Adekunle Aliyu
25 March 2008
Lagos — Governor Aliyu spoke on Monday as Senator Nuhu Aliyu (PDP, Niger North) unveiled an annual poverty alleviation programme and established a foundation to cater to the needs of indigents within his senatorial district.
The twin programmes were unveiled in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area, just as Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at the occasion declared free education up to the secondary school level for indigenes and non-indigenes attending public schools in Niger State.
"When I took over, NECO refused to release the results of Niger State because about one-third of the pupils did not pay and I discovered that it was because they could not pay! So, I paid for the one-third and they released the results. The total that I am paying for WAEC and NECO this year (2008) is N300 million. We said there is no need for saying you are an indigene, you are not an indigene," Governor Aliyu said at the occasion.
"For me, whoever is schooling in Niger State means he/she has a reason to be in Niger State . It is either your parents are federal officers from Immigration to Fisheries like they are here or in the National Games Reserve and so on.
"You are adding value to us and we make it easier for you; which means you will be more dedicated to what ever you are doing."
"So, we said let the parents keep their money, let the government do it and then we give them free uniforms, text books," he declared.
400 motorcycles and 400 sewing machines were presented to indigent constituents of the senatorial district by Governor Aliyu on behalf of the Senator.
Senator Aliyu said the foundation had been established in way to outlive him as he said that he had already gotten the involvement of his children in the programme as a way of sustaining it.
At the presentation at Sabuke Square, New Bussa, Senator Aliyu said the donations were made to help the economic progress of the beneficiaries who he hoped would contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.
"What I have done today is a kind of poverty alleviation to the rural areas. You can see that this is a rural area, the motorcycles and the sewing machines will enable the people live their lives more comfortably."
"This is just the beginning. Sometime next month, I intend to launch a foundation to be known as Senator Nuhu Aliyu Foundation and I will make it mandatory that every year, I will make available to each of the eight local governments in my zone, N1 million every year, with a minimum of N8 million every year."
On how the foundation would be made to outlive him, he said:
"It may even outlive after me because my children are involved in this Foundation so that even after I must have gone, they should continue to make this payment available because I am sure what I am going to live behind can accommodate my children to give out N8 million every year for as long as they can."
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