The Zamfara State Government has approved N5 billion for the reconstruction of the School of Nursing in Zurmi Local Government Area.
The approval was announced by Governor Dauda Lawal during the flag-off of a cash assistance programme for 850 beneficiaries in Zurmi.
Governor Lawal, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Mani Malam Mummuni Masamar Mudi, said the intervention underscored his administration’s commitment to implementing impactful projects across the state’s 14 local government areas.
A statement issued at the weekend by the Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Shehu Adamu Gusau, said this is part of measures to strengthen healthcare service delivery across the state.
The governor also disclosed that arrangements had been concluded for the demolition and reconstruction of the Zurmi Emirate Palace, a move aimed at preserving and enhancing the cultural and traditional heritage of the people.
He further revealed that a ₦2 billion contract had been awarded for the construction of Kanwa Road, while work was ongoing on the construction of seven kilometres of the Zurmi–Rukudawa Road, three kilometres of roads within Zurmi town, and three kilometres of roads in Moriki. According to him, the Zurmi Primary Healthcare Centre and the General Hospital are also undergoing renovation.
Governor Lawal commended the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Nasiru Ibrahim Zurmi, for sponsoring the cash assistance initiative and urged other political office holders to emulate the gesture in supporting citizens’ welfare.
Earlier, Alhaji Nasiru Ibrahim Zurmi said the initiative was designed to complement the state government’s efforts at providing social support and easing the economic hardship faced by residents.
He explained that the 850 beneficiaries were selected from polling units across wards in Zurmi Local Government Area and would each receive ₦20,000.
In their goodwill messages, the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, and the Chairman of Zurmi Local Government Council described the initiative as commendable and worthy of emulation.
The Zamfara state chapter of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), under the leadership of Pastor Paul Ochepo, has commended Governor Dauda Lawal over his several interventions on issues concerning Christianity in the state, advocating for peaceful coexistence among residents regardless of tribe and religious backgrounds in the spirit of Christmas.
This was made known via brief interview with the Daily Sun Correspondent at the Office of the PFN Chairman, Pastor Paul Ochepo, Ayan Buba Street in Gusau, the state capital.
Christmas is a season of celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the gift of love, salvation and peace he brought to the world.
Christians should endeavour to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in the atmosphere of Holiness, peace, togetherness and the fear of God. In this season Christians at all levels should preach the goodnews of love and peace that Christ represents through their characters.
The PFN Chairman urged Christians to be economical in spending their resources in view of the demands for the coming year.
He advocated for peaceful coexistence amongst Muslims and Christians in Zamfara state, calling on them to remain vigilant while celebrating the season, mark anyone with questionable behaviour and ensure to share any intelligence with the nearest police station, as hoodlums may seek to use this period to target certain individuals in the community.
Pastor Ochepo who is also the founder of Christ Intercession Amazing Grace Assembly, commended Governor Dauda Lawal and other senior Government officials for the several Christmas packages given to Christians in order to ease the labour of getting certain items on their own considering the current prices of commodities in the market.
The Chairman appreciated the intervention of Governor Dauda Lawal in bringing lasting solutions to the land issues, the ground levy issues and other conflicts between the church the and communities.
He called on the governor to remain focused as his good works of total transformation of Zamfara state is visible to all.
The Zamfara government has cautioned health personnel against absenteeism and negligence to enhance effective service delivery.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nafisa Maradun, said this on Friday in Dansadau, when she led officials of the ministry for Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) to General Hospital across the 14 local government areas of the state.
The exercise is being led by the Commissioner, supported by Directors and Heads of parastatals under the ministry.
The team began the exercise with visits to Dansadau and Magami General Hospitals in Maru and Gusau LGAs, respectively.
Maradun said that the state government would not condone absenteeism or negligence of duty by workers, stressing that accountability and dedication were critical to strengthening the state’s healthcare system.
She said the exercise was aimed at monitoring and evaluating the condition of health facilities, assessing service delivery, staff performance, and the overall functionality of secondary health facilities.
Maradun explained that the exercise would cover all general hospitals and health facilities in the 14 LGAs to ensure quality healthcare delivery for citizens.
“We are going to supervise all health facilities to monitor and evaluate their conditions and ensure that services are delivered effectively,” Maradun said.
