Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, has once again indicated that the federal government’s office in charge of dispensing the proceeds of its social intervention programmes in the State have some challenges that are making it difficult for the state government to benefit maximally from the scheme.
Governor Tambuwal made the observation Friday when he received the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq and her counterpart of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen at Government House, Sokoto.
He said although the state government have benefited much from the federal government’s social intervention programmes, much still needs to be done.
He said in order to maximize the benefits accruing from the intervention scheme, the state government has taken measures to constantly supervise the activities of the federal office so as to ensure that the people of Sokoto state take maximum advantage and benefit from all the social intervention programmes.
According to Tambuwal, the state government is ready and willing to continue partnering with the federal government on any programme that will benefit the people of the state.
Expressing appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the apex government’s commiseration with the victims of the recent flood disaster and the state government, the governor said the state government is doing its best in extending social intervention schemes to various communities in the state with the aim of rebuilding the structures that have been damaged by the recent flood and windstorm.
He said currently the state government is working on a supplementary budget that will be sent to the State House of Assembly, primarily, to see how best to rebuild the damaged infrastructures which include roads, schools, hospitals and houses of individuals.
On women empowerment the governor further maintained that in Nov 2019 the State government introduced an empowerment programme from which 500 women and 500 men will benefit from a grant of N20,000 each in every local government area.
He said under the scheme, about N4 billion will be disbursed to 200,000 beneficiaries across the state.
Tambuwal also stated that his administration is doing its best in terms of educating women in the state, saying that is the reason behind the creation of an Agency for Female Education.
He said the state government is coming up with 3 Girls Science Academy in each of the 3 Senatorial Districts, adding that already one of such, located at Kasarawa area in the state capital, is now progressing steadily.
Governor Tambuwal added that, the state government will construct not less that 23 ICT compliant Junior Science Model Schools for girls across the 23 local government areas in the state.
He maintained that the state government has also passed the Compulsory Education Bill which stipulates penalty for parents that deny their wards the chance of going to school.
The bill, he explained, mandates not only the enrolment of students but also the retention in school of every child in the state.
On water and sanitation, the governor said on his assumption of office, there were quite a number of local government areas that didn’t have 24 constant water supply.
He said currently, the state government is constructing 1.5 million gallons per day semi water scheme in 17 local government areas where already 14 have been completed and waiting for commissioning.
He further explained that over 1000 boreholes have been provided in small towns and villages across the state, in addition to another contract of 250 boreholes that have recently been awarded with a view to addressing the problem of clean water supply in the rural communities.
On the Child Rights Act, Tambuwal said it is receiving attention from the government because people in the state need to be sensitized on the act in order for it to be understood.
He said already the state government has set up a committee headed by the Wazirin Sokoto which is expected to come out with a report in line with the religion, tradition and culture of the state.
On punishment of rapists, the governor said; ”our laws are adequate as they provide for prevention and eventual prosecution of offenders and the rehabilitation of rape victims.
In her address the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk said they were in the state to provide relief materials to the victims of flood disaster and dispense special cash transfer to vulnerable rural women.
She extended the commiseration of President Muhammadu Buhari to the victims of the flood disaster in the state and thanked the state government for its support and cooperation aimed at complementing the federal government in the distribution the relief materials to the victims.
Also in her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen commended the state government for various interventions directed at women, especially rural women.
She also thanked the governor for his administration’s adherence to the affirmative action by considering women for appointments, citing the example of the appointment of women councillors in each of the 23 local government areas.
Mrs Tallen added that the Sokoto state government is among the few states in the federation that is assisting women to actualize their potentials.
