Residents of Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State have cried out over the increasing spate of insecurity as well as infrastructural decadence in the state.
The community leaders made the plea at the end of a one-day town hall meeting tagged ‘Pragmatic Discourse on The Priority Needs of Funtua’ held last Monday in Funtua.
In a communique jointly signed by Tukur Lawal and Shamsuddeen Babajo, chairman and secretary of the committee, the stakeholders also resolved to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari on the same issues for quick attention.
At the meeting, general problems affecting the local government area were discussed to proffered possible solutions.
The stakeholders added that despite Funtua’s position as the agricultural, commercial, industrial and political centre of the state, the town has not received the attention it deserves for a long time, hence facing numerous challenges.
It identified the challenges to include lack of a tertiary institution in the area, inadequate healthcare facilities, poor security architecture, imbalance political appointments, and lack of youth employment, among others.
The meeting, therefore, recommended that a high-level committee should be constituted to seek the audience of President Buhari in order to plead with him to expedite action on the uncompleted key projects and initiation of necessary others in the area.
The needs include the signing into law of the Bill establishing Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Funtua which is awaiting concurrence of the National Assembly; establishment of a Federal Medical Centre; taking up of Funtua Dry Port and Funtua Economic Zone projects; and construction of a standard railway gauge from Zaria – Funtua – Gusau – Sokoto – Kebbi; Funtua – Katsina and Funtua – Kano routes.
Others are the completion of the rehabilitation of Funtua to Zaria Federal Highway; completion of Police Area Command and Staff Quarters; and political appointment benefits.
“The meeting unanimously agreed to inaugurate a steering committee for follow-up on the recommendations offered,” the communique added.
The meeting was attended by stakeholders in Funtua local government area, notable among them were Governor Masari, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Kabir Charanchi; and Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar.
Senator representing Katsina South, Bello Mandiya, represented by Ibrahim Kafur and the Member representing Funtua/Dandume in the House of Representatives Muntari Dandutse, were all in attendance.
Others include an elder statesman, Dr Umaru Mutallab, Royal Father of the Day, Sarkin Maskan Katsina, District Head of Funtua, Sambo Idris Sambo; member representing Funtua Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly, Abubakar Muhamad Total; Prof. Haroun Usman Sanusi; Head of Local Government Administration, U.T. Mustapha; Commissioner, Ministry of Water Resources, Musa Adamu Funtua; Rabiu Idris Funtua; among other prominent personalities.
