2017-2019 Multi-Year Budget of Jobs, Social Justice and Equity

Address by Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, at the presentation of the draft 2017 Revenue and Expenditure Estimates to the Kaduna State House of Assembly; Lugard Hall, Kaduna; Wednesday, 12 October 2016.

PROTOCOLS

Let me begin with a word of thanks to Mr. Speaker and all our Honourable Lawmakers for receiving us in these hallowed chambers. On behalf of the Executive Branch, permit me to acknowledge with profound gratitude the commitment that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has demonstrated to an enduring partnership in the interest of our people. This tribute is fully deserved, and can be attested to by the sheer number of laws that thisHouse has passed in the last 16 months to put our state back on the track of social justice, equity and equal opportunities for all our citizens.

I recall with gratitude the thoroughness with which you considered the draft 2016 estimates, which you kindly passed in record time. That enabled us to sign the 2016 Budget by 22 December 2015, and issue expenditure warrants effective January 1, 2016.With your legislative diligence and support, we have now institutionalised a system that aligns the fiscal year with the calendar year.

Thus far, our government is playing its role as a catalyst of development, an enabler of private enterprise, a facilitator of opportunity for the distressed and marginalised majority whom we have now made the recipient of our spending on the social sector and for the expansion of economic openings. This government supports and encourages aspiration, and is broadening access to education, healthcare and training. We are mounting a concerted assault on the causes of poverty by providing the less-privileged a substantive ladder to a better life, upward mobility and social justice.

This has been a challenging year on a macroeconomic level. A sustained and severedecline in national revenues in a mono-product, import-dependent economy and the attendant deteriorating exchange rate of the Naira have fuelled inflation, resulting in a contraction of the national economy. This is part of the consequences of the previous eight years when the Yar’Adua and Jonathan governments reduced the Excess Crude Account from $27bn to $2bn, ran down foreign resrves from $40bn to $25bn while managing to double the sovereign debt and squandering billions of dollars in oil revenues along the way. This is exclusive of revenues from NIMASA, NLNG, NPA and other agencies. With pipleline vandalism and oil prices going as low as $26 per barrel post-29 May 2015, the economy was up against it.

Across the country, the fact of a fiscal crisis is deeply felt as many state governments find it hard to meet their salary obligations regularly and comprehensively. Kaduna State has been spared the worst of this fiscal crisis, due to our early effort to shrink the size of government, curtail waste and fraud, and the discipline that the TSA you legislated, enabled us to impose on public finances.

With the public sector at the national level so buffeted, it is no surprise that the private sector is at best tentative in its investment choices. There is no doubt that the managers of the national economy are taking prompt action towards rebuilding investor confidence, to align fiscal and monetary policy and restore the clarity that business cherishes. These must be accelerated and implemented with the urgency the economy deserves.

At this point, permit me to pay tribute to the support Kaduna State has received from President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo, aided by the CBN governor and the ministers of Finance, Works, and Budget and Planning.

The troubled national economy is an impediment, in a fiscal structure where the Federal Government is the dominant revenue source, and where only one of 36 states – Lagos - has achieved the revenue independence that all state governments must strive to attain. That is why we are working hard to grow our internally-generated revenues (IGR) to help make our state less dependent on federal allocations. In June 2016, for the first time in the history of the state, we raised more than N1.6bn as IGR for the month.

We are accelerating and broadening tax-payer registration. We shall soon propose foryour approval lower ground rents and other land –related charges to encourage claimants to land throughout the state to obtain certificates of occupancy, while introducing land use charges and garbage collection dues in our urban areas of Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan.

To further emphasise our determination to raise more revenues, we have notified all MDAs that we will be so strict on revenue targets that in 2017, the release of their budgeted overheads will be linked to each Ministry or agency’s revenue performance.

Review of the 2016 Budget
Despite these difficult headwinds, the Kaduna State Government has persisted with a determined effort to implement the Restoration Programme, the document in which we set out our plans to change Kaduna State and make it great again.

The 2016 Budget was structured to align spending towards pro-poor priorities, mainly in Education and Health. Our interventions in the sectors have improved access to learning and healthcare. We launched the School Feeding Programme for primary schools, which in January 2016 began providing one meal every school day to 1.5m pupils. By May, we had expanded the Programme to include 0.3m children in our early child education segments of the primary schools, thus bringing the total to nearly 1.8m children. This initiative to improve the nutrition of children in public primary schools was costing the state about N1.1bn every month. At the end of the 2015/2016 session, we decided to put into effect lessons learned in the first seven months of the programme. This review includes a re-examination of the entire vendor recruitment and payment processes to secure better value for money through biometric verification. The 2016/17 school session has began with enrollment of pupils that is projected to rise to more than 2m pupils.

We have decided to delay the commencement of our primary SFP in this session until this re-examination is concluded and we are reimbursed by the Office of the Vice-President (OVP) for the matching grant to cover part of the expenses incurred on the programme from January to July 2016. We were encouraged to be a pilot state for the School Feeding Programme and began implementing the programme when we did based on assurances that we will be reimbursed for the feeding of pupils in primary classes 1 to 3, which account for more than 60% of the monthly cost of the feeding. We are aware that the OVP is making every effort to hasten the reimbursement to enable the state to continue this laudable implementation of a key APC manifesto commitment.  

We made a start at the rehabilitation of schools and the provision of furniture, water and toilets. With more than N6bn already spent to make over 400 schools better, a gargantuan investment is required to extend it to all our 4,265 primary schools. This, we are committed to achieving. We have also realized that what our state education needs is a total rebuilding programme of classrooms and physical facilities, and intensive teacher training, rather than rehabilitation of dilapidated and congested facilities manned by largely unqualified teachers. We intend to complete existing contracts while launching a comprehensive rebuilding programme in 2017, by God’s Grace.

Our Health Sector made great strides with the efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Strong commitments to routine immunisation continue, and our investments to protect our children from preventable diseases are being vigorously supported by our development partners. We have signed agreements with General Electric Healthcare for the modernisation of 255 primary health centres (one in each of our wards). The rehabilitation and preparation of these PHCs to receive life-saving equipment will kick off soon, and will be completed in early 2017.

We continue to deliver free health care to children under-5, pregnant women and the elderly. On HIV/AIDS, we have made progress in slowing the scourge as a testing programme that covered over 126,000 pregnant women across the state has revealed about 0.3% prevalence. We have secured accreditation for Barau Dikko Hospital as a teaching hospital for Kaduna State University, even as we continue to refurbish our general hospitals. We have responded to the recent malaria epidemic by making anti-malarial drugs free for all citizens and ramped up the distribution of free bed-nets in our public hospitals. The Ministry of Health and Human Services will fumigate parts of our state where the epidemic appears most prevalent to improve preventive care.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, in the outgoing budget year, we coupled robust investments in the social sector with strong support for the economic sector. Through creative negotiations with private manufacturers and suppliers, we secured affordable fertilizer for our farmers without burdening the treasury with the cost of fertilizer subsidy. We recovered significant acreage of forest reserves and commenced a tree-planting campaign that aims to beautify our state through greenery, combat desertification and create jobs and economic opportunities. Such is the robustness of our commitment to safeguarding agriculture that we were the first state to begin containment of the ravages that Tuta absoluta caused to our tomato crop by declaring an emergency and nipping it in the bud in an effective and timely manner.

We recorded tremendous progress in our drive to improve infrastructure to make life more comfortable for our people and expand opportunities for business. This year, we brought the Zaria Water Project closer to completion. We liquidated the N3.6bn arrears of payment owed the treatment plant contractor by the previous administration. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the 150 million litres per day water treatment plant is scheduled for commissioning in December 2016. The pipes that will transmit and distribute the water to Zaria, and all the eight local government areas captured in the project, are already being laid. We are working towards ensuring that the Zaria Water Project is a completed reality in 2017.

Other achievements in the infrastructure sector within the year in review are solar street lights, street naming and the reconstruction of township roads that began with Kaduna metropolis. The dualisation of roads in Rigasa, Barnawa and Ungwar Dosa were delayed to ensure that we completed the payment of compensation for affected buildings before commencing work. We are continuing with the Kawo-Lugard Hall Road expansion project which this government inherited. We renegotiated the contract price and saved N1.1bn on the cost while maintaining the scope, specifications and standards.

