There’s nothing wrong summoning Buhari to NASS- Jafaru

Honourable Jafaru Mohammed is the All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing Borgu/Agwara Federal Constituency of Niger state.

In this interview with AHMID LAWAL, he speaks of his experience as a first timer in the National Assembly and sundry matters.


As a first timer in the House of Reps, what’s your experience so far?

I have gotten a lot of experience and still learning because the National Assembly is an institution. As a lawmaker, I am learning the workings of a legislature. My experience are enormous in this one and half years we have spent so far, which I am using to better the lives of my constituents. It is a process and I believe I will get there by the grace of God.

What is (are) your legislative agenda for your constituency people?

Definitely, I must have agenda for my people that elected me and that is the reason why I am here. My legislative agenda are numerous which I categorise into three. Firstly, it is on Economic empowerment so that I will provide succour for the less privileges because my constituency are predominately farmers and as a result of the insecurity challenges, most of them have left their farmlands to source for a living elsewhere, which has created a lot of hardship and unemployment accompanied with lack which I am trying to assist in that direction. Secondly, to give them educational support, in order to help the younger ones further their education and as well provide the needed materials to back it up. If I can recall during the Covid-19 pandemic , I supported my constituents with over N20 million as palliatives measures to cushion the effect of the lockdown, not all that, when I was turbaned as the Shattima Borgu, I celebrated by given out ten Pick-up Vans to enable them convey their meat from Abattoirs to the market. This, I did to avoid motorcycles who were the major means of conveying cow meat to the market which was unhealthy. The pick-up vans will serve as means of conveying the meat slaughtered at abattoirs to market, unlike before when the meat conveyed by motor cycles fall down and before picking them up, it packs sand on the ground which was  dirty and an eye-saw.
But with the vehicles, the meat will be conveyed neatly to the market without stress. In addition to the vehicles, I procured 20 motorcycle and gave to youth in all the ward representing my constituency to enable them earn a living. I also procured another 20 motorcycles and gave out for security surveillance and operations to all the security agencies within my constituency such as army, police, SSS, Civil Defence and the local vigilantes. Thirdly, by God’s grace, I have also issued two different cheques containing N10million each. One of it is to support their educational activities as I said earlier for the less priviledged ones to study and the necessary materials to support them, while the other N10 million is for empowerment. This is for them to engage in small and medium skill acquisitions, and part of the money will be shared according to their skills, some will get N50,000, some N100,000 while others more, depending on what you want to use the money for because it is an empowerment programme.

What differences will you make from your predecessor?

Well, I won’t be the judge myself but my people, my own is to give them quality representation here in the National Assembly and also carry them along.  So it is my people that will see the difference, not me.

What’s your take on inviting President Buhari to NASS to explain insecurity in the country? 

We have explored all options in the House and summoning President Buhari to come and highlight the House on the state of insecurity in the country is the last option for us. And there is nothing wrong about it, note that we are in a democratic era and the House is guided by the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore Mr. President should be called if situations are unbearable or getting out of hands. As we can see, the state of the country is getting worse by the day such that all members are getting scared, kidnapping, banditry, criminal activities are on the increase, most especially, in the North-eastern states and is spreading fast to other parts of the country. In Niger state the situation is increasing day by day , and where will we  run too. Kidnapper can get you anywhere either in your home or attack you by the road and demand huge ransom of money before you will be released. Right now, they have  kidnapped over 26 people from my constituency and they are demanding millions of naira before they would release them, and the  people are contributing small amount of  money  to facilitate their release which is very bad. This is not the country our forefathers died for, therefore something needs to be done urgently. Between Kontagora and Minna roads, they operate on daily basis. So we as members need to do something about it, we cannot just be looking at it like that. I think it is in order to call Mr. President to come and brief us on the security situation and we heard he has agreed to come.

What are your constituency’s challenges?

My constituency is left behind because we don’t have good roads, electricity and water. Infact, nothing to show and there is no federal government’s presence there. Incidentally, I came from the area that host the Kanji Dam which is one of the biggest generating power plants in the country and we have about eighty to ninety communities surrounded by the water but they don’t have electricity , reason being that it is not fully constructed and connected  and for that, my people are in darkness. I raised a motion on the floor of the House last year in respect of it, and I said there is an uncompleted project on electricity that needs to be connected to Kanji Dam and in the motion, only two of my prayers were considered although the electricity work has been done but to connect it, is now a big problem.

How many motions or bills have you sponsored?

For now, it is that of electricity connecting Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency to Kanji Dam. After this, others will follow.

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