Kano State Governor, Abdulahi Ganduje – 5,200 Mai Shai (Tea Sellers) Empowered for 208million Naira!!!!

Kano State Governor, Abdulahi Ganduje Youths Empowerment Programme – 5,200 Mai Shai (Tea Sellers) Empowered for 208million Naira.

Abdulahi Umar Ganduje is the Governor of Kano State, he was a Deputy Governor for good 8 years in the government of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. 

It’s not uncommon for Politicians of all shades and colours to have one programme or the other to empower the people, even political office aspirants are well known to embrace these tactics of “giving” to the people in exchange for votes – in an ideal world, this will be treated as a bribe to vote and it’s a criminal offence but in Africa, it’s a norm around here. The more you give, the more popular you become and along the line you may get elected into office. Who wouldn’t like a business where you invest 1 and get 100 in return!

The Governor ran out of ideas on how to take his people out of poverty recently. Establishing factories, manufacturing companies and keep his people employed while oiling the tax system in the process. That was not a good idea but the Governor thought it’s an amazing idea to provide Bread, eggs, vegetable oil, noodles, tea, powdered milk, spaghetti, cups, baskets e.t.c to the youths so they can “flourish” in their Mai Shai(Tea selling) business!.

Such support from the government wouldn’t be a bad idea in the 60’s and early 70’s but in the 21st century, this is not only absurd but disturbing! It’s easy what all these elites are doing, keep the people uneducated, impoverished and at your mercy and give them peanuts now and then to make them worship you as a “Messiah” and “ Lord” or how else can one describe this selfish act of the governor?

208million naira for eggs and bread? Won’t these young people be better off if a manufacturing plant is established and producing a local product? How about a mechanised farming and employing these people? They can afford their own daily bread this way! It’s a win-win situation here, young people gainfully employed, less crime on the roads, the government gets paid back one way or the other, from income tax to corporation tax and VAT.

I have no idea what we Nigerians have done to all these clueless leaders with zero direction!

In his words during the distribution of eggs and bread in Kano – he said ““We are empowering 5,200 tea sellers. We are empowering them because we want to increase their economic well-being. We are empowering you to improve the economy of Kano. We are empowering you to improve sanitation in your services; we are empowering you to improve the nutritional value of your services. We are empowering you because of the multiplying effects of this kind of programme.” Whatever this man is smoking, he must stop now! Eggs and bread don’t make any effect in any economy at such scale! No economy grows from consuming and consuming alone!

All these youths were made happy temporarily, the majority will only consume all these perishable items, when the economy is so bad with no jobs and less money in circulation, how exactly are these Mai Shai’s supposed to maintain their business if there is minimal purchasing power in the community? When there are no customers then the seller and family becomes the customer by default! The standard outcome is to close the business!

These sort of community support ought to be coming from NGO’s, religious bodies and wealthy philanthropist in the community. It’s not the place of a responsible government to be providing eggs and bread except there is a famine in the land and if at all that’s the case, consuming is never an option but producing!.

Sometimes I wonder if our Council Chairmen, Governors, Ministers and co are really part of us or they are some aliens out here to punish us because the way they are reasoning is definitely on another path!.

With such myopic and backward thinkers in government, where is the future? How can we develop? If we have to be dealing with tea, bread, noodles and eggs in 2017 then may God help us in this Country!

My sympathy with the people of Kano. I am sure you know better now and hoping you can do better in 2019.

I will like to assume this is not a coincidence with the Imo state unfortunate Governor – They belong to the same political party!

My people, accepting foods from politicians either as an aspirant or as elected official is a NO! NO! The foods will finish but not roads, electricity, good schools and hospitals. Same 208 million naira could have gone a long way to train the people with new skills.

When you have a job, you can afford to buy your own foods and daily needs! Taking foods from someone makes you succumb to their will and you start having a conscience of owing them. They are not doing you a favour in any form – to them, it’s just business as usual! It is their wish and plan to have you on lockdown with poverty and illiteracy, that way you are easy to control – take some bread and tea then go home while they keep their own children in Dubai or Surrey!.

Be wise in 2019!

Long Live Kano,

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.