We also settled many outstanding inherited liabilities to contractors, in order to discharge due obligations and rescue the businesses of the concerned contractors from strangulation. We have focused on paying the smaller debts that are no higher than N10 million after negotiations to reduce levels of contract inflation. So far, we are on track to pay over N3bn in inherited liabilities before end of the 2016, by God’s Grace..

Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, we organised the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADInvest) in April 2016. The summit gave us a platform to demonstrate that Kaduna is open for business, and that we have the policy environment, the laws and the people that can enable investments to thrive and create jobs for our teeming youths.KADInvest was successful, and the state is the recipient of many investment projects arising from the substantive impression we made at the summit. Olam in Chikun Local Government and Vicampro in Kaura Local Government have since broken ground on their respective agro-allied investments. Dangote Industries is siting a tomato industry in Kubau Local Government, while many other multi-million dollar investments are at various advanced stages of discussion in agriculture, mining, solar energy, electronics and automotive assembly.

At KADInvest, we announced that we regard Agriculture and Mining as areas of comparative advantage. Investors agree, and we expect mining investments to unfold to match or surpass those already announced in Agriculture. Before the recent announcement of the huge nickel deposits in Dangoma, we had issued a tender for a gold ore processing centre in Birnin-Gwari. Our artisanal miners know that this government is their partner in ensuring that their contribution to mining continues even when the big mining firms arrive. The state mining company (KMDC) participated in the recent mining conference in Australia as part of a delegation led by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Architect Barnabas Yusuf Bala. Kaduna is now visible on the global miningmap on behalf of Nigeria as a whole.

Another significant outcome of KADInvest was the presentation of the State Development Plan, 2016-2020, a document that offers policy certainty regarding the direction and goals of the Kaduna State Government in the next few years. The State Development Plan is a roadmap that is based on our campaign promises and manifesto commitments, and its successful attainment is a cardinal goal of ours.

The 2016 Budget is also a learning experience for us. Its implementation was impacted by some challenges, including low revenues, the economic recession and procurement delays from some of our ministries, departments and agencies. As we explained during the quarterly budget report to this esteemed Assembly, the capital budget utilisation has been the highest in the state for years, but we expected to hit higher figures before the financial year closes in December. In mitigation, with the volume of tenders already issued in 2016, and better grip of the procurement process by the MDAs, capital utilisation in 2017 will be closer to expectations.

As a sub-national government with no control over monetary policy, the state budget is our key fiscal policy tool and only opportunity to insulate the state economy from further negative shocks and turn the tide towards growth and development. The budget is also our most important mechanism towards achieving the goals of the State Development Plan 2016-2020.

All these lessons and targets have been taken onboard in designing the 2017- 2019 draft estimates.

At this point, Mr. Speaker, it is pertinent to recall the condition of the state at the time we assumed responsibility for leading it. This is important for promoting understanding of the context within which we have to govern, and to underline the magnitude of the challenge. We are doing this not for the purpose of passing the buck; we have no doubt that despite the epidemic of amnesia in certain quarters, most fair-minded people need no reminder about those who squandered historic revenue windfalls and left our schools with no furniture, presiding for 16 years over lamentable levels of infant and maternal mortality, abject infrastructure, much waste and puny IGR.
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The Kaduna State We Met
At the inception of this government on 29th May 2015, there was now an opportunity to collect solid data and go beyond anecdotes in understanding the socio-economic situation of our people. While anecdotal information had been widely utilized in the past, there was no concrete evidence on the livelihoods of the population which could be used to target policies, programmes and projects to areas of greatest need. To address that, a General Household Survey was conducted across the State to provide us with a true picture of the Kaduna State we inherited, and the results are alarming.

The survey clearly shows that this government inherited a situation where more than half of our women are giving birth at home, one in two adults is unemployed, alarmingly high child mortality rates, lack of drugs and poor provision of medical services in publichospitals, neglect of the physically-challenged, poor birth and death registration, low-school enrolment and attendance, inadequate supply of potable water, and other poor economic indices which are unacceptable to any reasonable and responsible leadership.

Also, a School Census was conducted and the results are equally distressing. It shows that;
i. There are at least 3135 schools with no source of water
ii. There are 4077 schools with no source of electric power
iii. The student completion rate is 24.17%, 54.94% and 70.14% for primary, junior secondary (JSS) and senior secondary (SSS) respectively.
iiii. Poor teacher/student ratio in public schools
v. High level of unqualified teachers
vi. High frequency of repetition among students
vii. Unacceptably high school dropout rate
viii. Poor school enrolment rate; and
ix. High number of dilapidated public schools

To better understand our economy, we conducted for the first time in the history of Kaduna State a State Gross Domestic Product (GDP) survey. The survey shows that the economy of Kaduna State is about $11.3bn (N2.2trn) compared to the National GDP which stands at N94.1trn. The State therefore contributes about 2.3% to the National GDP even though we are about 5% of the population and land area of the country. We are therefore not pulling our weight and are not where we should be as a state. Our economy is small, with meagre diversification, resulting in high unemployment and poverty. Thus, economic transformation through the development of productive sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and mining is critical.

It is estimated that 36% of Kaduna’s GDP is accounted for by agriculture while services account for 45.5%. The Agriculture sector is a major source of raw materials for industries and thereby has the potential of boosting the industrial sector. Cash and food crops produced in the state include yam, cotton, groundnut, tobacco, soyabeans, maize, beans, guinea corn, millet, ginger, rice and cassava. Livestock reared include poultry, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Small scale farmers dominate agricultural production in the State.

Kaduna State has over 80 commercial and manufacturing industries. Goods that are manufactured in the state include automobiles, textiles, aluminum, dairy products, toiletries and petroleum products. However, a previously booming textile industry’s contribution to the overall growth of the state has declined.  Textiles contribute about 2 per cent of the state GDP currently.

What We Are Doing About It
To achieve the vision of making Kaduna State great again, this government focuses on four major areas namely;
i. Economic Development
ii. Social Welfare
iii. Security and Justice; and
iiii. Governance

To implement policies in these four broad areas, the Government has produced a five-year crowed-sourced State Development Plan, 2016 – 2020 which outlines the aspirations of the Government to restore our State to its former glory. The plan includes a strategic framework to realize our vision, resource projections to guide and prioritize expenditure and an implementation plan to deliver results and monitor progress.

Also, each sector ministry or agency has developed a Sector Implementation Plan (SIP) which provides a basis for linking the State Development Plan with the annual budget. Each SIP features the programmes, projects and activities earmarked for implementation during the Plan period (2017 – 2020). The SIP was used as a prerequisite for the 2017-2019 medium-term budget. The implementation plan clearly states the policy, strategies and result chain for each sector.

This logical linkage between the SDP and the Annual Budget ensures that State Government expenditures as contained in the annual budget are in line with State Government priorities as articulated in the SDP, thus enhancing the effectiveness of public expenditures. Such a seamless transition from the SDP through SIPs to the budget will ensure efficiency and effectiveness in government operations.

Mr. Speaker, Sir,
With your enactment of the Public Finance (Management and Control) Law 2015, Kaduna State acted swiftly to adopt the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and a Zero-Based Budgeting framework to correct the wrongs of previous budgets as a preferable way of managing the public finances of the State. Overall, with the active cooperation of this Honourable House of Assembly, we have laid a solid legal and regulatory framework by the enactment of key legislation and establishment of agencies some of which are:
i. Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA) Law
ii. Tax Codification Law establishing the Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS)
iii. Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) Law
iiii. Pension Reform Law establishing the State Pension Board
v. Public Finance (Management and Control) Law
vi. Kaduna Master Plan (Enforcement) Law
vii. Fiscal Responsibility Law establishing the Fiscal Responsibility Commission
viii. Public Procurement Law establishing the Public Procurement Authority
ix. Facilities Management Law establishing the Facilities Management Agency (KADFAMA)

These laws that you passed and the agencies they established created an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and complement the efforts of the State Government.

