Reporters approached Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, last week when he met President Bola Tinubu, with questions on the important issues he discussed with the number one citizen. Excerpts as reproduced by Nasir Dambatta.
What important issues did you discuss with the President?
Gov Sani:
Many issues. But we have some areas where we need Mr. President’s intervention and support, especially in the area of security as well as other important programmes of the state government that have to do with agriculture and healthcare. I came here to discuss with Mr. President, who has been supportive of what we’re doing in Kaduna.
So, it is just a follow-up on what he has been doing for us. Today, I also came to remind him of other areas. The meeting was very successful. I am happy because Mr. President has also been able to call some ministries and agencies that we need to collaborate with at the federal government level.
I’m happy to inform people in my state that we have a president who has taken Kaduna very seriously. He is helping us in areas where we, as a state, cannot handle issues alone. We need the federal government’s support, and in that, he has been supporting us. He has been giving us leadership and guidance. I want to say here that most of the things we’re doing in Kaduna, without the federal government’s support and Mr. President’s intervention, we might not achieve many of them. I’m particularly happy about the area of security. That is what brought me here today.
What specific commitments have you gotten from the president regarding the security you mentioned?
Gov. Sani: I had a series of meetings with the service chiefs only recently. We need some more boots on the ground in areas like Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, as well as some local governments around Zangon Kataf, Kaura, and some axis of Southern Kaduna. He has stepped up his effort of ensuring that the military has considered Kaduna as one of the most important states that need serious security support and intervention.
As you’re aware, security is primarily the responsibility of the federal government, particularly when it comes to the army, the police, and the DSS. As someone who has been in the National Assembly for four years before becoming the governor, I know we need the support of the federal government and Mr. President, in particular, to address the problem of insecurity in our state.
