By Amos Tauna
Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, says moves have commence to establish community institutions of higher education following the non-reopening of public owned higher institutions in the area.
Kaduna state government, last year, following incessant attacks on southern Kaduna by Fulani herdsmen have closed down higher institutions in the area, comprising College of Education Gidan Waya, School of Nursing Kafanchan and Kaduna State University, Kafanchan campus.
A communiqué issued Tuesday, jointly signed by its President and National Secretary, Solomon K. Musa and Anto Ogah Amb, said, “In view of the trauma and losses caused to students and parents by the continued closure of the tertiary institutions and also by the disconcerting fact that Southern Kaduna has no alternative private institutions, it was settled that SOKAPU should make wide consultations and take all necessary steps to establish its own community institutions.”
The stakeholders also in a move to strengthen the operations and implementation of all initiatives of Southern Kaduna, called on all bona fide Southern Kaduna people worldwide to obtain the registration form of SOKAPU through their CDAs, branches and chapters for the purpose of registration.
“Persons of Southern Kaduna who have attained adult age shall not claim membership of SOKAPU unless registered and allotted membership identification number. Membership registration, it was agreed, will confer several benefits to registered members.
The Summit which recorded an unprecedented gathering of thousands of key stakeholders from Southern Kaduna unanimously agreed that, “The closure of tertiary institutions in Southern Kaduna from December, 2016 to now, was examined and Summit could not find any justification or rationale for their continued closure in view of the fact that the government has given assurances that security has been restored.
“More so that Primary and Secondary Schools, government agencies, markets and other public institutions have been normally carrying out all activities peacefully.”
SOKAPU called on the government to re-open the closed institutions immediately, pointing out that unless the government has some hidden motives for their continued closure.
“With regards to the structure of traditional institutions including the position of District Heads, Summit noted that the structures arose as result of the yearnings, desires and aspirations for those institutions as they came to be constituted. The traditional institutions became necessary in Kaduna State, taking into account the rich diversity and plurality of the State.
“Summit also noted their critical roles in bringing peace and stability to the entire State. The Summit noted that the major reason advanced by government’s rationalization or sacking of the District Heads was paucity of funds for their remuneration,” the communiqué stated.
It noted that the sacking of the District Heads was done with scant regard to the feelings of the people and without any form of consultation with the communities in Kaduna State.
It condemned the sacking of the District Heads as retrogressive and not in sync with the yearnings and aspirations of the people while calling on the state government to reverse its decision.
It reaffirmed the readiness of the 53 community development associations of Southern Kaduna to take over the responsibility of the payment of emoluments and remunerations of all the district heads affected.
The communiqué viewed negatively the directive/call on persons/individuals to apply or re-apply for the available position of District Heads as divisive, autocratic, in bad faith and unfathomable.
The summit believes that it would be imprudent, improper and not in good taste for anyone to apply or re-apply for such positions which are and ought not to be vacant in the first place.
On the call for restructuring Nigeria, the meeting supports the agitation but insists Southern Kaduna must be represented at the negotiating table with all other groups in a fair, balanced and acceptable manner.
SOKAPU agreed on the resolution reached in the June 21 Communiqué of the Middle Belt Forum which insists that Nigeria be restructured into 12 confederating regions.
The communiqué unanimously called for the implementation of the 2014 Confab report as the starting point for the restructuring of Nigeria, while calling for the continued agitation for the creation of Gurara State from the present Kaduna State.
It rejects and condemned the call for the expulsion of the lgbos from the North come October 1st, 2017. “SOKAPU disassociates itself from the expulsion order. SOKAPU stands in solidarity with Igbos against the parochial and sectional threats issued by a Coalition of exclusionists and sectional Youth groups,” it observed.
It expressed the double standards in failing demonstrated by government for not doing to effect their arrests, whereas government has shown more than enough capacity to arrest, incarcerate and prosecute Southern Kaduna people.
SOKAPU reiterates its resolve to continue to have cordial and robust relationship with all progressive people in Kaduna state, communities and nationalities of the South-South; South-West; South -East and other parts of Nigeria.
