Imported User:
Member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency of Plateau State at the National Assembly, Hon. Simon Mwadkon has condemned the state of emergency imposed on the two Local Government Area of his constituency describing the policy as a total failure.
Hon. Mwadkon who made this known while speaking to newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State capital yesterday appealed to the federal government to quickly suspend the state of emergency and allow democracy to function.
LEADERSHIP recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had in December last year declared a state of emergency in 15 local government areas across the country including four local governments in Plateau State.
In his words: “Out of the four local governments affected by the state of emergency in Plateau State, two of them fall under my constituency, Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGA, but if you review the situation of both council since the so called emergency rule, you cannot see the impact of the policy, rather the security situation there is getting worse each day.
“As far as I’m concern, the state of emergency is not helping the people, local government and the federal government, it has failed woefully, everyday you hear of attack in Riyom, producing thousands of refugees, then you ask where is the state of emergency?
“If the state of emergency was meant to stop violence in the area, has they been able to stop the violence today, five month into the emergency rule?
“Let us not deceive ourselves, this state of emergency is of no effect because the affected councils are being starved of funds”.
He added that if the funds withheld are being re-channeled to pay the soldiers, the soldiers are not working to deserve any pay because they had failed to protect lives and properties.
The lawmaker therefore appealed to the federal government to suspend the state of emergency and release the withheld funds to allow the democratic structures to function.
