Sule directs payment of 2024 medical allowance for traditional rulers

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has directed for the immediate payment of the annual medical allowances for the year 2024 to traditional rulers across the state.

Governor Sule gave the directives when he hosted members of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, led by its Deputy Chairman, the Emir of Keffi, HRH Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa lll at the Government House on Wednesday.

According to the Governor, though he will not be around to handle the matter but he directed that the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, will work alongside the State Accountant-General, Alhaji Musa Muhammad, to immediately facilitate the payment of the medical allowances.

“I want you to work it and pay them today. Because we have no excuse whatsoever not to pay them. The Deputy Governor will work with the Accountant-General and pay that immediately,” he directed.

While congratulating the royal fathers on the occassion of the Eid-el-Kabir, he used the opportunity to call for continued support from the traditional rulers, especially towards the maintenance of security in the state.

Governor Sule particularly sought the support and cooperation of the traditional rulers in securing parts of the state identified as possessing potentials either in mining or agriculture.

He also called on the traditional rulers to be wary of individuals who may seek to exploit the prevailing economic challenges to foster a state of insecurity especially in mining areas.

“I thank our royal fathers for the continued support, and commitment to our good people of Nasarawa State. And the support we continue to get from you and all the security agencies continue to receive from you, which remains the basis for all the kinds of attraction of investors coming into our state.

“Let me also use the opportunity to inform our royal fathers that every day you turn around, you see another opportunity of fresh discovery of minerals in every local government, or agricultural area that has become an attraction. We have had so many investors since we have now been lucky to open up the state and a lot of people are showing so much interest in coming to our state.

“I have always said that you as royal fathers, you are at the forefront. It’s a period of challenges and I will call on you to continue to do your best and we will continue to do our best to support you. But because of the current economic challenges, there are people who may not mean well, who would like to take advantage of the challenges and come and flash certain amount of money, either to our communities or to some of our royal fathers. It’s very easy to fall prey to those kind of temptations. I am appealing to our royal fathers to look at this seriously otherwise we do not want to create another state that is having challenges of insecurity,” he stated.

The Governor warned that the influx of illegal miners into the state could pose a serious security threat if not checked.

“There is nothing that is an attraction to insecurity than mining, because it is the easiest for people to make money,” he said.

He called on the royal fathers to desist from arbitrary issuance of consent letters to people who may not have the overall interest of the state but would want to cause security breaches in order to illegally exploit the mineral resources of the state.

“Right there in Karu, around Karshi Development Area, we have seen the presence of gold. We have seen the situation where even those that have the cadastral license they dare not even go to the place. Because the illegal miners who have become somehow like bandits, have made it difficult for the licensed miners to go those areas. Even the owners of the license are telling me that unless special security is sent there to disperse the illegal miners, they would find it very difficult to go to their mining sites,” the Governor cited as example.

He therefore appealed to the traditional rulers to look at this seriously before Nasarawa State is thrown into a needless security challenge.

Governor Sule assured that his administration would continue to support the royal fathers because of the critical role the play in the society, adding that additional avenues would be exploited in order to augment their income with a view to shielding them from the prevailing economic challenges.

Earlier in an opening remarks, Deputy Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs and Emir of Keffi, HRH Dr Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, who stood on behalf of the Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad (rtd), said they were at the Governor House as part of the Sallah tradition of paying homage.

The royal father used the opportunity of the visit to appeal to Governor Sule to approve for the payment of their annual medical allowances, as well as look into their monthly emolument in order for them to be able to cope with the present reality of the economy of the country.