She commended the medical directors, nurses and medical personnel for their commitment and presence at their duty posts.
She assured that the exercise would improve standards, promote efficiency and enhance service delivery across public health facilities.
Governor Dauda Lawal has signed into law, ₦871.3 billion, 2026 appropriation, following approval of the Bill by the Zamfara legislature.
Governor Lawal signed the 2026 bill on Thursday, shortly after it was approved by the State House of Assembly.
On December 4, the governor presented a proposed budget of ₦861.3 billion for the 2026 fiscal year to the Zamfara house of assembly for approval.
Earlier, the Zamfara House of Assembly had passed the 2026 appropriation bill into law following the presentation of a report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
The committee had presented the report of the bill with a total estimate of ₦871.337 billion for the 2026 fiscal year before the house plenary.
Presenting the committee’s report, its Chairman, Rilwanu Na-Gambo, explained that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state appeared before the committee and defended their proposals.
Na-Gambo noted that there was a significant improvement in the revenue profile of most MDAs.
He said the committee recommended an additional N8 billion for capital expenditure in the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, and N2 billion for recurrent expenditure for the Zamfara house of assembly.
While passing the bill, the Speaker, Bilyaminu Isma’il said that the legislators considered the strategic priorities of Lawal’s administration, including security, agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure.
The speaker said the budget was designed to reflect the needs and aspirations of the people at the local government level and across other sectors, while ensuring balanced budgeting with a strong focus on equity and inclusion.
The Deputy Governor, Mani Malam Mumini and the Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Isma’il were among top government officials present when Gov. Lawal signed the bill into law.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has commenced the construction of a dedicated residential complex for doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, in a move aimed at addressing critical accommodation shortages and improving healthcare delivery.
The project represents a significant investment in healthcare infrastructure and staff welfare.
In a statement issued on Monday in Gusau, the Public Relations Officer of FMC Gusau, Dr Naziru Tukur, disclosed that the contract was awarded to Gateway International Nigeria Limited for the construction of 26 units of one-bedroom apartments.
According to the statement, the contractor was mobilised to the site in Sept. 2025, with a projected completion period of one year.
The project is being supervised by the Zamfara State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Each of the 26 self-contained units will include a kitchen, dining area, and restroom. The one-storey building is designed with 13 units on the ground floor and 13 on the upper floor.
Construction work is progressing steadily, having moved from the substructure stage to the superstructure, which has now reached the lintel level.
Gateway International Nigeria Limited has assured that all construction materials meet standard specifications and that work is being carried out strictly in line with the approved design, measurements, and specifications.
The statement noted that the management of FMC Gusau described the intervention as unprecedented, marking the first time the state government has undertaken a project of such magnitude for the centre.
The Medical Director of FMC Gusau, Dr Bello Mohammed, expressed deep appreciation to Gov. Dauda Lawal for fulfilling the promise he made during a courtesy visit by the hospital’s management team in January 2025.
During the visit, the delegation had requested state government support, including the provision of a utility vehicle (Hilux), construction of doctors’ quarters, and intervention to fast-track the conversion of the centre into a teaching hospital.
Also speaking, the Head of Clinical Services and Training, Dr Umar Abdullahi (FMCP), said the proximity of doctors’ residences to clinical areas would ensure faster response during emergencies, enhance patient safety, and improve the quality of care.
The new residential complex underscores the Zamfara State Government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery by improving the welfare of critical medical personnel at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau.
The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), has called for collective action to address challenges facing larger population of migrants.
Zamfara Coordinator of the Commission, Mr Salisu Zakari, reiterated the call during a WALK to mark the 2025 International Migrants Day on Tuesday, in Gusau, Zamfara.
Zakari said the day was celebrated through a collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
He described the day as a vital global platform for promoting understanding, solidarity, and collective action on migration.
The coordinator said that the walk aimed at promoting awareness, unity, and shared responsibility on migration issues.
He added that it was designed to raise awareness, foster unity, and collective action among institutions, development partners, and Civil Society Organisations to promote safe, orderly and durable solutions for IDPs.
“Migrants are people who move from one place to another in search of better opportunities, whether Nigerians moving abroad or foreigners coming into the country.
