Public hearing: northeast zone B revives memorandum from over fifty clubs, associations, organizations

Public hearing: Northeast Zone B revives memorandum from over fifty clubs, associations, organizations

– member representing Hawul, Askira says Savannah State most-imperative in the entire N/East

By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri.

The Northeast zone B House of Representative Committee on the 1999 constitutional review, said it, has reviewed presentations and memorandum from over 50 clubs, civil society Organisations, Association Unions and organisations ranging from creation of states and local government, reserved seats for women in the National and state Houses of Assemblies, as well as local government areas, reserved seat for women, devolution of power, role for traditional institution and other amendments.

Speaking in an interview with journalists after the public hearing which held at the Indimi International Conference Hall, University of Maiduguri on Saturday, the Chairman of the Northeast Zone B House Committee on the constitutional Review, Hon Isa Ali said, i want to commends the governments of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states for mobilizing their people to participate in the public hearing”.

“We have received memorandum from over fifty clubs, CSO, Associations, Union and organization, presented on the issues of creation of states and local government areas, devolution of power, role for traditional institution, reserved seats for women in the National and states Houses of Assemblies, as well as local government areas, boundary adjustment local government among other” the chairman.

He said, we are going back to the House and present these memos to plenary and I assured you we are going to do justice to the demands and submissions of the people as their representatives”.

Speaking in support of the creation of Savannah state, the member of the House of Representatives representing Hawul/Askira-Uba federal constituency of Borno State, Dr Usman Balama, described the creation of Savannah State out of the present Borno State as imperative due to Borno’s current population and number of local government areas.

“If you look at all the states in the North-East, Borno State has the largest population; and it has 27 local government areas, which also is the highest number in the geopolitical zone,” Midala told newsmen in Maiduguri, Saturday, at the sidelines of the House of Representatives version of the ongoing constitution Review.”, he said

“We want to ensure effective utilization of resources in this country; and when we talk of that, the smaller the size of the component, the easier and most-effective the management of the resources it has,” he argued.

“So, for the people of Borno State, the creation of Savannah State is a win-win situation, because once Southern Borno has Savannah, Borno itself will have a population it can easily manage in terms of development, resource utilization and even in terms of security,” the federal parliamentarian argued further, he added

He further said, i want to say today to all lovers of democracy and to all citizens of Borno State that the agitation and yearning for the creation of Savannah State is a clarion call for all to support, whether you are from Northern, Central or Southern Borno,”.

“Because this is a constitution review, we must align it with the yearnings and aspirations of our people, which is the creation of Savannah State,” Midala said, assuring, “the yearning for the creation of Savannah State is not a yearning that goes against anybody in Borno State”. Hon Midala Said.

He argued that in the entire North-East Southern Borno is the most-deserving of state creation and should, therefore, be given Savannah State.

Also, the member representing Bama, Ngala KalaBalge Federal constituency, Hon Zainab Gimba said the reserved seat for women is to enable women have a voice in the decision marking process, stressing that currently there only 4 females senators and 17 house of representatives are in he National Assembly with many state houses of Assemblies with female lawmakers.

She said, they are demanding of additional 3 seats from each state and 6 seats for house of representatives from each state, adding countries such as Uganda, Ruwabda and Kenya have already reserved seats for female in their national Assemblies.

Also, the Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Hon. Asabe Vilita Bashir said, we are not competing with our husbands, brothers and father’s but we are beging them to allow us have a voice in decision making, as matters relatiting women can be best handle by women.”

Adding her voice, Mrs Mairo Mandara commended the male for support their demands and assured that the reserved when implimented will bring accelerated devopment to women and in turn the society at large.

She also called for the creation of Savannah state and the capital in Biu, as Biu has the needed structure and resources to be state capital.

Presenting the memorandum for creation of Savannah state, Amb Dauda Danladi said, the areas has the needed human and natural resources, as population to drive the development of the state.

He said, Savannah state when created will have over 50 professors, Drs and the needed human and natural resources to drive the development of the people.

While the demand for Amana state out of the present Adamawa state, Alhaji Sali Bello said the creation of the Amana state is to correct the injustice to the people of the area.