Mr. Speaker, we shall be advancing the process of creating a legislative and policy environment that eases life for our people and businesses. Therefore, we shall be approaching the House in 2017 with the following aspects of our 2017 legislative agenda:

1. Penal Code Bill to repeal the 1963 Law.
2. Mortgage and Foreclosure Bill to make it easier for residents to access mortgages that they can repay over 15-20 years.
3. Administration of Criminal Justice Bill to domesticate the (ACJA) and acceleratecriminal procedure in our courts.
4. Schools Management Board and School-based Management Committee Bill to involve local communities in managing our primary and secondary schools.
5. Peace Commission Bill to create an agency that proactively identifies and manages sources of conflict.
6. Budget and Planning Commission Bill to convert the Ministry of Budget and Planning into a professionalized Commission, and establish an Economic Planning Board.
7. Civil Procedure Bill: to do for civil cases what the ACJA is doing for criminal cases, to update the post-colonial law and hasten the adjudication of civil disputes.
8. Fire Law to update the colonial legislation, and devolve the operation of fire stations to local government councils.
9. Kaduna State Road Authority (KADRA) Bill to replace KAPWA and regulate road construction and maintenance throughout the state.
10. Kaduna Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) Bill to regulate mass transit, including the proposed light rail.
11. A new Forestry Bill to update the colonial law and devolve the administration of forests to local governments.
12. Local Government Reform Bill;
13. State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) Amendment Bill.
14. Legislation for a new Scholarship and Student Loans Scheme in place of the current dysfunctional scholarship scheme.
15. Media Corporation Bill to create a neutral public service broadcaster that will educate, entertain, inform and enlighten the public, devoid of partisanship and that can operate in a commercialized environment.
The state expects an infusion of N800bn in private investments in the next five years. Already, the State has benefitted from investments such as the $150m poultry/hatchery/feedmill - the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa started by Olam group, the $10 million Tomato Farming and Processing investment by the Dangote Group, and the $120 million Potato Farming and Processing investment by Vicampro, and other multi-billion investments at various stages of negotiations..

The Government is determined to continue the allocation of resources to the identified critical areas of need that will ensure the people of the State are better-off. This is not a small task, but we believe that no amount of investment is too much for the people to enjoy a decent livelihood and that we are resolved to do.

Guiding principles for the 2017 Budget
The 2017-2019 Multi-Year Budget is hinged on the 2016 Zero-Based Budget principles and is tailored towards the actualization of our State Development Plan 2016-2020. The revenue estimates are based on $39 benchmark for crude oil prices and expectations of vastly improved performance in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The proposed budget size reflects a focus on completing our 2016 projects, expanding investments in productive infrastructure, continuing to repress overheads and providing for a rise in personnel costs due to the establishment of new agencies and to fund the public service revitalization and renewal programme.  In essence, we are doing our bit to help reflate the economy and stimulate recovery in our state.

The key targets from a fiscal perspective are:
• Ensuring adequate provision for the completion in 2017 of projects and procurements initiated in 2016;
• Ensuring the actualization of the development priorities of the government as articulated in the State Development Plan (SDP) and respective Sector Implementation Plans (SIPs);
• Maintaining a favourable proportion of Capital to Recurrent expenditure (a target of 60%:40%);
• Leverage N800 billion in PPP funding between 2016 and 2020;
• Maintain a sustainable debt position in line with Federal Debt Management office (FDMO) criteria
• Expand the revenue base of the state by exploring untapped sources
• Improve economic growth through investment in physical infrastructure
• Eliminating wastage and other unjustifiable expenditure that are not clearly linked to policy objectives; and
• Continue interventions in the social sector that will enable the less privileged have opportunities to grow through targeted investments in education and healthcare.




SUMMARY OF THE 2017 DRAFT REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES

Mr. Speaker, Sir,
The size of the proposed 2017 Budget is N215,921,110,176.68, includingN85,572,039,923.82 of Recurrent Expenditure and N130,349,070,252.86 in Capital Expenditure. Thus for the 2017 fiscal year, we are presenting estimates representing 40% as Recurrent Expenditure and 60% as Capital Expenditure.

This is a significantly larger budget size than the N189.9bn we initially considered. We presented the draft estimates for discussion through consultations with the private sector, civil society and, finally to the general public, at a town hall meeting.

The outcome of these consultations convinced us that we had to be even bolder in proposing an expansionary budget in these difficult economic times. We are convinced that the pursuit of economic recovery is a pressing mandate. Even with the limited influence any of the 36 states can alone exert on our national economic fortune, we can encourage some buoyancy in each of our states and collectively support the effort of the Federal Government to secure economic recovery. Moments of recession have an outsized adverse effect on the most vulnerable and we must not let it persist.

Therefore, we reinforce our commitment to social justice by retaining high levels of spending on our social programmes. Social justice obliges us to sustain investments in Education, Health, Infrastructure and Social Development.

The details of the draft 2017 estimates are presented below:

General Summary of Income and Expenditure
DESCRIPTION
2016 APPROVED ESTIMATES
2017 DRAFT ESTIMATES
Opening Balance
                38,851,356,689
              15,300,000,000.00
Internally Generated Revenue
                45,823,866,438
              51,233,677,278.11
Statutory Allocation
                33,795,300,000
              34,919,424,430.15

              118,470,523,127
            101,453,101,708.25
Less: Recurrent Expenditure


Personnel Cost
                31,836,241,841
              38,695,495,445.82
Overhead Cost
                32,213,730,401
              46,876,544,478.00
Total
                64,049,972,242
              85,572,039,923.82
Recurrent Budget Surplus
                54,420,550,885
              15,881,061,784.44



CAPITAL ACCOUNT


Opening Balance
                                     -  

Recurrent Budget Surplus
           54,420,550,885.00
              15,881,061,784.44
Value Added Tax
           12,626,460,737.00
                9,469,838,052.75



Internal Loans and credit
           18,250,000,000.00
                6,650,315,000.00
Internal Grants
           13,779,798,471.17
              35,304,083,903.15
External Loans
             6,016,577,789.00
              55,908,309,846.93
External Grants
             2,079,288,767.40
                7,135,461,665.60
Survey and demarcation of layouts
  100,000,000.00
                                         -  
Provision of Infrastructure at New Layouts
             1,000,000,000.00
                                         -  
TOTAL CAPITAL BUDGET
         108,272,676,649.57
            130,349,070,252.86



2017 DRAFT BUDGET SIZE


Recurrent Budget
           64,049,972,242.00
 85,572,039,923.82
Capital Budget
         108,272,676,649.57
            130,349,070,252.86
Total Expenditure
         172,322,648,891.57
            215,921,110,176.68
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CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES 2017
The sum of N130,349,070,252.8 has been allocated as Capital Estimates across sectors as follows:

Project Title
Approved Provision 2016
 Draft Estimates 2017
Difference
Sectors



Sub-Sector: Economic



Agriculture and Forestry
          5,577,475,527.60
      4,581,175,719.71
          996,299,807.89
Commerce, Industry and Tourism
          1,336,000,000.00
      1,610,000,002.00
        (274,000,002.00)
Rural and Community Development
          2,977,051,116.93
      7,079,453,000.00
     (4,102,401,883.08)
Works, Housing and Transport
       29,770,565,940.81
    24,509,907,822.35
      5,260,658,118.46
Total For Sub-Sector: Economic
       39,661,092,585.34
    37,780,536,544.06
      1,880,556,041.27



                                   -  
Sub-Sector: Social


                                   -  
Education
       27,989,429,588.37
    43,976,835,973.73
  (15,987,406,385.36)
Health
          6,661,683,063.73
    10,390,384,271.80
     (3,728,701,208.07)
Social Development
             461,551,200.00
      2,264,698,000.00
     (1,803,146,800.00)
Total For Sub-Sector: Social
       35,112,663,852.10
    56,631,918,245.53
  (21,519,254,393.43)



                                   -  
Sub-Sector: Regional


                                   -  
Environment and Natural Resources
          2,115,820,161.00
      4,581,518,531.00
     (2,465,698,370.00)
Water Resources
       11,403,208,639.35
      8,102,882,812.53
      3,300,325,826.82
Total For Sub-Sector: Regional
       13,519,028,800.35
    12,684,401,343.53
          834,627,456.82



