Our attention has been drawn to a libelous statements against the person of Alhaji Ahmed Idris, the Accountant General of the Federation by an ill-informed and misguided Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of the embattled Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Lawal Abubakar, requesting him to explain how he possess his wealth in Kano.
While we believe there are some reasonable members of ASUU, its silence over the accusations by its Bauchi zonal coordinator means endorsement and confirmation of naivety of the majority of its members.
It is now obvious that ASUU has totally derailed, lost focus and direction. It is no more news to Nigerians that ASUU has abdicated and abandoned it responsibilities, goals and objectives. It has reneged on its heritage and core mandate of entrenching scholarship, learning and discipline in the Nigerian Universities. Well-being and rights of students are no longer of concern to ASUU and its leadership. Whenever ASUU goes on strike is about money. Obliviously, they call off their strike when government makes right monetary offers. ASUU is now gearing up to call off their nine months strike after bargaining for a higher amount for Earned Academic Allowance (EAA). One would have expected ASUU to negotiate a higher amount for revitalization of universities, rather than accepting a lion share for EAA, which will eventually be paid to its members. It is therefore very clear to Nigerians that money is the primary concern and motive behind ASUU’s ongoing strike and nothing more. “The terrible negative consequence of the ongoing ASUU strike is the total relegation of the Nigerian university education to the background and lost of confidence in the system. We understand that many Nigeria students are busy collecting their transcripts and seeking admissions with universities in the neighbouring countries. This is rather very unfortunate development. Worst of it all, is the fact that many Nigerian students have lost hope in Nigerian Universities due to incessant strikes by ASUU over the years.
This unpatriotic, shameless and selfish disposition of ASUU is self-defeating and would eventually lead to its self destruction.
Clearly, no reasonable community will turn deaf ears or blind eyes, when its good citizen being maligned unjustly. Consequently, we the following concern Community Organizations pop namely: GEZAWA UNITY ASSOCIATION, GEZAWA CONCERN FORUM, GEZAWA YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FORUM AND GEZAWA LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDENT ASSOCIATION and host of others, we hereby stand out unanimously against your premeditated vileness. We had waited for couple of days to see a disclaimer from ASUU Northeast Zonal leadership disassociating it self from the unguarded utterances of its zonal coordinator, but to no avail, as not a word was spitted in this regard. We want to urge the national leadership of ASUU to come out with clean tongue to disassociate itself from these misleading allegations against the AGF, as failure to do so may subject them to be sued for defaming his character.
However, we want ASUU and its members to know and verify that Alhaji Ahmed Idris came from a renowned trading family. His father was a well-known businessman in Daneji Quarters in the ancient city of Kano. There are still prominent business outfits and landmarks belonging to their family. These are verifiable facts about Alhaji Ahmed Idris and his family. So, it would not surprise anyone to hear that before his appointment as AGF, Ahmed Idris was already into a number of lawful private businesses:- including farming, merchandising and trading in agricultural commodities.
Ahmed Idris has demonstrated high sense of dedication, commitment, honesty, integrity, accountability and transparency honesty in his public service and personal conduct. He has been adjudged to have very clean records of service and has shown unwavering determination to provide solutions to our numerous socio-economic challenges in our society.
The Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange referred to in the outburst by ASUU member is located on an the ancestral and maternal land of Alhaji Ahmed Idris. Greater part of the farmland was bequeathed to him through inheritance, while adjoining lands were acquired gradually over the last twenty years.
Initially, we thought ASUU, as an academic association will not be involved in building jejune claims against individual personality. However, catastrophically and tragically, ASUU unveiled to the world that they are cat’s paw [not only in their internal rifts with vice Chancellors] overzealous civil servants and Government’s opposition.
We believed the ASUU chapter in Bauchi state has not conducted a proper research about the GEZAWA COMMODITY MARKET before going to press. Lest you forget he is bona fide ancestral son of Gezawa, having his maternal roots from there. As earlier stated, his late father was a popular entrepreneur in Kano city. It is evident that Ahmad Idris followed the footsteps of his late father who was popularly known as Alhaji Idi ‘’MAIKANTI’’ – meaning the entrepreneur.
Ahmad Idris, has offered uncountable job opportunities to many youths across the country, not only Gezawa or Kano citizens.
We however want ASUU, Bauchi Chapter to know that AGF has in 2008 founded a Foundation, Al-Ihsan Social Intervention Foundation, which has been sponsoring thousands of students to study various programs at different tertiary institutions across the country and abroad – and has never asked for a reward from them, let alone the message portrayed in your write-up that Accountant-General has plans to run for the position of governor in Kano.
This 12 years old non-profit foundation, Al-Ihsan, has about 13 Executive members that are steering its good activities ranging from building and renovation of Mosques, Schools, PHCs, helping orphans in Kano and many other states across the federation, sponsoring marital expenses for orphans and less privileged persons amongst other philanthropic work in Kano State and the country at large.
We want to assure you that Alhaji Ahmad Idris will always be a steel-born in your mouths, he’s unbreakable.
As for the multibillion Gezawa commodity market alleged to be owned by the AGF as posited by the embattled and disgruntled ASUU member was not solely owned by the AGF.
For a clearer picture of the alleged market, let us give the public a view of this gigantic investment effort viz:
• 280 hectares of land was provided by the AGF to accommodate the market after proper valuation.
• Investors were invited from within and outside the country to come and invest in area of their choice on very flexible terms.
• The market would be licenced to operate as a dry port. Nigerian Customs, NAFDAC, NDLEA, Export Promotion Council, Standard Organisation of Nigeria and Federal Fire Service have indicated interest to operate in the market eco-system.
• Many people invested in shop buildings, restaurant, manufacturing, including, grains/foods processing bank and hotels.
• Interested investor makes a business proposal on their area of interest in accordance with the market’s master plan.
– At take off, Gezawa Commodity Market will provide over 2,000 direct jobs, while at same time indirect jobs are expected to hit about 1,000.
With above explanation, one will come to understand that the Gezawa Commodity Market was not owned by the AGF alone, but a conglomeration of various companies and individual investors from all walks of life across the country.
We, as the residents of Gezawa town are proud of Alhaji Ahmed Idris for his passion to rid his people of poverty and under-development. He is a worthy son who attracted huge investments to the area through his ingenuity which promised thousands of employment and economic sustenance to our teeming population, particularly the youths. We would like to use this opportunity to draw the attention of ASUU to admonish its members against such unguarded statement which may tend to negate its esteem in the national industrial ecosystem.
Signed
Alhaji Lawan Badamasi
The Galadima of Gezawa Local Government Area
(C) Control TV 2020.
