Niger’s MoUs not wild goose chase
It’s baffling why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should be agitated over the many Memorandum of Understanding, that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in Niger state had to attract within just few years in power.
The main opposition party’s chair, Barrister Tanko Beji led the attack, querying the justification for the MoUs which he described as another wild goose chase. Few days after Beji’s tantrums, the party’s secretary join the fray; and then came the mother of all the offensive from no other person than the Talba Minna himself and former PDP governor for eight years.
It would have been better to leave the fireworks to the actors themselves and their aides because as politicians they alone understand the game and which tactics to deploy. Many have understandably queried the underlying motive behind the PDP’s tirades, and even faulted the timing as well as the consistency of the offensive. But to observers and analysts, the affronts are understandable. It is like the last effort of a drowning man who struggle to clutch at every available object to survive.
But what is even more disheartening is that in its desperation, the party turned a blind eye to essential ingredients which drive criticismsfacts and rational arguments. Beji, a lawyer couldn’t comprehend that MoUs in their most generic sense, are not legally binding contract per se but only intended to document the understanding of parties going forward, prior to the entering and execution of definitive legally binding contacts and as such they do not come to fruition overnight, especially if it is over a large project.
It is heartwarming that some of the agreements entered by this government are being actualized. Many examples abound of the success story in this regard. The MoU the state signed with Zenith Bank for the provision of an ICT Hub, the building has since taken shape for people to see and the hub will commence operations soon. The state government signed an MoU with Dangote a few months back and today, it has started yielding result as Dangote has commenced work on what is said to be one of the biggest rice mill companies in West Africa in Wushishi Local Government Area.
In the same vein, recently, the state government started developing Bobi Grazing Reserve, the first modernized grazing reserve in Nigeria, and the MoU signed between the state government and WAMCO Nigeria Ltd, makers of Peak Milk to acquire 5,000 hectares of land to develop where the first indigenous milk will be produced in Nigeria, is already yielding result. But that is not all, the MoU signed for processing of shea butter, is underway today in Wawa, Agwara LGA.
On the MoU the state entered with Broad-Based Communication (BBC), only last week, a meeting was held in continuation of the actualization of that agreement between the Niger State Government and the BBC. On United States Agency for Development Fund (USADF), the foundation is providing $5m grant to Niger State to develop its agricultural sector.
How can anyone be unhappy about these developments, and why does the PDP condemn this gesture and then claim to be interested in the progress of the state? Every project/MOU certainly has its gestation period. Some are long term investments that may not come to fruition during the life of this administration but Governor Abubakar Sani Bello understands that these pursuits are done in the spirit of tomorrow, for the generations that will come hereafter, to better the position of the state by increasing its IGR and reducing unemployment.
Sadly, the PDP does not understand this. No wonder so many MOUs and agreements the state entered during the PDP era, of which Mr. Tanko Beji was a prominent figure and major beneficiary, were deliberately skewed for immediate gain and to enslave the state in perpetuity in favour of certain individuals in the then government, to satisfy their insatiable appetite.
Is it not a shame that close to 50% of the projects abandoned by the last administration were paid for by Gov Abubakar Sani Bello?
Take the Dokozda road dualization in Bida, funded and completed by this administration; the dualisation of Bomas and Kuta roads, funded and completed by this administration. Clearly PDP only initiated those projects in a failed attempt to deceive the people into returning them to office and seeing that the people were wise enough to not be fooled, the PDP never completed these projects their chairman today is laying claims to. It is most unfortunate that Mr. Tanko Beji of the PDP will refer to that scam called Ward Development Projects introduced and used by the PDP as a conduit pipe to loot millions as a success. The PDP government paid out hundreds of millions for these projects with little or no work done.
In less than five years, Gov Bello has overhauled the Minna, Bida, Suleja, Gawu Water Works, and Kontagora Water Works. He has awarded contracts for overhauling of Katcha and Borgu Water Works. Areas that last saw pipe borne water over a decade ago are today now having water at least twice a week. The PDP government had declared a particular year ‘The Year of Water’ in Niger state even though many of us did not see a drop of water?
MoUs are not empty talks. People who think so simply have not been paying attention. For example, in its bid to provide qualitative, affordable, and accessible health care services to residents of Niger state, Mr. Governor’s restoration agenda for Health has signed MoU with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, UNICEF, Neonatal Concern Ltd, FGN GAVI etc.
Inuwa wrote in from Suleja, Niger State.