                                   -  
Sub-Sector: General Administration


                                   -  
Executive
       16,835,644,291.78
    17,853,076,287.74
     (1,017,431,995.96)
Governance
          2,155,942,120.00
      3,714,973,002.00
     (1,559,030,882.00)
Law and Justice
             574,105,000.00
      1,225,844,100.00
        (651,739,100.00)
Legislature
             414,200,000.01
         458,320,730.00
          (44,120,729.99)
Total For Sub-Sector: Gen. Admin
       19,979,891,411.79
    23,252,214,119.74
     (3,272,322,707.95)
Grand Total
     108,272,676,649.57
 130,349,070,252.86
  (22,076,393,603.29)

Expected Outcomes in 2017
In addition to continuing existing programmes, the capital budget for 2017 will deliverthe following:
• Completion of the Zaria Water Project
• Unprecedented Rebuilding and Equipping of Schools
• A massive programme to rehabilitate, maintain or rebuild Township Roads
• Creation of a green economic zone – an Agro-Industrial Park along Abuja Road
• Provision of infrastructure in Mining Sites and Rural Areas
• Conversion of Doka Hospital on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway into a Trauma Centre
• Expansion of the Post-harvest price support for farmers
• Anchor Borrowers Programme for six crops of comparative advantage,
• Kick-off of the Kaduna Light Rail Phase One to link Rigachikun with the Refinery, and
• Implementation of an Emergency Nutrition Intervention Programme to reduce malnutrition and hunger amongst our poorest citizens and children.
Multiyear Budget Estimates, 2017-2019
Attaining the goals of our five-year strategic plan requires a perspective that is broader than that of an annual budget. The multiyear budget supports this goal, and enables the government to stay focused on planned objectives. Furthermore, the multiyear focus transforms the annual budget from a mere listing of contracts into a clearly-articulateddevelopment plan for the state.

The 2017-2019 budgets are more expansionary in nature, responding to the clear need to stimulate growth and spend our way out of a most unwelcome recession. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are assigned a key role in unlocking opportunities and attracting investments into our priority sectors.

Our development partners play a most important role in providing the resources that advance our governance agenda. We have established credibility with critical partners, evidenced by the MoUs and working arrangements with the various United Nations agencies, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Dangote Foundation and DFID. These collaborations are providing up to USD 200m in 2017 alone to support our development programmes. The snapshot of the multi-year budget for the three years is as follows:

2017-2019 Multiyear Budget Estimates

2017
2018
2019
Recurrent
85,572,039,923.82
82,074,998,072.23
88,086,967,175.57
Capital
130,349,070,252.86
136,541,215,860.85
126,602,353,291.94
Total
215,921,110,176.68
218,616,213,933.08
214,689,320,467.51

Monitoring the Budget
We are launching a monitoring system that will allow everyone in Kaduna State to check on the progress of government projects through a simple, phone-based platform which we have named the Eyes and Ears project. With this mechanism, residents can report progress or lack of, to a dashboard in my office and the Ministry of Budget and Planning where we can take quick action to address any anomalies. We are also using this to develop a database of credible contractors and a blacklist of the bad ones.

Mr. Speaker, permit me to use this platform to invite all residents of our state to be our eyes and our ears, to be vigilant in ensuring that what is promised is delivered, that what is appropriated is executed, and that quality and timelines are respected in project delivery.

Conclusion
Mr. Speaker,
We are laying before the House of Assembly today draft 2017 estimates that are actuated by the conviction that tough times call for bold decisions and courageous actions. That is why we propose to spend at least N15bn on roads alone. To rebuild schools, we are asking for N20bn this year and for each of the other two years captured in the multiyear budget making a total of N60bn. Such is the scale of the educational crisis we inherited that we have concluded that a programme of school rehabilitation will not suffice. What we need to do is to rebuild schools altogether to solve immediate problems and create capacity to absorb the predicted increase in the number of school pupils over the next decade.

The government is taking on debt to fund productive investments to expand our economy, grow our revenue base and build the human capital of tomorrow. Without such investments in physical infrastructure and human resources, we will attain neither the desired standards of economic growth, nor realise the IGR levels we so badly need. We have decided that the imperatives of the future demand that we break out of the cycle of under-investment that has stymied the state over close to two decades. As earlier stated, Kaduna State has about five per cent of the country’s population, but it contributes only about 2.3% of its GDP. We cannot allow this gap between potential and reality to persist. Therefore, we have chosen to do all we can for jobs, social justice and equity.

May I conclude by asking every resident of Kaduna State to renew their commitment to peace and harmony. The task of reversing decades of underdevelopment and creating new opportunities to secure better lives for our people requires an atmosphere of concord and trust across our communities. On our part, we will be strong with law enforcement and unrelenting support for our security agencies to make every part of our state safe.

We are confident that this Honourable House will record another first by expeditiously scrutinizing these estimates and passing the Draft Kaduna State Appropriation Bill 2017 into law. On behalf of the government and grateful people of Kaduna State, I thank you for your service to our state and country.

Together, let’s make Kaduna great again!

Thank you all for listening.

God bless this Honorable House,
God Bless Kaduna State.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, OFR
Governor of Kaduna State
12 October 2016
17

BROKEN BOUND: THEY ARE NOT FULANI HERDSMEN BUT TERRORIST TREAT THEM SO

[Hospitality is the guilt of my ancestors for which I am killed]

Introduction
Nigeria is undergoing a systematic death agena tending toward a complete destruction of the state. We become ever confused over what to face as what is before us and against us is much more stronger it seems than we can face. More worrisome is the fact that this is perpetuated by Nigerians against Nigerians. This problem stems from our poor approach to the challenges before us. We have failed to approach the problem as against Nigeria, rather we build up affiliations that makes it even more difficult to salvage the situation. The terrorist is protected by a tag from a bound ordinarily his crimes have broken. Is it the Biafaran movement that brought the Civil war, Book Haram Issue that have so much destroyed the state of the nation, the Niger Delta militancy that destroyed our resources and international relations or the most recent suspected Fulani herdsmen gorilla night attacks that have rendered our state a death zone that is not a pointer to the above claim?
Sadly these monstrious bodies do this harm and are still protected by these bounds they had long broken before their operations even reached the news desk. While the Biafaran Movement enjoys protection from the tag "Biafaran" which makes every 'Biafaran' (if anything exists as such) feel it is his/her interest that is sort for, the Boko Haram enjoys "Islamic", the Militancy "Niger Deltan" and the recent attacks enjoys the protection of the tag "Fulani".
In my opinion, it is this tags that so made the problem seem near impossible to resolve. The earlier we accept this the better for us. I borrow a leaf from my themes on morality where the case is similar to this, where fornication and adultery are simply made less evil by their new name, " Catching fun, sugar Mummy, Extramarital affairs, e.t.c" I recall in boarding schools you hear such names as "Shifting, Borrowing, Shopping e.t.c". These words are used to replace the word stealing or theft among students and this replacements makes theft amongst students appear a common thing to do as you would hear a students say with no shame or regret 'I shifted his book'.
The strength of the implication of a word will never be the same when such a word is replace with another. We appear to have a wrong understanding of the distinction between nearest in meaning and the same meaning. No two English words can have the same meaning (I stand to be corrected). But if that be true, it is only worthwhile that our Government, policy makers and security operatives readdress this issue.

WE ARE LOST
What Nigeria is suffering from is not what we are addressing. When we are suppose to address terrorist attacks we are wasting our time addressing sectional, regional, religious and 'bla! bla!! bla!!' issues. we have lost the definition of what we should address and I only wonder, if there is a a misconception in the definition of a problem how can that problem be solved appropriately. Let us suppose I have the power to decide which air I breath and I miss defined oxygen as cabondiaoxide, would I not breath in the wrong air? This is the case with Nigeria and this is what provoked this thought in me hence this little piece for the sake of the suffering nation and potential victims.

