take us out of this situation,” the Governor added.
He assured that there is a better approach now and the Governors hope to overcome the persistent problem.
On Education, the the NSGF Chairman said the Governors in the Northern part of the country are poised to give education to children in the zone and the problem of out of school children would be a thing of the past.
“That issue was top on the agenda of our last meeting because it is a very big menace that we are unfortunately contending with but mind you it is a build-up of the past; over 50 years or so of neglect of the educational system.
“We are trying to see that this time around, with the window we’ve gotten especially with Better Education and Service Delivery for All ( BESDA), the States are up and doing and we shall enrol the people and retain them so that they will continue from primary to secondary and even tertiary level. That is a herculean task I know, but all the Governors are doing their best and we shall continue to do so,” he assured.
On State Police, Northern Governors’ Forum Chairman has this to say: “The State Police issue is a constitutional matter that will have to go through the National Assembly and eventually the States individually because it needs two-thirds of the State Assemblies in Nigeria to endorse whatever position.
“Personally and I believe the whole of the people of Gombe State are behind the idea of having State Police because that will take security closer to the people and we will be able to monitor more than somebody else monitoring or managing our own security.
“I think that is the vision of the President with regard to his support for that and even everybody across the broad spectrum of Nigerians. I believe when the bill goes to the National Assembly it will have easy passage through the States and very soon because inadvertently, it is the States that are managing security now since almost every State has its own security outfit that is supporting the various security agencies.
“Even though it is said that the Governors are the Chief Security Officers, the men on the ground commanding the security agencies, that is, the General Officers Commanding (GOC) or the Commissioner of Police, are answerable to their commanders here in Abuja but with State Police, we will be able to monitor the pulse and implement any decision hastily and there will be results.”
The Governor stressed that he is fully convinced about his love for the creation of State Police, adding that he believes many of the States in Nigeria will go in the same direction.
Ismaila Uba Misilli
Director-General
( Press Affairs)
Government House
Gombe