poverty alleviation programmes aimed at further empowering the various strata of the people of the State, especially the vulnerable groups.
‘That Is why Kebbi State has remained a pacesetter and a trailblazer. It has remained the most peaceful and harmonious state in the country,’ he said.
Also commenting, the State Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Barrister Shehu Marshall, who is also the Chairman of Jega Local Government Area, said that all the various classes of people in the twenty-three Local Governments Areas of the State were not left out from the distribution of the Sallah packages.
‘All of them, I say, all the various strata of the citizens, be they traditional and religious leaders, women, youths and everybody.
‘It was indeed an all-inclusive gesture and Governor Bagudu has again made history as the pioneer governor to evenly touch the lives of the people like this during such festive periods.’
The Commissioner appealed to the people of the State to reciprocate the gesture of the Governor by continuing to remain law-abiding, peaceful and supportive to the various programmes and policies of the State government.
