A founding father of Nasarawa State, Ayuba Umar, has criticized the state government over its decision to hold a 3-day official retreat in Abuja, describing it as “draining of the public treasury and a total waste of scarce resources.”;
The retreat, which commenced Monday in the Nigerian capital, is being organized in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON.
According to government sources, the program is aimed at bridging the communication and coordination gap between political office holders and government functionaries, with a focus on enhancing effective service delivery.
However, Umar took to Facebook to express strong reservations about the retreat's location and purpose, questioning the rationale behind hosting the event in Abuja rather than within Nasarawa State.
“A significant concern arises regarding the decision to hold the workshop in Abuja and not in Lafia or any other city in the state.
“Given the current strain on the public treasury from corruption, this could be viewed as an inappropriate allocation of resources.”; Umar stated.
He argued that the event would have had more economic and social impact if held in Lafia, the state capital, or any other local city, where it could stimulate local businesses and promote grassroots engagement.
“For goodness’ sake, what is ‘Bridge the Gap between political office holders and government functionaries in the State?’”; Umar queried, criticizing the theme of the retreat as vague and lacking direct relevance to the pressing needs of citizens.
He further accused the Governor Abdullahi Sule-led administration of prioritizing “financial gain and extravagant expenditures” over citizens’ welfare, adding that such lavish retreats do little to address the state's growing challenges, including youth unemployment, food insecurity, and economic hardship.
“This workshop represents a considerable misallocation of scarce resources, especially in light of the state’s challenges,”; he added.
“The state government must reconsider its resource management strategies to better meet the needs of its citizens and foster sustainable development.”;