VICTIMS IN WAITING
Day in day out Nigerian's live victims in potency, we are either waiting for the doom soon to fall on us or a doom soon to fall on what we hold dear. Directly or indirectly we are victims in waiting. But the inevitable is not the problem for now, the problem is the evitable our indifference is making inevitable. Long in the days we saw a gun only on the screen but it never dawn on us to see it as a thing we can hear as existing near us, then we would hear the sound of a gun in the air during arm forces celebrations, Independence day and a host of other celebrations of like manner but we never thought of the sound of a gun as something more than a celebration. Then we began to hear the news of war in countries far off, and we would always see it as a foreign man's problem. When the unwanted guest landed in the green white green land, it was to reveal a great folly. When we heard of Maiduguri, it was their problem, when it shifted to plateau State, it was the Plateau natives disunity that have caught up with them and Kaduna state indigenes in collaboration with other states of the federation will sit in folded arms. In plateau it was the Birom problem and the Ngas ... would be sleeping and snoring until their time is dawn.
And when it shifted to the Ganawuri axis, it was still a plateau state problem, even when it moved to Zangan in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State, Moro'a chiefdom of the same state would still see it as a Takad Chiefdom wahala that would not cross over. And so we slumber as death move near and nearer, we slept comfortably victims in waiting while the evil one went on having a nicely-easy show in a land so acclaimed peaceful, united and strong when in fact she is but a fragmented weak troubled state. We left our proverbs and wise saying lay in waste else the hausa proverb "in kagan gemun dan'uwan ka na cin wuta, yi maza ka debo ruwa ka shafa wa naka" would have been a stronger tool to change our definition into 'ready fighters in advance'.
We slept, we snored and our love ones died, we are sleeping, and are snoring still our love ones are dying by a systematic agenda of an ungodly poorly schooled educated illiterates. With all our degrees we are victims of a dirty, bushy, disgusting fulani beast that have allowed a devilish, selfish Mallam do the thinking for him. Funny hhhn? The wise is the fools victim. If only they are wise an not foolish, how can Sadam or Osama be running for their dear lives while telling me to go and commit suicide as a bomber for the great reward, wait a minute, you mean these masters do not want to gain the reward just soon? Well these are the 'thinkless things' we find among us and we must deal with it.

SOUTHERN KADUNA AND THE HERDS MAN'S WRATH
Between late 2014 and now southern Kaduna have endure hell from the always unknown gun men or suspected fulani herdsmen. It has been a well plant and executed genocide just in planned scheme. It is a process still ongoing. Jama'a, Kaura and Sanga local government among others have suffered this largely. I keep asking what guilt have my people done that they must be punished this terribly, the more I ask the farther the answer moves from me.
One would have reasons to think that the only sin we are paying so terribly for is nothing more than our ancestors' and our hospitality and peaceful nature. We have been too loving to the visitor some times even much more than our very own. Instead of our guest to celebrate and appreciate us, he have turned a thorn on our foot that we cannot favorable walk.

WE ARE VICTIMS OF OUR FOLLY, GREED, AND SELFISHNESS
But you know I do not blame them like I blame us. We have been so foolish to trust the guest above our very own. Now the result is that we are taking for granted and any dirty thing can sleep on his piece of wood and wake up feeling a saint that must kill us 'sinners' for a supreme being that is incapable of punishing the 'sinner' himself but must depend on some illiterate and mostly poverty driven 'human beast'. Why would we not be so treated when we are thought of as a people with no voice strong enough. Or what strong voice do we have than on the social media that lay unnoticed?
If only we have strong people in government now, if only we had a say in the economy, if only we have proven our industrious capabilities, if only we have political gods, if only we have all that or even more do you think we would be so treated with cruelty and no one would come to our aid? If only we have a say in the Nigerian Army do you think anyone would walk in and out on us as they feel? It is not a matter that we do not have these powers but that we had all the opportunities and let them waist away. Gone are the days when a southern Kaduna man could contest the governorship of Kaduna State and give his Kaduna North opponent sleepless night until he is able to get some of us to use against us. Gone are the days southern Kaduna rides the Nigeria Army horse. But we waisted such opportunities by our selfish spirits and that devil of over dependence , for while the blessed among us refused to bless others, the others slept lamenting how they are not being blessed.
It has been the tradition with us that hardly would the best among us make it to the base, huddles are set for them by the same fellows that should develop them into fully actualizing their potentials. Today, to make it up the ladder you must bury your potentials from your kinsmen which would either result into the fellow depending on the generosity of others that are not his or completely killing these potentials God have freely given him or if eventually he is in the position, he or she is unable to perform to his worth because the time he should use in developing these potentials he had used in hiding the potential, seeking help that does not come without a price or completely he would have turned a slave to the wrong master.

The Isiah Balat's, Yakowa's, Ali Madaki's, Joshua Madaki's, the Military Gen. Zamani Lekwot's, M. Luther Agwai's, time is gone. Who is taking over from these mighty men of old. Today, where is that one fellow that was trained or mentored by one of the above mentioned (particularly in Politics) to take after them that is really having his show? Well all thanks to their efforts that only God and the fellows they do them to knows, and thanks too particularly to the Late Jushua Mamman Madaki for the Bantex of today as unverifiably I learned. But as at now, who else do we have powerful enough to contest for the Governorship of Kaduna State come 2019 from here that was mentored by those we hoped for.

Permit me say without mentorship there is no progress to hope for. But with mentorship, continuity is sure and so, progress. I have had many who had given me reasons not to read books like Davincci Code, 48 Laws of power and the likes with a claim that they corrupt the mind. Hello! no one, I mean no one have given me a reason not to believe the Law No 1 in 48 Laws of power "Never overshadow your master". Because I live in a society where to display your potentials is your passport to failure, dead of your dreams and sometimes dead of you.

AND VICTIMS OF OUR SILENCE TOO
Permit me build from the wisdom of Albert Einstein as I tell you the fact that our land have been so desecrated not by the evil men but by those of us who watch them and did or said nothing. Our brothers and sisters have been killed in a very cruel manner not by the evil men but by those of us who watched that happened and we did or said nothing. The blood of our brothers and sisters killed is NOT ONLY on the heads of their killers but on the heads of those among us who are watching this happen and are doing or saying nothing. I am talking about the government, security operatives, our traditional rulers, the influential among us, and our youths. I am talking about those of us who have or had a thing to do or say to save any of these occurrences but for reasons they know best failed to do so.
I have published a story titled " Jubal and the Fulani Driver" where I told the tale of a conversation between me and a Fulani driver that took me from Garaje, kafanchan to Kaura a day after the Godogodoo attack. In the tale [Freeman's Online Library (freemanjubal.blogspot.com.ng)] I told how the driver was trying to wash himself by saying "hmmm I do not know why my fellow Fulani cannot forgive..." And after a long silence I asked him using the Hausa tongue, "but mallam wai ma wani laifi aka aikata maku da ke neman gafartawa", pls escuse my poor Hausa it is not my language. I was asking him what really is the wrong done against you that must be forgiven? And the answer is yet to come. And tomorrow you will hear them signing a peace pact on a fight you do not know who really the enemy is and what the cause is. Such a folly.
It was reported in page 14 of the Splendor of Truth News Paper Vol. 6 No 4 of April, 2016 that "Southern Kaduna Communities Signed a Peace Pact". The pact was tagged 'Kafanchan Peace Declaration' which the centre for humanitarian dialogue facilitated as sponsored by the Canadian government subject to the inter-communal dialogue process initiated by her last year in areas affected by the 2015 communal clashes. Five Local Government areas were reported to have been covered in this pact to include as reported; Sanga, Kachia, Kaura, Zangon Kataf and Jama'a. This pact was signed by Christian and Islam representatives within the areas covered. But just after this drama and what could be better described as a day dream, the next we heard was another attack much more terrible, and I ask those involved in signing that pact, for how long shall we be fooled and distracted into these ventures of signing for peace and entering into dialogues that never yielded any thing fruitful as far as the desired goal is concern? why should we keep signing a document with the very wrong fellows.
I call it signing with the wrong fellows because those who signed the last peace pact for instance will surely tell us they do not know who the culprits of the last attack were. Those we keep signing with are those who will better prove that they are in total ignorance of the attacks and those behind it than the would prove it is those we suspect are. The picture I see is that of a father who has a very stubborn child, he knows this child will never listen to his words that is in fact if he is even able to set eyes on this stubborn child. But while the child is busy planning for his next crime the father is in bed and at the moment of the child's execution of is planned crime, the father will be at the court desk taking ought and signing documents ordinarily his son should.
In my little wisdom, I feel the need for reconciliation arises only after we truly know who is attacking us, why the attack, and after we have accepted the solutions we arrive at together with our attacker and then after meeting all we require of each other then the signing can come in which is but the seal of our reconciliation.
But what do I see? we are signing for peace over a problem we have no grasp of, with who we know will forever claim he is not aware of the problem and at a time we should be busy building our defense. This is a fruitless venture, it is fruitless and only a distraction to the victims in waiting. I could feel this is still part of the strategy. We are always the victims and always it is to us the plea for peace, calm, and tolerance is address.