“On this day, we also commiserate with IDPs who are displaced due to circumstances beyond their control,” he said.
According to him, the global event is the first of its kind in the state, marking a significant step-down from the usual federal-level celebration.
He acknowledged that the devastating security challenges had continued to displace vulnerable persons in the state.
“We continue to record cases of displacement in Zamfara.
“Our goal is to end this situation and work towards lasting solution that will reduce displacements.
“We prioritise quick emergency responses and durable solutions that allow displaced persons to return to their communities or resettle safely,” he noted.
Governor Dauda Lawal donated N160 million to the security agencies in the state as part of his appreciation to their performance as enforcement agencies in safeguarding the lives of the people of the state.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Nakwada made the donation at the end-of the-year tour to honour security and law enforcement agencies in recognition of their efforts of safeguarding the people.
The governor said the visit, the first of its kind in the state, served as a strategic engagement aimed at recognising the dedication, sacrifices and resilience of the security personnel in protecting the lives and property of the citizens.
According to him, the visit also aims to bolster the morale of the personnel and strengthen collaboration between the state government and federal security agencies in the fight against all forms of criminalities.
The governor conveyed the profound gratitude of the government and people of Zamfara to the frontline men and women battling insecurity across the state.
He further solicited for more concerted efforts towards addressing the state’s security challenges, reassuring that the state government would continue to provide all the support they required to perform their duties effectively.
Lawal also extended heartfelt condolences to the agencies, praying for the eternal rest of the officers who might have paid the supreme price in the line of duty.
“To further demonstrate the state government’s appreciation, we distributed N160 million across the agencies as end-of-year solidarity package.
“The kind gesture is to enable them celebrate the yuletide festivities with ease,” the governor said.
The tour covered 1 Bridge Command of the Nigerian Army, 207 Air Force Quick Response Group, Garrison Command, State Police Command, Nigerian Customs Service, Department of State Security, Police Mobile (MP) 42.
Other agencies visited by the governor included Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and the State Community Protection Guards (CPG).
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has invoked teachings from both the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Bible in its Christmas message, urging Nigerians to embrace unity, peace, and mutual understanding.
The forum extended warm Christmas greetings to Christians in Northern Nigeria and across the country, while also conveying goodwill to all Nigerians as the year draws to a close and a New Year begins.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, NEF Spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jiddere described Christmas as a season of reflection, renewal of faith, and reaffirmation of the values of love, peace, and sacrifice.
“It is a moment that calls on individuals and nations alike to pause, look inward, and recommit to the higher ideals that sustain peaceful coexistence,” Jiddere said.
“As the Holy Bible reminds us, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men’” (Luke 2:14). This timeless message speaks directly to our shared aspiration for harmony and mutual respect in Nigeria.
“In the same spirit, the Holy Qur’an teaches, “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” (Qur’an 49:13).
“This profound guidance underscores the sanctity of human dignity and affirms that our diversity, religious, ethnic, and cultural, is a divine trust that must be preserved through tolerance and understanding.
The elders urged Nigerians to use the festive season for sincere national reflection, stressing that the country is at a critical juncture where unity, love, and shared responsibility are essential.
Jiddere called on citizens, leaders, institutions, and communities to rise above division, reject hate, and recommit to peaceful dialogue and collective progress.
He said, “As families travel to celebrate the season with loved ones, the Forum places strong emphasis on safety and the preservation of life. We appeal to all road users to exercise caution, patience, and responsibility, and we urge security agencies and community leaders to remain vigilant in safeguarding lives and property throughout the festive period. No celebration is complete if human life is lost or endangered.
“Looking ahead to the New Year, the Northern Elders Forum expresses hope for a Nigeria guided by wisdom, justice, and compassion. We believe that with sincere leadership and responsible citizenship, our nation can overcome its challenges and move steadily toward peace, stability, and shared prosperity.”
The forum prayed that Christmas would bring comfort to every home and that the New Year would usher in renewed hope, national healing, and a stronger sense of brotherhood among Nigerians.
In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on social protection and poverty alleviation, the Buji Local Government Council in Jigawa State has constituted 23 fully equipped teams to register 6,500 vulnerable households under the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme (SIP).
