Meet Governor Al-Makura’s Worst Performing and Best Performing Commissioners

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Our Nasarawa state correspondent, Rabiu Omaku in this special report ranked the sixteen cabinet members under the leadership of Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura according to their performances, and punctuality among other factors and gave reasons why the chief executive MUST appoint a versatile and vibrant information manager to the information ministry which remains the heartbeat of the state.

An investigation revealed that Barrister Tim Yiga is the most unpopular commissioner among Al-Makura’s cabinet members, as learnt by this reporter, majority of Journalists are yet to know who the commissioner is after months of becoming the commissioner.

Below The Commissioners And Their Scorecard:

Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism-Status of Performance– Dormant  

Barrister Tim Yiga is the current commissioner Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, this medium can revealed that the information ministry being the center nerve of information dissemination is at the verge of collapsing after since after the appointment of Hon. Tim Yiga as the headship of the ministry, virtually seven months after the assumption of office, the commissioner has never for once written a press statement or brief journalists about happenings in the state.

The key functions of the ministry was transferred to command Centre “an information point” at the seat of power under the headship of the erstwhile information commissioner, Honorable Hamza Elayo while the commissioner and his ministry remains dormant, the worst of all is that the commissioner is yet to know some of the directors in his ministry, this has created a serious vacuum in the ministry, to add salt to unhealed wound the commissioner has relocated from the information ministry to the ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Hamza Elayo has made enormous contributions during his reign as the information, press statement sand briefing were order of the day, the information ministry was so lively, it is on record that there was frequent briefing, press releases as well new ground was broken into the information ministry, the success story of Hamza Elayo include linking the ministry with internet services, Elayo remain the best among Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s information managers.

The former commissioner knows the nitty gritty of information management just like Victoria Titi Monde who throughout her life was an academician but also made an impact through her publication of “News Bulletin.” It is time for the current commissioner to wake up from his slumber and face his responsibility squarely,

Ministry of Finance And Economic Development— Status of Performance -Dormant

The appointment of the current headship of the ministry of finance and economic Development, Dr. Dominic Bako is like adding salt to unhealed wounds as the commissioner is media shy, the burden of briefing the general public is a serious hiccup of the commissioner, Bako has become talk of town in the midst of Journalists for his inability to address the press even on the heels of serious issues affecting state finances, the commissioner is good in given flimsy excuses when the need arises, Bako is a retired permanent secretary and one time head of service (HOS), during his days as the HOS the office suffered serious challenges in terms of information dissemination, as he always give excuses.

Ministry of Land and Survey-Status of Performance-Active

Hon. sunny Agassi has impeccable credentials and has been a third timer in the ministry, he has carried out tremendous strides in the ministry especially with the completion of Nasarawa Geographic Information System an initiative of former governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma ,huge amount of money was generated as land rent (revenue) to the state even when he became commissioner for the first time under Al-Makura.

Agassi has turned around the dream of the ministry with his momentous initiative, this also gave room to the realization of land rates and taxes, though the challenges of Sunny Agassi include withholding government information to the publics, the ministry is faced with challenges of under-reporting government activities under the incumbent commissioner.

Ministry of Youth and Sport Development—Status of Performance-Active

Ishaka Ahmed Galadima is the commissioner ministry of Youth and Sport Development ,is a sports administrator who is punctual and committed to his responsibility, he can be counted amongst the most dutiful cabinet members as he is always seen with newspaper, he comes to office early and leaves late, just like the pioneer commissioner of the ministry, Hon.Daniel Ogazi who is also an easy going commissioner, the ministry remains lively with the workaholic nature of Hon. Galadima ,a seasoned sports administrator.

Ministry of Environment- Status of Performance-Active

The appointment of Gabriel Akaa’ka, A Lawyer cum politician is at the right footing as he is always punctual to his duty post and versatile in presentation, the major huddles of the ministry of environment remains the chief executive who do not make funds available.

The dust surrounding the plan to relocates people of Guto, a community in Nasarawa local government which is prone to flooding is dead before arrival, the attempt by the then commissioner, Salihu Ugah did not yield any fruitful result.

Ministry of Special Education, Science and Technology—Status of Performance-Active

Idris Mohammed Idris , Is an astute administrator who is a good fit into the ministry of Special Education, Science and Technology, his doors are open twenty four hours for members of the pen profession, in spite of challenges of the ministry which paucity of fund is one of them, the commissioner is among the promoters of governor Al-Makura’s government.

Ministry of Works and Housing-Status of Performance– Status of Performance -Dormant

Hon.Danladi Makeri, the commissioner lacks engineering know-how compare to his predecessor, Hon Muhammed Yahaya Wada who was an astute engineer, the pace of development that took place in the first tenure of governor Al-Makura may not be unconnected to the ideas brought in by engineer Wada. The ministry for Works remain a shadow of itself even with the presence of a commissioner .On several occasions the commissioner declined to comment on state issues, “What do you want me say to the press, has been his intermittent response to Journalists. An insider from the seat of power revealed that the former commissioner Yahaya Wada remain powerful than the present commissioner.

Education Ministry—Status of Performance-Dormant

Honorable Ramatu Ajuji Abubakar, the commissioner for ministry of education has all it takes to head the ministry as an academician, she’s open and media friendly but  her major huddles include her inconsistency in presenting and confronting state matters (back and front ) with no policy direction, as a second timer she is averagely punctual to duty.

