GIVE A DOG BAD NAME TO HANG IT ,part 1
Naysayers and those with selective amnesia have been shouting on top of their lungs that Gov. DDI isn’t performing. Some are even saying he is the worst Governor in the history of Taraba State. But isn’t this always the case with sitting governors? If you want to hang an innocent dog, the only choice available to you is to give it a bad name.
Was Jolly Nyame not insulted and vilified and christened the worst Governor? That he did not do anything for Taraba State except to party with the likes of Awilo and other celebrities, inviting them to the State. However, those naysayers have since retraced their steps and are singing the Nyame song, listing his accomplishments, and calling him the best Governor. They no longer call him Awilo Governor. Nyame did the best he can for Taraba State and we’ll forever remain grateful for his services!
Danbaba Danfulani Suntai (DDS) narrowly scaled through his re-election as he was faced with the forces of Sen. Joel Ikenya (ACN) and Ahmed Yusuf (CPC) in 2011. What gave the duo of Ikenya and Ahmed Yusuf the strength to contest against DDS was the fact that DDS didn’t do perform and the people were ready to show DDS the way out. Why were they against him if he performed extremely well as it being insinuated? Truth be told, Danbaba was liked more after that ill-fated crash and at dead than he was alive and as the Governor. But he also carries, in some quarters, the best governor title.
Today, it is DDI that is at the receiving end of these custom negativities. DDI is not working. DDI is not doing anything. DDI this, DDI that. No one is talking about the massive employment and empowerment registered during DDI’s regime. Suffice it to say that the last time Taraba State employed massively and publicly was in 2003.
Naysayers have insisted money was wasted to build the Green House and that it does not have economic value in one sentence. But the next sentence will be that DDI is embezzling money gotten from the Green House. That aside, what or where is the result of the investments in the Agric sector before DDI that building the Green House will be termed irrelevant or waste?
Naysayers don’t believe that the Mambilla Highland tea has been resuscitated and is raking in high returns on investment but they totally believe that DDI is “embezzling” money generated by Highland Tea. How can someone be in Yola when it is believed that he did not leave Jalingo?
DDI is up-to-date with salaries. He has earmarked money to be used to off-set backlog of gratuities and simultaneously enrolling new retirees into the pension scheme. And all of these don’t matter?
Construction work is on-going on Pantisawa road, Yorro LG. Magami road was reconstructed. And so is Palace way, and the first phase of Kona-Minda-Lau raod. Takum has had its share too. Wukari, especially Tsokundi area had its own fair share.
Is DDI really not performing? I think it is more of a case of over expectation than anything else. And the truth is, if for instance, previous governments had settled the issues of gratuity and pensions, DDI would have been doing something different. The same applies to all other areas.
Let’s give DDI a break. Let us rather call on his attention on areas he needs to look into instead of branding him what he is not.
By Elewa chris
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