The initiative, implemented under the Renewed Hope Palliative Programme, is aimed at cushioning the effects of economic hardship and improving the socio-economic well-being of vulnerable residents at the grassroots.
Speaking during the distribution of work tools at Gantsa, the headquarters of Buji Local Government Area, the council chairman, Arch. Najibullah Falalu Tukur said the exercise reflected the Tinubu administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and targeted welfare interventions.
According to him, the registration exercise covers beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme and other components of the Social Investment Programme, with emphasis on transparency and accountability.
“This exercise targets over 6,500 beneficiaries from Buji Local Government Area under the Social Investment Programme and the Renewed Hope Palliative initiative, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
Arch. Tukur disclosed that the council had distributed mobile smartphones to the 23 teams of facilitators and supervisors deployed for the CCT verification exercise, which commenced immediately after the event.
In a related development, the chairman also presented letters of offer to indigenous tractor operators engaged under the Jigawa State Farm Mechanization Service Company Limited.
He said the operators would be deployed to the Gantsa and Sagu centres to enhance farm mechanisation and boost food production in the area.
He added that the council received 1,000 bags of locally produced and well-packaged Tomb Brown, which will be distributed free to 10 apex health facilities across the local government to support malnourished children, as part of sustained efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and nutrition.
The chairman described the interventions as a clear demonstration of the visionary, people-centred leadership of Jigawa State Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, FCA, noting that his commitment to social protection continues to complement the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the support to ensure maximum impact and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Buji Local Government Area.
Kwara APC stakeholders and thought leaders were awestruck on Monday evening as cabinet members took turns to give data, figures, and footages of how far the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has gone in delivering its campaign promises across the state.
Commissioner for Works Abdulquawy Olododo said official records show that the Abdulrazaq administration now has more completed, ongoing, or facilitated (tax credit) road projects than the three previous administrations since 1999 combined.
He said the administration has completed 302.4kms of roads between 2019 and now, has 275.25km ongoing, including the 209.7km under RAAMP, along with the 294km tax credit road — totaling 871.65km of roads.
“Between 1999 and 2019, available records show that a total of 651.2km roads were done by the three administrations of His Excellencies Mohammed Lawal, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, including the 120km FG-funded Chickanda Road under Senator Saraki. When you juxtapose these records, it is clear that His Excellency AbdulRazaq has surpassed that record today,” Olododo said, backing his presentation with footages of achievements of the administration.
Commissioner for Finance Dr. Hauwa Nuhu said the government has also implemented two minimum wages and paid more counterpart funds than any previous administrations, restating the commitment of the Governor to the wellbeing of Kwarans, including civil servants.
She said the administration has grown the state’s internal revenue from N30.6bn in 2019 to N87.1bn as at Dec 19, 2025 — more than 100 per cent growth in six years.
She mentioned that the administration has cleared all salary and pension arrears the administration inherited — while 100% CONMESS and CONHESS have also been paid and a new 27.5% Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) has just been approved.
Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, who detailed the trajectory of school infrastructure and other efforts of the government, said the AbdulRazaq administration has hired 8,912 teachers, constructed more than 2,000 classrooms, and bridged gaps in staff welfare, including fixing promotion arrears since 2016 to date.
A presentation on the urban renewal initiative and the Kwara Smart City added vistas to the event as Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development Dr. Segun Ogunsola explained the vision and the steps so far taken, including the construction work on the Kwara State University of Education.
Dignitaries at the event said the achievements of the Governor are unprecedented, phenomenal, visible
to all, and laudable within the context of Kwara’s sociopolitical history.
Senator Salihu Mustapha (Kwara Central) said: “With these achievements that we have seen here today, I think it’s a thing of joy that it is in our lifetime that we have a Governor who, in his quiet moment, has been able to achieve this. If anybody has told us that the state has progressed to this level, we will not believe it but we have seen it first hand.
“From today, I am one of those who will carry the flag out there and say come to Kwara and see what the Governor has done. This is a gathering of APC family and it indicates that we were not wrong in the choice of our leader.
“We have seen the human capital development, we have seen the infrastructural development, we have seen the social welfare, what else do you need in a society again? All we need to do is to continue to pray and beg Allah for a peaceful co-existence.
