Cost of election misfortune and Ramadan feeding in Sokoto
By Aminu Mohammed
While the dust raised by the 2023 general elections, particularly in Sokoto is yet do die down, another misfortune has befell the PDP administration under Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and may perhaps be the final nailing of its coffin.
For the first time in 16 years since the administration of Wamakko initiated and implemented the Annual Ramadan Feeding Programme, the exercise is now under threat as the Sokoto state government has been unable to feed the poor, the disabled and the teeming dependants on the annual ritual. With half of the Ramadan period already gone, tongues are wagging and questions are being asked, what is delaying this year’s exercise? For 15 years it has been consistent and so why is this different from the previous exercises? The answer is not far- fetched, the PDP administration in Sokoto having spent so much fortune to retain power and lost the governorship election, is broke.
In fact, some state government workers have gone two months without salaries and a government that has been battling to settle workers wages which is their legal rights can be excused for failing to raise funds to implement the consistent Ramadan Feeding Programme which is now becoming inconsistent.
The Holy month of Ramadan is celebrated in the Muslim world with different Reward Related exercises and it was as a result of this that the administration of former Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko came up with the annual Ramadan Feeding to enable the have nots, the disabled and those whose income could not give them the delicacy to break their fast, to have a taste of good and delicious food. The programme was placed under the ministry of Social Welfare where Hon Ahmed Aliyu, the governor-elect in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Sokoto state was the commissioner while an Islamic scholar in the state, Sheikh Abubakar Jibril was appointed chairman. Throughout Wamakko’s tenure, the programme became a blessing to the unemployed and low income earners who converge at different Ramadan Feeding centers to break their fast. Interestingly, even those who were average income earners visited the feeding centers for the delicacies. Assorted rice, foreign chickens bottled water and all sort of fruits were on daily supply and the programme which took off with only 50 eating centers was expanded to about 80 the following year and as the years roll by, the centers continue to be expanded. The initial N74, 640, 000 approved as take off grant was subsequently increased to N96, 757.750 a year later. The centers were not only restricted to the state capital as all the 23 local government areas were also mandated to open feeding centers to allow those who could not have proper breaking of the fast to lean on the government purse.
Throughout the Wamakko era ( 2007-2015) the Ramadan Feeding Programme in Sokoto got series of commendations from different states in the north and most of the states in the north later adopted the Wamakko Action Plan on Ramadan Feeding. Although, when governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal took over from Wamakko in 2015, he continued with the programme but the 2020 COVID 19 Pandemic changed the feeding formula by giving recipients raw food to take home and to date it has been the practice.
The mind boggling question is, why is it that years after the Corona virus scare, the committee continue to give raw food instead of cooked food which would benefit many? Is a lot of water running under the bridge escaping public notice or has giving out raw food become advantageous than cooking for the majority? The Nigerian factor is at play here because most committee members benefit from the present arrangement than the previous formula which allows majority of the lower class to benefit. With the corona virus scare now a bye gone issue, the government ought to have instructed the central committee under the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer who was then the Secretary to the state government Malam Saidu Umar to revert to the old order rather than a system that has been breeding corruption in a programme implemented for the sake of Allah.
With just two weeks left for the Ramadan to end, would there be light at the end of the tunnel or beneficiaries of the 16- year old programme would have a bleak 2023 Ramadan Fast? Most of the beneficiaries are the disabled in the society and the succour the feeding programme brings on their faces and in their lives during every Ramadan is unquantifiable. However, with years of arrears of their monthly allowances yet unpaid by the outgoing PDP administration in the state, one can imagine the pain and frustrations these people with disability are going through in this Holy month of several blessings.
As part of his magnanimity towards the plight of the disabled in Sokoto state, governor Wamakko came up with an allowance of N6, 500 to each registered disabled person in the state and that became a burden on the Tambuwal administration which has failed to pay for more than four years now.
The PDP defeat at the just concluded elections in the state was a product of misrule. The outgoing government failed to implement positive social investment programmes to cushion unemployment and boost morale. The saying that you reap what you sow is what the outgoing government is paying for dearly.
Now that it is clear that, the Sokoto state government is broke and cannot pay salaries consistently, cannot feed the poor and less privilege in the society without a bank loan, would the incoming APC administration headed by His Excellency Ahmed Aliyu be kind to the present government to borrow from the bank and pay salaries and other schedules like Ramadan Feeding and parting gifts to family and friends as the government is christened?
Kowa diba da zahi na him mouth go feel am