COULD THE STATE SECURITY SERVICE BE BIAS?
One is left to wonder who in fact is the enemy? Is it the Fulani we see around us, the 'Fulani' we see but never understand or the government? Well I have heard and seen the likes of R Buhari, Dr. J Danfulani, N. Jagaba... Face the law on various accusations but I keep waiting for the news about the likes of Mallam Haruna Usman's arrest to no avail. Or is it that my sources are bias that they do not feed me with some information? Or am I the only one that have read of the interview granted by the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of Miyetti Ahallah (association of herdsmen), Haruna Usman, where he made some incriminating auterancience on a saturday's attack by herdsmen in Godogodo village? Did no one read Haruna Usman saying the attack in question was a reprisal one after the villagers killed a Fulani chief In an interview with Vanguard? Or has it suddenly turn just for citizens to take the laws into their hands.
We can all see that the security operatives have not help matters over time, they are only available when they are not needed. They appear at the scene only quick enough to allow the culprit have a smooth run to his hide out. The time is now to give a squeeze face to this kind of unrealistic ventures and seek that only which is capable of given us the desired peace and security we so demand and that is our due. Imagine, the NPF and NA were quickly mobilized to the village on the attack before last at Godogodo to secure it after the evil agents had possibly began the merry for a job well done. And the people are left with nothing more than words that will say "remain calm  and be more security conscious amidst prayers." There are occasions we received reports that the suspects alleged to have a link to the evil have been  arrested  and are undergoing investigation at the moment. But the problem is that they seem to forever remain suspects undergoing an unending close door investigations til their case is totally forgotten given other occurrences.

HARUNA USMAN AND HIS LIKES SHOUD ACOUNT FOR OUR ORDEALS
Haruna Usman is quoted as saying:
“Are Fulani crazy to just go and attack people? Did you ask the Godogodo people what they did to the Fulani? We already have 17 grazing reserves in Kaduna State since colonial times, and there is no dispute about that. What happened was that these people went and killed a Fulani Chief in one of the villages and burnt his house. The Fulani are just revenging.” Ladies and gentlemen, a fulanin chief, a Fulani chief he said, a Fulani chief 'in one of the villages', a Fulani chief my people that we cannot know his name no even his title, a Fulani chief. So one a fulani chief, I mean many lives for one unidentified 'a Fulani chief'.
That is the satisfactory explanation Haruna Usman gave to justify the act. Even when the villagers "said the armed herdsmen had asked them to vacate their village, saying it had become a cattle grazing reserve." Haruna's claims still seem to hold water before who ever. A fulani chief's one life is enough to claim the lives of 24 years old Monday Hamza married with three children; 35 years old Toma Masara married with three children, 26 years old Chaka Rubutu married with four children, 20 years old Linus married with two childrn, 19 years old Julius married with a child, 18 years old Boboo Okocha, and 17 years old Sambo. Even that is not enough as the surviving victictims must live dying if the claims that said "After the attack, they would cut down all the crops for their cattle to eat" is true. The issue is we are not saying the police commissioner had done nothing about Haruna, what I am asking is what is that action taken by the police commissioner or government in general about Mallam Haruna's auterances and why should that be a secret any way?
If there is any one person we know now beyond any reasonable doubt that should be held responsible for our ordeal is the Kaduna State Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Mallam Haruna Usman if for nothing, that interview granted is more than enough to nail him. As a matter of fact, the State commissioner of Police still holds an explanation to us with regards to what he did and is doing about Haruna Usman.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Wise men are not afraid of the words and actions of the evil men they know as they are of the limits of the patience and endurance of the silent good people. It will be great foolishness to take our silence, peace, and hospitality for cowardice. The south African's endured the chains long enough to gather momentum for the dirty blow they once upon a time master received. Hitler had his show... We too have had enough.
I wish the government to know, for me and my likes, we have lost confidence in the Nigerian System, we have had enough, we have listen and obediently acted in accordance to the government plead for calm to no avail over the years. To regain this confidence, we demand to see our enemies face the law as should and that implies their been declared TERRORIST. You have constantly promised us peace, we have all wait in vain to an extend WE NO LONGER WANT PEACE. What we need is Justice, Justice against the culprits of our ordeals, Justice against the culprits that killed our love ones in all the affected Local governments in southern Kaduna, Justice for our brothers and sisters whose blood still cry. We want JUSTICE, JUSTICE WE SEEK AND JUSTICE WE MUST RECEIVE.

With due respect:
To our Religious, Traditional and Political leaders please know that Yar'adua would not have made such an achievement as bringing low the activities of militancy in the Niger Delta except for the fact that he entered into an agreement with the right people. Please, we suggest You know who you enter into dialogue with, know who you sign what with as it regards our security challenges. No peace should be signed any further except we know why we are attacked, what our foe wants, what we are ready to offer and if our foe is ready to truly drop his weapons for peace. Sign no peace pact except where and when the leader of this deadly agenda is out and ready for that. Rather, sue for justice than peace that you cannot find at this moment. Ask for the names of the leaders of these groups attacking us, if we know of Osama, Sadam Husain, and Shakau we should know that of the fulanis, if we know Sambisa for Boko Haram, we should know the base of these bushy fulani beasts. Until you can get little details as this and be free to publish them, you cannot have the peace you sign for but they peace you will have is that enough to allow for another successful attack. Bear this in mind; as your ink flowed while signing for a peace that never comes, so our brother's blood flowed for a trouble you never signed for. 

To Nigerians as a whole, I challenge you to remove the good tag you have so blessed the dog with and see if killing it will still be hard. Address them as terrorist if you truly mean business about bringing them down. Remove the "Fulani", "Unknown", and "Suspected" tags you give them and see how easy it would be to nail them down.

#PEACE
Jubal Free-man Dabo
(+234)8140537507
Jubalfreemandabo@gmail.com
Freemanjubal.blogspot.com.ng

MY REACTION TO CRITICS ON THE BILL TO REGULATE RELGIOUS PRACTICE IN KADUNA STATE

THE OPENING:
Religion is one strong blessing the Nigerian State is known and associated with, this I what defines Nigeria as a multi-religious state. The existence of Christianity, Islam, Traditionalist, and even Budhist in Nigeria justifies this definition and the fact that adherents of this religions live together in different communities as next door neighbors makes the whole issue interesting and religion beautiful.
Basically if anything good exists in the world it should be with the religious communities, if there are values to be taught the school of values should be these communities. This is true if religion is ...
It is against this background that...
The issue of religion has turned a different leaf in the Northern part of Nigeria. Religious crisis has engulfed the better part of Northern Nigeria causing set back in development in all sphere of life. The crisis has set brothers against each other. Going down memory lane some religious crisis that came to mind are:  The Maitatsine crisis in Kano, 1980. A man who claimed to be a spiritual leader by name Marwa incited his followers to inflict havoc on the inhabitant of the town both Christians and Muslims.  Hundreds of lives were lost and properties worth thousands of naira were destroyed.  In 1984, another crisis erupted again, this time in Yola, Adamawa State North Eastern Nigeria, it was another Maitatsine crisis, hundreds of people killed and properties destroyed.  There were minor crisis here and there after the Yola crisis.  In 1987, Kafanchan, Kaduna State, North Western Nigeria witnessed a religious crisis as a result of a Christian cleric who was accused of quoting from the Holy Quran.  This resulted in places of worship torched and people in their hundreds killed.  Zaria residence in Kaduna State of a particular religion were not comfortable with the outcome of the report of the Kafanchan crisis decided to retaliate, hence another outbreak of hostility claiming lives and properties.