“For me at the end of this programme, Kwarans should go on a celebration galore because in the last 16 years before His Excellency, I don’t think anybody can boast of infrastructural development like this. I want to thank His Excellency, who has led us this far and also to the committed team God has given him.”
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi said the Governor has done very well, calling on critics to be fair in pointing out areas they want improvements on as no system is ever perfect.
“I want to say that the meeting of today is not just to eat. We have been treated to the achievements of the Governor. Believe me, if you bring a blind man to Kwara State, he would know and appreciate that developments are taking place,” he said.
“Don’t let us be sentimental. We are all living witnesses to the good performance of this administration. If we allow this chance to slip away we will all suffer for it. We are bound to disagree but the solution is not in destroying ourselves.
“When the thing is not going in the way you think, or perceive, and the way you would have loved it to be, the solution is not in destroying the programme. We have seen how the Governor has managed labour issues. We have also seen his achievements in education and healthcare, and others.”
Speaker of the House of House of Assembly Engr. Salihu Yakubu-Danladi said the lawmakers in the state have always been convinced that the Governor is a superlative achiever whose footprints exist everywhere in the state.
His words: “On behalf of my colleagues in the 10th Assembly, I want to state that we have been part and parcel of this government in the last six years. Most of these achievements are what we see in every budget circle, just as we are aware that the Governor has just presented the 2026 budget today.
“The Governor of Kwara State has done wonderfully well in the 24 state constituencies. In all 193 wards, there are projects everywhere. Aside from the physical infrastructure, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has done very well in the areas of stomach infrastructure through social investment programmes.”
Director General, Nigeria Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Issa Lanre Onilu, said with the catalogue of sectoral achievements projected at the event, Governor AbdulRazaq has performed beyond his initial estimation.
He enjoined AbdulRazaq to focus more on how to sustain some of his legacy projects, including the iconic Garment Factory, Innovation Hub, and the Kwara Smart City.
“I have always thanked our Governor and our leader for the wonderful job he is doing. But let me admit that even when I was commending him, I didn’t know this much. So, the commendations I gave to him were based on what I saw. But what I have seen today is far more than what I have ever imagined.
“I want to say clearly that we all have every reason to be proud of what has happened in the last six years. If you are not proud of it, it means you really do not know what is on the ground.
“The people I want to talk to are those in charge of our communication: please do not fall into the trap of exchanging words with the people who set us back for several years. They want you to discuss politics, they want you to discuss the mundane and irrelevant things, but let me tell you clearly that you have a lot to showcase. Focus on what we have done in the last six years, focus on the development in all the local government areas that people can see and feel. As far as governance is concerned, we have done well and Otoge has proven to be a remarkable success for this state.”
Director General, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Abdullateef Shittu, commended the Governor’s style of leadership both as NGF Chairman and as Governor of the state.
He described AbdulRazaq as a leader who is calm but firm, consultative but decisive, and one who is grounded in institutional respect.
“This gathering speaks to a deeper leadership instinct: the understanding that political success is sustained when dialogue remains open, when differences are managed with wisdom, and when collective responsibility is placed above individual ambition. These are values that Kwara State has come to be known for under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq,” he said.
State ALGON Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar Danladi, said no single political ward in the state has not benefitted one form of capital project or the other, adding that the impacts are already being felt.
Amb. Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, Dr. Amina Ahmed and Engr Nurudeen Adeyemi, who spoke for the three Senatorial Districts, commended the Governor’s style of leadership, his political tolerance, and a dedication to rewrite the story of Kwara.
In a short address to party leaders and thought leaders who attended the event, Governor AbdulRazaq said “I am just interested in building a legacy of leaving this state far more than I met it, a legacy of a state that is viable. I am not interested in building a dynasty, and I urge that we work together for a greater state”.
He also spoke extensively on security matters, giving insights into the successes and the challenges and reassuring the people of the government’s commitment to rid the state of kidnappers and terrorists.
He acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu whose economic policies the Governor said has freed up resources with which the government is able to expand infrastructure at various layers.
Governor Abdulrazaq commended everyone for turning up for the event, which he said was a continuation of the parley that held in Abuja a few weeks ago.
