•gifts 116 head teachers motorcycles
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas on Sunday, distributed Ramadan palliatives to 1,833 primary school teachers in his Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.
The Speaker also gave out a total of 116 motorcycles to headmasters and headmistresses from primary schools within the constituency to ease their transportation to work. He pledged to extend the gesture to other teachers working at different public primary schools in the constituency before the end of his tenure.
The Ramadan fasting is expected to commence next weekend.
This is even as the Speaker commended Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for his continuous support and understanding, saying “We have an excellent working relationship, which is for the benefit of our dear state.”
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The food items distributed to the teachers included bags of rice, cartons of noodles, spaghetti, semovita, and vegetable oil.
At the event were the Chairman of Zaria Local Government Area, Engr. Jamil Ahmad Muhammad; a member of the National Assembly Service Commission, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi; the Chairman, North-West Development Commission, Alhaji Lawal Samaila Yakawada, among others.
While the constituents took turns to celebrate Speaker Abbas for his quality representation in the House, empowerment initiatives, and attraction of development projects to Zaria, the Speaker assured them of more dividends of democracy, for trusting him with their mandate.
She said, “I am passionate about workers in general. Anything that affects the life of a civil servant, especially a teacher, I take it seriously. I don’t support civil servants or teachers because of anything, but I do it wholeheartedly.
“I believe anyone bestowed with leadership and has the opportunity to impact the lives of teachers positively but doesn’t do so, definitely God will ask such a person. No society will progress without enhancing the lives of teachers, especially those in primary schools.
“I am a living witness, having taught at different primary schools within Zaria for six years when I was studying for my diploma and degree programmes (in the 1980s). I know what teachers go through because I had a firsthand experience in those days when things were better.
“I recall, most of the time, a teacher’s salary could barely last for two weeks. There were periods that they would take loans, and the lenders would be present when salary was being paid so that they’d get their money right there as we were paid through table payment.
“So, I’m supporting you because you deserve to be supported. In fact, it is your right to be supported.”
Speaker Abbas also took time to pay glowing tributes to Governor Uba Sani for his ceaseless support and understanding, saying the governor played a critical role in his emergence as Speaker.
“There’s someone who played a key role in my emergence as Speaker. He did it privately and even made it public. He is one man that stood by me through thick and thin to become Speaker. He is nobody apart from Governor Uba Sani.
“So, whatever you see me doing using my seat, whenever you pray for me, please also pray for him. When I eventually write my biography, you will see the full account of what Governor Uba Sani did for me to become a Speaker. Please, always pray for us together. Also, pray that we should continue to work hand-in-hand as we are currently doing.”
The Speaker added that the governor is fully aware of his activities in the House of Representatives and vice versa.
“Whatever you see me doing, I do it with his full knowledge, advice, and support. All the appointments we got for people, he was fully aware of them even before they were made public. We have a superb understanding, and I pray that we continue to work together.”
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