The Chairman of the Nasarawa State chapter of All Progressives Congress, Philip Tatari Shekwo, has appealed to workers on the payroll of the state government participating in the ongoing strike to discontinue the industrial action against the government.
Shekwo made the appeal in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Lafia, the state capital.
Govt alone cannot meet everybody’s needs
The APC state chairman said that the party empathised with the striking workers in the state, adding that the economic recession in the country should be blamed for the current situation of things.
He said, “What is coming into the state is not sufficient to go round all the sectors. You know, like I always say, payment of salaries, promotions and arrears are not the only responsibilities of the state government. The government has other social responsibilities that have to be taken care of. The little money that is available, government has to allocate it also to other sectors that touch the lives of everybody, whether high or low.
“By the time you carry all the monies and pay salaries and neglect other areas, it will give you problems. So, I am sure what the government is doing is to be able to allocate money to other sectors so that every sector will be covered. Moreover, apart from salary, other sectors also touch the lives of everybody.”
On the allegations by some citizens of the state that the APC administration lacked the necessary care for human development, the party chairman said, “I think it is a misplaced criticism. What is the development of infrastructure meant for? Is it not meant to develop human beings? I think my guess is always that people are already used to the past, where money was being shared to them.”
Shekwo added that the illegality and corrupt practices that was then the order of the day had been misunderstood by the people for human development.
“That is corruption. You don’t take money that is meant for hospitals, money that is meant for schools, money that is meant for infrastructural development and start sharing to people and you call that human development or human infrastructure,” he said.
The APC chairman also blamed the non-existence of elected officials at the council level in the state on paucity of funds, stressing, “It boils down to the issue of funds. Because of paucity of funds, local government election has not been held. It is not a deliberate attempt, it is because there is no money. If there was money, this government is interested in the democratically elected officials in the local government.”
Shekwo commended the administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, saying, “The governor has outperformed his predecessors. The evidence is there everywhere-the roads, the hospitals, the libraries, the schools, the cargo airport, the road from Kwandere to Keffi that cuts the number of hours you will spend to get to Abuja from Lafia. He is sinking a large chunk of money into investments in the state.”
