The Sokoto State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commended the Sokoto State Government for its substantial investment in agriculture and its unwavering commitment to infrastructure development.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Dalhatu Safiyal Magori, and the Secretary, Mohammed Bello, and made available to TheStories on Sunday, the Union praised the government for its efforts to improve the state’s agricultural sector and infrastructure.
“The NUJ commends the state government for its significant investment in agriculture, particularly for providing fertilizers worth billions of naira free to farmers across the state for the first time in history. This, along with several other initiatives, has had a profound impact on the state,” the statement read.
The Union also lauded the government’s dedication to infrastructure development, highlighting the construction of standard road projects throughout the Kara Ramen Kura Market, which had suffered decades of neglect. Other commendable projects include the reconstruction of roads in the Sahara business area, Gawon Nama area, the repair of roundabouts, the patching of potholes across metropolitan roads, and the installation of streetlights and security fencing along pavements in the metropolis.
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In a similar vein, the Union praised the Sokoto State Government and the people of Sokoto State for their peaceful conduct during the ten-day nationwide protest. The Council acknowledged the effective collaboration among security agencies, whose continuous patrols and surveillance helped maintain peace and order in the state during the protest.
The Union also recognized the state government’s commendable efforts in minimizing the impact of attempts to hijack the protest, noting that unlike in other parts of the country, the protest’s impact was felt only on the first day in Sokoto metropolis, with no incidents reported during the subsequent nine days across the state.
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However, the Council urged the state government to intensify its efforts in addressing insecurity, which remains a serious concern across the state, and to create more opportunities to alleviate the current hardships faced by the people.
Given the financial challenges faced by the state workforce due to the high cost of living, the NUJ called on the Sokoto State Government to be among the first to fully implement the long-awaited national minimum wage, recently approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The NUJ also highlighted the plight of pensioners in the state, noting that they are among the worst affected by the rising cost of living. Many have retired without receiving their benefits, and several others are not yet enrolled in the monthly pension payment scheme. The Union urged the state government to address these issues promptly.
