Jonathan: FG 'll Treat All Nigerians Equally
SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, (THEWILL) – President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday, said the Federal Government will treat all Nigerians equally as he assured Nigerians of equitable distribution of federal projects and appointments.
Jonathan stated this while addressing a 16-member delegation of the Southern Kaduna Consultative Forum at the State House, Monday.
“I am always concerned about justice and equity, to ensure that every section of the country gets its fair share, and we will continue to do that,”he assured the delegation.
The President, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati , expressed the administration’s appreciation to the people of Southern Kaduna for their consistent support during the elections, and said no politician could fully pay back for the votes of supporters.
“We cannot pay back what you have done by voting for us,” he said, adding, “but we are already working hard to address some of the issues you have brought to us today.”
Earlier, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo had told the delegation that many Federal Government projects had been approved by President Jonathan in Southern Kaduna.
These include the 215MW Kudenda thermal plant for the Kaduna Industrial Area, completion of the Gurara Dam’s 30MW plant, a 200km road, a special agricultural irrigation training school, funds from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for Kafanchan University, as well as a new dam planned for Kauru Local Government Area.
The leader of the delegation, Major General Zamani Lekwot, rtd, appealed to President Jonathan to redress the marginalisation of the zone through more equitable appointments and citing of Federal Government projects, adding that the zone had only seven of the 30 federal political appointments in the State.
Lekwot asked for the completion of road projects, power supply projects, rehabilitation of NTA Kafanchan and the establishment of a military unit within a 20km radius of Kafanchan to deter terrorists from killing innocent villagers of Southern Kaduna.
Lekwot, who was a military administrator in the old Rivers State, now Bayelsa and Rivers, later assured journalists that security is a complex problem which the government through its appropriate agencies is handling.
“Mr. President has already hit the nail on the head which is dialogue, dialogue is the best medicine. I also believe in dialogue, no matter the grievances we should table those grievances at the table of discussion and since the nitty-gritty is being handled by the security agencies I will not have anything else to add. I support the government stand,” the retired general noted.
On other purposes of their audience with the President, Lekwot said: “We also requested for something to be done about Kaduna eastern bypass which is a very key artery. Kaduna has become suddenly congested because of influx of vehicles.
“Another point we made had to do with Kaduna international airport, because of the strategy location of Kaduna being the heart of agricultural section of this part of the country, the airport is upgraded to international standard, we can start exporting agricultural produce to the international market. When that time comes the whole nation's economy will benefit.
“All in all we came to join the train of other supporters of government so that our own community like other can benefit from national cake,” he stated.