Zangon Kataf is a Local Government Area in Kaduna State. An issue concerning siting a market led to disagreement and the result was a religious crisis.  The natives wanted the market at a particular place without the interferrance of the Hausa tribe whom they claimed to be settlers.  The crisis in Zangon Kataf spread to other parts of the State and neighbouring States where places of worship were burnt, hundreds of lives lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

Bauchi town in North Eastern Nigeria suffered a set back resulting from a religious crisis in 1991. In the same year a renowned German preacher Reihard Bonke was to visit Kano State in North Western Nigeria for a crusade, there was a protest against his coming; this protest resulted in a religious crisis leading to lost of hundreds of lives and places of worship torched.  A quiet town in Bauchi State North Eastern Nigeria called Tafawa Balewa was engulfed in crisis as a result of a misunderstanding between a Muslim and Christian. The Muslim claimed the Christian sold pork meat to him instead of beef. Though the claim could not be ascertained as the whole town was engulfed in religious crisis with religious places burnt and hundred of people killed. The crisis spread to neighbouring towns and States. With the return to democracy in Nigeria in 1999 many States in Northern Nigeria made effort to introduce the Sharia legal system, there was resistant by the Christians who claimed the legal system will not favour them.  The Governor of Kaduna State then was pressurized to implement it, his delay in implementing resulted to a protest by some adherents of a religion, resulting to one of the worst religious crisis in the North where thousands were killed, hundred of thousands were rendered homeless.  Places of worship were also burnt down with theological institutions inclusive.

Jos, the capital of Plateau State in North Central Nigeria regarded as the “Home of Peace, Unity and Tourism” lost this status when in 2001 a disagreement resulting from a political appointment engulfed the town in one of the worst religious crisis in the North claiming thousands of lives with hundreds of thousand rendered homeless.  The indigenes of the State claimed the Hausa –Muslims who are settlers are the cause of the crisis, while the Muslims are pointing accusing fingers on the Christians.  The crisis spread to other Local Government Areas in the State, the crisis was so tensed that the Federal Government of Nigeria had to declare a State of Emergency on the State thereby suspending the State Governor.  The ‘Miss Universe Pageant’ that was supposed to be hosted by Nigeria in 2002 attracted the wrath of followers of a particular faith who were fighting against an article written in one of the dailies linking the pageant with a great Prophet.  The adherents of this faith believed it was against their belief and the tenets of their religion for women to display their nakedness in the name of beauty pageant.  Kaduna town once again boiled with places of worship torched and hundreds of lives killed.

Kano State in 2003 and 2005 suffered religious crisis resulting from some people kicking against sell of alchohol in the State and the siting of a place of worship.  The resultant end was people killed and places of worship torched. Election everywhere in the world is a period of selecting leaders that will rule people. In 2008, a Local Government election in Jos plateau State turned into a religious crisis that hundreds were killed and properties destroyed.  Bauchi town came into the news again in 2009, when a religious scholar’s sermon resulted in a religious crisis because of two worship places built side by side.  The scholar believed it is improper, his followers decided to act according to his sermon.  Bauchi town was on fire with lives lost, places of worship and houses torched, while  hundreds were rendered homeless.

Apart from the religious crisis listed above, there are many other religious crisis experienced in Northern Nigeria with less casualties below hundred.  There are crisis such as the Denmark Cartoon and any Western World policies that are detrimental to any of the countries in the Middle East. Such situation result in crisis where places of worship are torched and people killed.

 Causes of Religous Crisis in Nigeria

Having looked at the history of religious crisis in Northern Nigeria one will be prompted to ask the question ‘What is the cause of the crisis?’ before now it was believed that followers of each religion are fighting to protect their faith and being loyal to her. Recent survey proved otherwise.

The research conducted by this centre revealed that there are many causes of religious crisis, but these causes are man-made as they can be averted.  One of the causes is as a result of incitement from the clerics who in the course of their sermon used provocative and inciting words to the hearing of their disciples against the other religion. Another reason for incitement playing a significant role in fuelling crisis is illiteracy and ignorance. The literacy rate in Northern Nigeria is low compare to other regions in Nigeria. With illiteracy at high rate many of the disciples relied on what the clerics passed on to them.

Some of the literates amongst the disciples are not better off as the level of ignorance of the other faith in their community or as neighbours, hence the hostility towards them. The orientation from homes and some schools contribute as well to hatred for other faith.  The lack of awareness in the media for peacefull co-existence and enlightenment at religious gathering contribute to the ignorance of the adherents of the two religion.


the sin of El Rufai Nasir is in not creating awareness on the issue at stake. be that as it may, while Rufai must redirect is capitalist and some sort of 'milit-monarch' leadership orientation. The church and the rest of us too must see beyond the nose. I feel this is a controversial issue. with most of the christian clerics who have been on track and obeying both moral, civil, and natural codes it is an abuse of conscience. But on the other hand, with Clerics especially with the Islamic religion who would not sensor what the say and careless about what others' opinions are, this law is a most needed. we are not talking yet of the bridge of individual fundamental human rights especially of the right to freedom of movement at events where major roads are often turned worship places by some religious sects. this law on the ends is needed. Above all. we all must respect what should be against what is.
@ Potter's Hand. even before Christ the state have always regulated religion which is what gave the state power to crucify Jesus. let me quickly add that I am not talking of the rightness or wrong nature of the accusation, Christ may not have been guilty as accused, that is not our concern here our concern here is that one at that time who is guilty of blasphemy was punished by the state. We cannot shift from the fact that the state reserves the right to stop any action, inaction, words and thoughts patterns. cultures and traditions and any other practices that posses a thread to citizens and that attempt a bridge of individuals' rights. Surface therefore to say yes the state CAN regulate religious practices within her territories. the question will be to what limits? or SHOULD the state do it now, I.e has the state reasons to do that at the moment.

By the way, we should stop painting a picture that seem to say the state wants us to preach what the want. let us be objective and constructive as Christ will always be, by objective and constructive outlook at the situation at hand we would find it prevalent a thought to so the state wants us to preach what we should which has not been the case with most religions lately. Religion in Nigeria have not been able to regulate itself hence have caused us harm than good.    It is only worthwhile that we accept this fact on the bases that we might not have caused reasons for this laws but another religion have caused reasons for that which the guiltless to this regard could and can not save hence the state OUGHT to strike with such laws that will regulate such adulterations.

WHO DO YOU MENTOR

(a reflection from the first reading of the Roman Catholic Church Today 26/06/2016)

Today is the 13th Sunday In Ordinary Time (Catholic Calendar) I choose to be bias by  taking this reflection with much emphasis on the 1st reading alone. From the first book of Kings Chapter 19 verse16b and verses19 to 21, the first reading reads thus:
"The LORD said to Elijah: 'You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel–meholah, as prophet to succeed you.' Elijah set out and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, 'Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.' Elijah answered, 'Go back! Have I done anything to you?' Elisha left him, and taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then Elisha left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

Let us attempt a synthesis using the characters of Saul and David+Elijah and Elisha. David and Elisha have one unique thing here, They are both successors. However, While Elijah had his way to his testing on a yomi yomi smooth path, David had it through the most boiling oil road. Why the difference between the two (David and Elisha)? simply put; the character of their predecessors.

Elijah Today depict to us the symbol of a good leader and mentor. It was revealed him, 'hey, your job here is over, now you have to bring to the fore he who is to succeed you in this service. note that the role of Elijah is the most respected in his society. It is no doubt a position many will like. Bring it to this generation it is a position many will like no one succeed them from but their children or relatives. But Elisha simply went, picked Elisha as the Lord ordered with no sign or a squeezed face that we can see.

Soul on the other hand loved and cherished David from the beginning, but the moment he SUSPECTED 'possibly this lad will be celebrated where I should' he suddenly turned David's doom. I could emerging Saul saying 'I must frustrate and chest him away, I must ensure I put the last nail on his coffin to secure my position and respect'.

While Elijah saw the chance of mentoring his successor more properly by drawing him closer before the final handing over day, Saul saw his as a conspiracy may be between God and the house of Jessy to relief him of his dignified position as king. He would rather use the opportunity he has of drawing David closer and mentor him into fulling what his (Saul's) mortal life had rendered unaccomplished to drawing David closer enough to the reach of his (Saul's) sword.

This  day, Elijah is challenging us all. we have heard and read of leaders who would use all within their powers to destroy anyone they sense a potential of competing with them in the future. Sadly enough, this does not happens only in the circular world but also in the church. This attitude is equally exhibited in all spheres of life. Worst is in the Political arena and the 'Gospel' room.

