The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna State has urged the APC-led administration in the state to change its approach of governance and give the people the much-anticipated dividends of democracy.
The party explained that the essence of government is to meet the basic needs of the people.
The party noted that it is appalling that in Kaduna State, the political history in the past six years under the APC-led government has been dominated by anti-people policies, militia activities, banditry and kidnapping for ransom.
The PDP lamented that it looks glaring that the APC government in the state is powerless to deter aggression and to defend the integrity of the people.
Abraham Alberah Catoh, State Publicity Secretary, PDP, in a statement expressed reservation that while policy inconsistency and lack of openness and transparency in government dealings have grossly undermined people’s inclusion in the process of governance, the state is currently experiencing an unprecedented exit of people and businesses (multinational corporations and Small Scale Businesses) from the state.
It lamented that the atmosphere in Kaduna State has become hostile to human existence and businesses.
The party explained that bandits were holding sway over territories while people both in urban and rural communities are going through dehumanizing experiences of their lives.
It added that the rate at which people are being killed appears like the government is not proactive but quick in issuing empty statements provoking the bandits, which has helped to worsen the situation.
On the mass sack of workers in the public service of Kaduna State, the statement noted that it has been done without reference to the payment of gratuity, saying that Section 210 of the 1999 constitution guarantees Pension rights of affected workers.
It said data released by the Nigerian Labour Congress, Kaduna State Chapter, indicated that 77, 000 civil servants have been laid off by Gov. El-Rufai, stressing that in 2017, the governor sacked 4,776 district and village heads as well as their staff.
The party lamented that the APC government is sacking parents, breadwinners and guardians from office and simultaneously increasing the tuition fees of pupils and students in primary/junior secondary schools and tertiary institutions, respectively.
It noted that according to the new rates, students paying N26, 000 would henceforth pay up to N200, 000 for social science undergraduates and about N500,000 for medical students who are not indigenes of the state.
The party observed that the APC government has generated more pressure on the Kaduna populace than deflating it, pointing out that the sacking of workers, demolishing of people’s houses, demolition of markets and overtaxing of businesses have all combined and accentuated tensions like never before.
The party alleged that Gov. El-Rufai was heaping pressure on the present and future generations of children; especially with the $350m loan he collected from the World Bank (which has 10 years moratorium and a 40-year repayment period).
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