The cabinet member is yet to pay an assessment tour of Junior secondary and primary schools in spite of the daunting challenges facing the education sector especially schools destroyed during the last communal clash in Nasarawa south.

Ramatu Ajuji did nothing to address the nonpayment of 31 lecturers of the Nasarawa state Polytechnic, Lafia who are owed one year salary, in her presence extortion in the name of PTA levy thrives in secondary and primary schools.

Ministry For Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs-Status of Performance–Active

Hon.Aliyu Tijjani is among the think-tank of the All Progressives Congress in Nasarawa Local government, a vibrant promoter of governor Al-Makura.

The ministry remains among the most lively in the state, another breakthrough of the ministry is the ongoing renovation and expansion of offices in the ministry, Tijjani is a core politician who knows the nitty gritty of politics, Tijjani is among the most punctual cabinet members.

The commissioner brought in new ground with the introduction of monthly briefing of local government allocation as he said the reasons behind the monthly briefing was to erase doubt about the monthly grant accrued to the thirteen councils from the federation account.

Ministry of Rural and Community Development-Active

Hon. Mustapha Yahaya Idris is another man of the moment, is a pillar of democracy in Doma who from being an elected councilor to Deputy chairman, from Deputy chairman to elected chairman and now commissioner, is a principle and an advocate of governor Al-Makura, his appointment is well deserved due to his past records. He is attentive to his duty post and the major challenges of the ministry remain non release of funds to execute projects.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives-Active

Hon.Haruna Osegba is the current commissioner ministry of commerce, industry and cooperatives; he is a real gem as his appointment was based on meritocracy and commitment when he held sway as the executive chairman of Keana under the auspices of the People’s Democratic Party.

Though Tongues has continued to wag over his recent appointment but it is an appointment well deserved, the ministry of commerce is another ministry where things are happening, and the present happenings may not be unconnected to the initiatives of Hon.Osegba, though his major challenges are late coming to office.

Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development- Status of Performance -Dormant

Eunice Kigbu is a second time commissioner, Ashelo heads one of the dormant ministry in the state, she lacks coordination between her and the directors in the ministry, there has always been a serious crack in the less busy ministry that has least number of civil servants.

Ministry of Budget and National Planning- Status of Performance -Dormant

Hon.Dr.Uthman Ibrahim is the state commissioner ministry of budget and national planning, is composed and eloquent in presentation but is not attentive to duty like his sister ministry, Rural and Community Development ministry.

Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resource- Status of Performance -Dormant

Hon.Yusuf Aliyu Lawee is well dressed and pompous in addressing issues affecting the state ministry of agriculture and water resource, he is not accessible on several occasions especially when the governor embarks on foreign trip.

Other questions that needed answers are what is the fate of the defaulters of Badakoshi tractor? What happened to the invincible Zimbabwe white farmers of former governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma? What happened to fertilizers allocated to the state in this year’s wet season especially the diversion of fertilizers in Kokona local government? These are among the question Yusuf Lawee needed to answer.

Ministry of Justice and Attorney General- Status of Performance -Dormant

Hon. Shehu Yusuf is the attorney general and commissioner of Justice, his journey to stardom started after he was saddle with the responsibility to steer the chairman of the probe panel committee set up by the state governor with a directive by the fourth assembly during the last impeachment saga.

He is among the globetrotting cabinet members who are only present at their duty post when the state governor is within the state while he is away pending when the chief executive returns to the state, the commissioner need to do more by saving his boss and the state from court cases.

  1. Hon.Shehu needed to do more to save the governor, his party (APC) from the ongoing N92m legal battle instituted by six lawyers hired by the governor during the local government election petition tribunal.
  2. The attorney general has to wake up from his slumber to protect the integrity of the state government by settling lingering litigations especially on land disputes between individual and the state leading to the non-completion of TAAL model school in Doma.

The commissioner of Justice needs to give legal advice to the chief executive, it would  be recalled that the state governor’s convey attacked a woman from Benue state and the action of the governor led to court case, this was ended  through out of court settlement and chunk amount of money was wasted in the process.

  1. An ardent question is this, why is the ministry delaying the prosecution of Badakoshi tractor loan who include state lawmakers and monarchs.

Ministry of Health- Status of Performance -Dormant

Ever since the exit of the pioneer commissioner for health, Dr.Emmanuel Akabe everything has come to standstill at one of the must busy ministry, it would be recalled that Akabe stood firmly to refute media reports that there is no outbreak of Ebola in Nasarawa state, not like the incumbent commissioner, Hon.Daniel Iya who is not known by the governor’s political appointees.

There was outbreak of Lassa fever in recent times but no policy statement was issued to that effect about what the state government is doing to curb the situation.

The commissioner is yet to tour public health facilities especially general hospitals in the state, Dr.Iyal is yet to visit one of the abandoned general hospital situated in Agbashi, the headquarter of Ekye Development area even when the state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura raised eyebrows during a visit to Odeni Magaji, a community in Nasarawa local government. The governor expressed shock over the abandoned general hospital with up-to date facilities. The commissioner needs to do more being the headship of the health ministry in the state.

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