Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna state has urged the people of the state to continue to live in peace and harmony, saying that the state had witnessed significant improvement in peace and understanding in the past one year.
Addressing the First Political Excellence Award 2014, organised by the City People Magazine in Lagos, where he won the Peace and Stability Award at the weekend, Yero reiterated his commitment to ensuring peaceful co-existence amongst all the diverse indigenes of the state.
The award in Ikeja, Lagos aimed at ‘Celebrating the Very Best in Politics’ and is granted to people that have distinguished themselves in making a difference in the various categories, the organisers said.
Yero, who was represented by his Director General Media and Publicity, Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, said “we are working together with all stakeholders in Kaduna state to ensuring peace and stability of the state.”
The governor, who thanked the City People Magazine for the recognition, added that “this gesture will further ginger us to put in our best in bridging the divide among our people, not only in Kaduna state but the entire country.”
He said: “It is time for all of us to begin to see ourselves as one. Let’s de-emphasise our difference and work together as one people in building our great country. Nigeria is destined to be great, but we as the people must work together to make it happen; and the time is now.”
Yero promised not to relent in his determination to engender an enduring process of peaceful conflict resolution in Kaduna state, to serve as model to other crisis prone parts of the country and indeed beyond.
“We are firmly confident that the best way to resolve conflict is through dialogue and we are presently deepening the process of reconciliation through the community approach model and we are happy to announce that there is an incremental improvement on peace and understanding among the diverse people of Kaduna state.”
Publisher of the City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde, said the selection committee for the awards “did a thorough research that lasted weeks and came up with names of individuals, public office holders as well as key public agencies considered for the honour.”
He said all the winners have been adjudged to have performed so well in key sectors including, peace building, youth, women, agriculture and social development; infrastructure, roads and urban transformation, poverty alleviation and inspirational leadership.
In all, the Magazine honoured 43 recipients, including governors, First Ladies, senators, members of the House of Representatives, state assembly members and heads of federal agencies.
