On August 27, this year, Governor Sule Lamido and the people of Jigawa State rolled out the drums to celebrate its creation 23 years ago by the administration of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida in 1991. This has been the tradition of the Lamido administration since he assumed office over seven years ago.
The anniversary began on Friday, August 22 and end on August 27; the date the state was created. Several activities were lined up which culminated in a grand rally at the Aminu Kano Triangle where five people were honoured with awards to recognise their outstanding contributions towards the development of the state.
But before the grand finale, other activities took place beginning from the first day of the celebration.
For instance, the anniversary began with special prayers in all the Mosques across the state. The Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was the Guest of Honour.
On the fourth day, a lecture was organised where lectures on topics, such as the economy, infrastructure, politics and leadership were given by professors from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Bayero University Kano (BUK), Federal University Dutse (FUD) and University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID).
As part of the anniversary, an over 300-page book written by a principal of one of the private secondary schools in Dutse about the state and Governor Lamido’s leadership style was launched. Former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, was chairman of the launch during ehere over N25 million was realised.
The last day witnessed special awards to some citizens of the state for their honesty. They found and returned to their respective owners large sums of money ranging from N300, 000 to N7 million.
A junior staff member at a three star hotel, Yusif Umar who found 100,000 US dollars (N17 million) outside the hotel premises retuned the money lost by one of the guests at the hotel.
Speakers praised Governor Lamido’s efforts towards transforming Jigawa into a modern state, efforts, they said did not begin when he assumed duty as governor; as he has been in the vanguard of developing the area even before the state was created and has remained firm in the quest for the transformation of the state.
With an uncommon steadfastness, courage and wisdom, Lamido turned around the fortunes of Jigawa State, together with those of the people. Developmental projects are evenly distributed across the 27 local government areas. Even his critics salute him for the equitable distribution of projects for the development of all the nook and cranny of the state.
Those who observe the politics of the state are of the view that since his assumption of office, Governor Lamido has been committed to the development of the state.
From what one may consider a pariah state, Lamido has cautiously brought Jigawa and its rural people to limelight. Lamido believes that physical infrastructure help in enhancing the well-being of the people.
This explains his administration’s concentration on road construction and rehabilitation across the state, provision of adequate education and health infrastructure, encouraging the rural farmers with incentives and award of scholarships to students.
As if those are not enough, workers are also highly motivated. Sources say that Lamido wants to justify the consensus of opinion that his long years of experience in politics and personal qualities are helping him significantly to rebuild the state
In his compassionate spirit and enthusiasm to bring new leas of life to all sort of people in the state, shortly after mounting the saddle of leadership, Governor Lamido introduced social security programme. Under the programme, the state government pays a monthly stipend of N7, 000 to no fewer than 4, 200 physically-challenged persons in the state.
As at the end of last year, the state government had spent at least N4 billion in taking care of the less-privileged; a gesture that has enhanced their status. Again, economic empowerment has been consciously incorporated into the rehabilitation of beggars.
Lamido’s administration also declared free education from primary to university levels for any child with disability, established board for the welfare of physically-challenged, appointed one physically-challenged person as Supervisory Councilor in all the 27 local government areas.
Considering education as bedrock for any social and economic development, Jigawa State government has consistently allocated more than 25 per cent of its annual budget to the education sector in the past seven years. It has enabled the state to offer free girl-child education from primary to university levels, renovating over 1, 040 primary and junior secondary schools comprising 4, 128 classrooms that were in serious stages of dilapidation. Also, additional 7,546 classrooms were constructed.
Lamido’s administration had renovated all senior secondary schools and constructed additional 180 hostels for student. More classrooms, libraries and laboratories were equipped with modern facilities.
The government also established the Jigawa State University, College of Nursing and Midwifery, School for the Gifted in Bamaina, renovated and constructed structures at all the state’s tertiary institutions, including Gumel College of Education which was upgraded to a degree-awarding institution.
More than 1,487 teachers were also employed, while the existing ones were encouraged to further their studies in line with the new education policy of the state.
In mass literacy, over 180,000 adults were trained in basic education. This intervention engendered rapid increase in school enrolment and the establishment of a federal university.
Lamido’s administration has constructed over 1,636 kilometres of roads and built an international airport in Dutse with a view to making the state investors’ haven and facilitating the transportation of goods and services from the rural to the urban areas for rapid socio-economic development.
In agriculture, which is main source of livelihood for over 90 per cent of the state’s population, the government has spent over N2.6 billion in subsidising some farm implements to farmers in the past seven years.
This includes N400 million loan facilities to farmers under a revolving fund system.
More than 3,800 farmers benefited from the scheme, 175 tractors were distributed to farmers and agricultural associations as loan.
Over N3 billion was also spent to procure fertiliser for farmers at subsidised rate. N200million was expended to subsidise tractors to peasant farmers, construction of thousands boreholes for irrigation. Distribution and supply of improved seeds, insecticide, herbicide and other farm imputes at highly subsidised price was also part of government’s efforts improve agriculture.
The state also embarked on free artificial insemination of high breed cattle to improve meat and milk production, even as it constructed 200 wind mills, planted 200 hectares of high quality pasture grass at 50 grazing reserves. These aim at curbing the migration of herdsmen from the state and to proffer lasting solution to the perennial herdsmen/ farmers conflicts.
The health sector also benefited from Lamido’s administration as the state established Gunduma primary healthcare system under which over 135 hospitals were built. The number of professional health worker increased from 2,000 in 2007 to 7,000 last year, Rashid Shakoni Hospital Dutse was also establishment as all state general hospitals and clinics were renovated and equipped where free maternal and child treatment were rendered to the people. Accident victims, pregnant women and children below the age of five also enjoy free medical treatment.
A lot was also achieved in youth and women empowerment where over 10,000 people were trained on various trades to make them self-reliant.
To curb the menace of environmental degradation, especially desert encroachment, over 15 million different varieties of plant seedlings were planted.
Lamido’s administration has also sunk hand pumps and motorised boreholes to provide potable water for the people, even as the proposed Dutse Water Scheme is being pursued. As a result, 75 per cent of the population has access to clean drinking water.
Through the Ministry of Rural Infrastructure and Community Development, the state government has mobilised the people to participate in various selfless community services, while hundred of villages have been connected to National Grid. Feeder roads are also being provided.
In housing, Lamido’s administration has constructed over 1,000 housing units in the state capital, the Malam Aminu Kano Triangle Square, State High Court Complex, Second Phase Of State Secretariat Complex, Chief Judge, Grand Khadi, Deputy Governor, Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s residents, Dutse modern market, the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp and many projects that have enhanced Dutse’s status from that of a glorified village to a befitting capital city.
To facilitate free flow of information, the state installed modern transmitters in the state radio station, even as it sent members of staff for training within and outside the country.
In his speech at the ceremony, Governor Lamido blamed lack of unity and development in the state on the people. He said: “It is not justifiable to blame one or few individuals for the blunders committed during Ibrahim Saminu Turaki’s administration.
“Saminu Turaki, as a young man, assumed office as governor with exuberance and zeal to work, but you the people lured him with all sorts of blackmail when nepotism was the order of governance and he served you in accordance with your expectations from him.”
Governor Lamido further stated that “the journey of building the state was fraught with difficulties but with our collective resolve and perseverance, we were able to overcome most of the difficulties”.