What is the effect? Today in our society hardly would the best make it to the base, huddles are set for them by the same fellows that should develop them into fully actualizing their potentials. Today to make it up the ladder you must bury your potentials which would either result into the fellow completely killing this potentials God have freely given him or if eventually he is in the position, he or she is unable to perform to his worth because the time he should use in developing this potentials he had used in hiding the potential, the time it should be developed and put to use, he is now using it for developing, the time he should be counting results and taking a rest, that is when these potentials are ready for use.

The result of this is what southern Kaduna and Nigeria is today suffering. The Isiah Balats, Yakowas, Ali Madaki, Joshua Madaki, the Military Gen. Zamani Lekwot, M. Luther Agwai to mention but these is gone. Who is taking over from these mighty men of old. Today, where is that one fellow that was trained or mentored by one of the above mentioned (particularly in Politics) to take after them. Well all thanks to Jushua Mamman Madaki for the Bantex of today aas unverifiably I learned. But as at now, who else to we have powerful enough to contest for the Governorship of Kaduna State come 2019 from here that was mentored by those we hoped for.

Permit me say without mentorship there is no progress to hope for. But with mentorship, continuity is sure and so, progress. I have had many who had given me reasons not to read books like Davincci Code, 48 Laws of power and the likes with a claim that they corrupt the mind. Hello! no one, I mean no one have given me a reason not to believe the Law No 1 in 48 Laws of power "Never overshadow your master". Because I live in a society where to display your potentials in training is your passport to failure, dead of your dreams and sometimes dead of you.

On the church the effect is terrible. Today it is much more easy for the most corrupt and wrong intentioned fellow to make it in the 'business' of the gospel as they see it. He with no good intention is likely to own his church and progress much more easily than the one with a positive mind set. But for Christ's eyes on the church one would be right to say the FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IS DARK. However without a turn around, I fear the future since it is not only the problem of no mentorship in the Christian fold but that of bad mentorship. Little wonder the CHURCH IS FAST BECOMING WORLDLY AND THE WORLD IS MORE FASTER BECOMING CHURCHY with many churches in almost every conner but God is not heard as loud as the should of music or announcement for call of financial support.
Ask yourself today as I have asked my self and is disappointed by the answers I got.

1. Am I a mentor?
2. what sort of a mentor am I?
3. How effective is mentorship?

"OUR ELDER STATE MAN" AND THE REST OF US: By Jubal Freeman Dabo B. A Rejoinder to "An Open Letter To The People Of Southern Kaduna on Why We Must REMAIN RESOLUTELY IN PDP". BY Allahmagani Yohanna. Published on Kaduna Dreams facebook page BY Adamu Abdullahi

Dear 'Sir'. Allahmagani Yohanna, Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the Late Governor Yakowa Patrick. I was so amazed by your open latter to us SK people. In the first lines of your letter and by way of introduction you made clear your motive behind the open letter 'as the race toward 2015 is drawing near'. Sir, you are of the opinion that SK "must remain Resolutely in PDP with very beautiful but unsubstantial reasons to back your view. It is good that you and I agree on one fact which is that we in sK 'are known to appreciate if someone has performed, and we do not hide our satisfaction if such share us in the face' (your exact words) but you seem not aware of the fact that we also express our discertisfaction too, we are not bear boot lickers nor praise singers.
Let us look at your said 'general improvement in our lives: on this you start with:
APPOINTMET:
Here you showed how desperate you are even to and extent of attempting providing reasons even where there seem none, you began with the two Chief of defence Staff AGWAI and Chief of Naval Staff Iko. Which you forgot that it is a matter of merits than privilage. Besides, with no Yero's effort. Then the ministerial postions from the late senator  Balat to Mrs. Lawrecia Mallam, which we know are federal appoitments subject to the appointees contribution to the party and society which makes it what I call a "a privilleged right". Deputy Governo of Central Bank, GMD NNPC, DG NEma and National Chairman Sure-P all these you mentioned. You equally said PDP made it possible for Patrick Yakowa to become first ever southern Kaduna governor without telling us which party made it impossible before now. About professor W.B Qurix his VC-ship is also with higher passentage of merits which you know Yero contributed nothing to it.

PROJECTS:
On projects you mentioned many projects as the 2016 thermal power plant in SK, 30mw generated in Gurara dam using a KVA high voltage transmission lines to SK. All these and others are Federal government projects and more so none was initiated by Yero. You claimed YERO appraised ongoing projects across the state and 65% of the ongoing road projects in the state were all SITUATED AT SOUTHERN KADUNA. You never cared to find out why only the southern kaduna based state projects still reamin on the ongoing level, you were concern with the fact that their are ongoing projects without asking why SK should carry 65% single road projects at a perticular time when it is obvious these are a jam-pack of different abandoned projects.
In conclusion you adviced us not 'to ignore glaring DIVIDENDS that our people have benefited from the PDP'.
 Sir. We are not insencere to say we have benefited nothing from PDP but sir, your letter says a lot about your person than the people you fight for.
• PDP is painted in your letter as truthfull than even yourself.
•PDP appear a SK party than you as SK indigine if incase you are.
•you have defind yourself more selfish than a patriot of the land.

WHAT DO YOUR LETTER SUGGEST:
¤it suggest you are afirming that Yero have really not performed.
¤it suggest that you still want Yero back on that seat with or without good leadership.
¤it suggest that you know yero's score card is not enough to get him back to office come 2015.
¤it suggest that you agree Yero has nothing to offer but need to be covered.
And so what did you attempt:
»You attempt to confuse the masses to their doom. What a betrayal.
»You attempt to use the party's "glory" to cover Yero. What an unfaitful player.
»You attempt also to enrich yourself and protect your political carree. What a selfish fellow.
» You attempt to sale the land. What a ??? I just pray not a curse. Worse of all
»You attempt to present PDP as a god and more than God saying: 'made it possible for us to produce a governor" what an unreasonable claim. Who made it impossible?

WHAT YOU SUCCEDED IN DOING:
Yo succeded in telling the world Yero is not any good a leader for Kaduna State, but that he is trying hard to force himself on the. People. You also afirm our doubts on Yero and showed how incapacitated he is in that office as it regards just leadership or even good ledership. You are out there preaching to us counting of blessings and you don't want to see the people who your man turned god has under him as a blessing, little wonder you do with them as your man turned god wills. See how you turned your self deef to the fact that the blessing you want the people to count includes more intellegent and logical sound minds that your games cannot stand.

This is a preaching on faithfulness to a party. As a people has the party been faithful to us over time?
Is the PDP at the national level even same with that at the state level? If same why is it that in the state level she does not recognized the zoning sysytem especially on the gobernoterial seat. Why do you Sir. Yohanna choose to be a scab goat to your unqualified master. In all your years in the PDP Sir have Yero contributed to the party more than you or all others that only him even when it is crystal clear he has nothing to offer should lead? Why cover him to take your birth right.

Let me remained you what you don't want to remember which is the fact that SK has no problem with the PDP at the national level nor at the state level nor do SK have problem with GEJ but not only SK, rather Kaduna state as a whole sees yero as her problem and her doom. The problem will only affect the party in the state level as a whole ony if she insist on Yero returning back for even if she used her usual masures to get him back, one thing is sure, Yero will never win the heart of a people and if he were a good leader; knowing he do not dwell in the heart of the people he would gladly step down for the growth of the state but am sure greed and selfishness added to the bad and false councile the likes of you Sir offer him, he will never step down for good but he is doom to walk the night.

TO YOU "ELDER STATEMEN"
Be truthful when representing the land, whatever you will say and it is as you know not in the interest of the people please keep mute; it saves. It is better to be silent than speack rubish throwing distorted facts an expression of blind sycophancy which clearly definds you not only boot lickers and praise singers but like Kokwain Adamu will say: "Ass Kissers". We have had enough toxic waste in the past do not add to the many we have to garbage out. Above all, bear in mind southern Kaduna have outgrown the age of faifulness to an unfaithful party, our eyes are turned to creadible candidates with total disregard to whatever party the come through. Lastly I repeat. SK have no problem with PDP am sure you know that which is why you used the PDP in your open letter. But we will want an answer as to which party made it impossible for Sk to produce a governor which was made possible by PDP.

PEACE....