Community leaders in Jimeta have rejected the proposal to create two additional districts in the Adamawa town.
Their high-powered delegation led by Muhammad Turaki, former Speaker, Adamawa House of Assembly, submitted their position to the House of Assembly Ad-hoc committee on the creation of more districts in Yola on Wednesday.
“Instead of investing energy and resources for the exercise, it is better to consider other critical challenges bedevilling the area, including human empowerment to the teeming youths to reduce restiveness.
“The creation of more districts is counterproductive to peace and communal harmony.”
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Turaki noted that the creation of new districts was not economically sensible in view of the fact that some of the existing districts could not pay salaries for several months.
“From the preponderance of views and reactions, a significant percentage of the community is against the move; the House of Assembly should reject the proposal.”
In his submission, Usman Wakili, former Special Adviser, Political, to former Gov. Murtala Nyako, said that the move lacked the support of majority of the people of Jimeta.
He expressed surprise over the “surreptitious” nature of the exercise and wondered how a critical issue like the creation of new districts could be carried out without consultations.
“The whole issue was done without consultation as neither the government nor our representatives at all levels informed the community about such exercise,” he said.
According to him, such posture is contrary to the letters and spirit of democracy which centrally revolves around wishes and aspirations of the people.
In his response, the Chairman of the committee, Hammantukur Yettisuri, who is the Majority leader of the state assembly, assured the community leaders that the assembly would do justice to their submissions and consider their arguments.
He, however, explained that the state government was not behind the move to create new districts.
“Districts are responsibilities of emirs and chiefs,” he stated. (NAN)
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