Why Tarabans Are Angry With Sacked Power Minister, Engr Sale Mamman

For his failure to implement some projects in his home state, many residents of Taraba are not happy with Engr. Sale Mamman who was recently sacked as Minister of Power by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

63-year-old Mamman, who was appointed by the President Buhari  on August 2019, was dismissed exactly two years after on Wednesday.

In December 2020,  Engr Saleh Mamman, inaugurated  a Youths Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Training (YESAT) for 500 youths  in Taraba under the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project (MHEPP) Local Content Initiative.

Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that the programme didn't see the light of the day as promised by the sacked Minister.  

Also his promise to establish a regional power training centre in Gembu, Taraba state to assist in the development of manpower in the sector did not came to bare.

Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that nothing about the center was on-ground before the Minister was sacked.

Mamman in February this year had said  that the establishment of the regional national power training centre in Gembu, "would be in full swing very soon as modalities have been completed for its commencement."

 

His sack, which has been hailed by many Nigerians who groan under incessant increment of electricity tariffs and blackout, greeted miss-feelings in Jalingo, his homestead.

 

 Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that many Tarabans won't forget how the sacked minister failed to attract federal projects to the state during his stay as Minister of Power.

 

Respondents who spoke to Taraba Truth and Facts newspaper in Jalingo lamented that Engr Sale Mamman lost a golden opportunity given to the state by the Buhari led APC government.

 

"The Minister had the opportunity of showing the world that Taraba is not only natural endowed with mineral resources, it's made up of people who could solve problems, but even the problem in his house he couldn't solve it, nothing was achieved in Mambilla under his watch, infact he never visited the place. 

 

"The main reason of giving him the power ministry was to focus on Mambilla, President Buhari was very committed to actualizing the Mambilla Hydropower Project and our own son was put in charge but he failed us. Also look at the Kashimbilla Project in Takum, the Minister could not complete it even when the previous Minister Babatunde Fashola had done almost 95 percent of the project, Mamman could not put the project to use, he couldn't Commission the project till he was asked to leave for non performance," Kalid Mohammed said.

Jeremiah Abgu lamented that the sacked Minister forget about his humble background in Jalingo after he was appointed.  

 "Very sad, that Engr Sale Mamman forgot where he was coming from, his appointment was not a blessing to Taraba State, Kashimbila dam at it almost 100% percent done could not be commission under his watch, imagine the huge financial and labour opportunities that would have attracted to the state.

 "Again under his watch no community was connected to the national grid, more than 50 percent of Taraba villages and town are not connected to electricity. The entire Central zone is not connected, Tarabans would ask him in future what was his contribution to the development of the state when he was given opportunity of representing us at the federal executive council, how many Tarabans did he assisted by way of employment or lifting out of poverty,  Tarabans would demand from him.

"The only Transformer Sale Mamman brought to Jalingo was for his personal use,  he connected his personal residence to 33KVA, a more steady line of electricity supply," Agbu who lives in the Minister neighborhood said.

  

Political analysis,  Kefas Sule wrote that  "Mamman is from my home state, Taraba. His wasn't a household name, when it popped up as a ministerial nominee. I was among those who were surprised that his name beat prominent members of the APC in my state. I was sure there must have been something going for him. His performance during the senate screening, however, raised a red flag. He was lacklustre, even bland. But he ended up as a minister in a grade A ministry. I was happy though, that being a Taraban, he will fast track the process for the start of the Mambilla Hydro Electric Power Project. Alas, this is not to be. He spent some two years as minister of power and not a single block has been placed anywhere in the name of that project. It is sad. I don't know when we will get that opportunity again. The same kind of opportunity was squandered when Darius Ishaku was minister of state power."

 

For members  of the APC in Taraba State, it was a celebratory mood when the news of the Minister's sack filtered into town, describing him as a non- performer who had no place in Buhari's cabinet.

Some party members in the state while expressing shock, said that the president must search for another committed APC member to refill the position.

 

Though the chairman APC Taraba State Ibrahim El-Suldi refused to comment on the sack of the minister, Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that some of the top members of the party are already making contacts to replace the sacked Minister.

  A member of the party Mallam Yusuf Dodo accused the minister of not doing enough to actualize the Mambila HydroElectric Power project even though the minister is from Taraba State where the project is cited.

 "The former Minister lacks focus and competence to serve in any responsible government that truly want development for her people. He doesn't associate with people to get credible advice. Instead of concentrating on his assignment he was busy nursing governorship ambition, thinking he will get the nod of President Buhari to clinch the party's ticket."

Another APC member Salisu Yakubu lamented that the former  was deeply engrossed in promoting disunity in Taraba APC and fighting most of the stakeholders, at some point he wanted to remove the Party Chairman, He disconnected the residence of a frontline chieftain of the party, even the last time he came to Jalingo he was booed by youths in the state.

 

"The Minister failed to use his office to bring unity to Taraba APC, he was everything about how not to be a political leader. It's our hope that his replacement would learn from him."

 

Other members of the party while reacting to the sack of the minister applauded the president for the decision, saying the minister did not do enough to remain as the representative of the state at Federal Executive Council, stating that he had long ago failed to unite the party members and develop the party in the state as other members of the cabinet do in their various states.

 Upon his dismissal as Power Minister, Sale Mamman has said that he achieved "giant strides" while in office within two years.

Mamman in his appreciation note wrote, "With a deep sense of humility and submission to the will of Almighty Allah I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for granting me the opportunity to serve in his administration and contribute my quota to our beloved Nation Nigeria, I am grateful for the confidence, belief and trust he placed in me and most especially the support he gave me during my tenure at the Power House and his leadership direction. I remain committed to his agenda for our great Nation and shall continue to support him in any way possible.

 

 Sale Mamman Denies Collapsing After Sacked As Power Minister

 

The former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, has explained the reason behind his absence at his residence following his sack from the federal cabinet.

According to reports, the minister had been rushed to hospital after he received the news of his sack, but in a telephone interview with BBC Hausa, Mamman debunked the reports.

The former minister admitted that he had been ill, stating that he has been receiving treatment since last weekend.

He said, "Even before the sack was announced, I had been seriously ill. I had not even gone to the office since earlier in the week.

"So, yesterday (Wednesday) and today (Thursday) I also went back to the hospital for another round of check-up; and the doctor instructed that I needed some 'rest' so I remained at one place to rest," he said.

"I found a serene and quiet environment to rest and take medication as recommended by the doctor. I didn't stay at home because sympathisers are trooping to console me; this would prevent me from resting and convalescing on time.

"But I was also not hospitalised, and I didn't faint as reported."

Mamman added that the president had called him on phone on Monday night to inform him of the impending sack.

He said the president thanked him for his support of his administration.

"Whether I am fired or not, I must step down in two years away," he said.

Flashing back to 2019 when he was appointed, he said he didn't lobby to be made minister, rather he was called to submit his CV, "And within two hours; I was informed that I had been appointed minister."