Protestant grievances are geniuine—Gov. Fintiri

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri stated that all of the protesters’ complaints were genuine.

Governor Fintiri spoke at a live media address in Yola, Adamawa State’s capital, over the weekend.

The governor praised the peaceful demonstrators and emphasised the importance of discussion over violence to overcome national challenges.

According to him, Adamawa has remained generally calm and secure because Adamawa inhabitants, particularly youths, have chosen to align with his administration’s tranquil demeanour.

While noting that every person has the constitutional right to demonstrate, he praised the people of the state for maintaining peace, law, and order, stating that no significant growth can occur in an atmosphere of rancour and violence.

He stated, “Fellow citizens, even while the protest may be unpopular, particularly given the manner in which it is carried out in several places across the country, the message is clear and the demands are real.

The hard economic realities, a lack of policy direction, and the national government’s insensitivity to public engagement contributed to hunger and overall poverty in the country.

Since our assumption, we have instituted a program of free education in our public schools. For the past five years, we have taken on the obligation of paying WAEC, NECO, and other examination costs for children in public schools, taking the burden off of parents and guardians.

This will be sustained. We are developing 21 model primary and junior secondary schools across the state, one in each of our 21 LGAs.

To capitalise on the products of these model schools, we have chosen to create three senior science and technological mega-schools, one in each senatorial zone.

We are certainly having a lot of success with our school enrolment push, which has earned us the appreciation of our campaign partners. Over the last five years, we’ve made significant investments in the health industry. Our hospitals are in better shape than they’ve ever been.

We built and operationalised new cottage hospitals in all local governments that lacked secondary health care services. We worked with local governments to ensure that primary healthcare facilities were fully operational, with the appropriate people and drugs.

Fellow citizens, this is not the time to take stock; but, it is an excellent occasion to tell you what we have done and continue to do for you. As much as we understand that some of these things are better felt than stated, it is our responsibility to involve you, just as it is your right to know.

We should not pretend that everything is fine. We must also be able to inform you honestly about our carrying capacity as a subnational authority. Even though the demonstrators’ demands are legitimate, the national government should handle them as macroeconomic policy issues.

This is the reality of our federal government and constitution. We will engage with you to guarantee that the demands are met. The president is a listener, and I believe he can hear us loud and clear.

Governor Fintiri also urged the federal government to go above and above by implementing a long-term economic solution.