MANY state governors and their supporters on Friday appraised their performances during their first 100 days in office and said they have done well to deserve a pass mark.
The governors also assured their people of better days ahead.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said his administration introduced a modern method of waste disposal which helped it in clearing the heaps of refuse across the state.
It has also empowered women and farmers with loans; commissioned 492 flats at Igando, renovated and rehabilitated roads and procured patrol vehicles and motorcycles for security organizations.
He told stakeholders in Ikeja that his administration was taking practical steps to ensure that sufficient and accessible electricity is made available to all and sundry.
Towards this end, it is collaborating with the two Discos in Lagos and Elsewedy Electric to produce about 20,000 prepaid metres for distribution to residents.
He said: ”We also want to ensure that with our PPP model, we can have a lot of off-grid generation brought to bear very quickly, meaning that we are not going to rely on what is supplied by the national grid. We will be able to come up with very innovative solutions at different communities where we can have off-grid arrangement.
”And people can have access to power, using either various renewable forms of energy like solar, wind and so on, or whatever solution we find least expensive. They will be deployed at our various communities because we cannot continue to give excuses.
“We want to ensure that we have sufficient and accessible power in a 21st century economy like Lagos; so our commitment is that we would push on that. Government will ensure that whatever needs to be done to make power available for our teeming population, industries and businesses are things we shall solve very quickly.”
Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos State is collaborating with neighboring Ogun State in rehabilitating and completing many of the roads linking the two states, especially in Sagamu, Epe and Ota axis”.
A policy on the operation of commercial motorcylists is also in the pipeline, he said, while about 15,000 teachers would be recruited into the state teaching service with a view to reversing the shortage of teachers in primary and secondary schools.
“Also in the coming weeks, extension, renovation and rehabilitation of our schools will be starting.
“We will also be facing equipment and learning curriculum of the children. We will be producing a learning tool that will be internet-driven for the children,”he said.
APC scores Buni high, explains why he has not constituted cabinet
THE All Progressive Congress in Yobe State said Governor Mai Mala Buni is well on course to transform the state.
The State Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, told reporters in Damaturu that the APC is “glad to state with all sense of fulfilment the political will of the Governor Mai Mala Buni administration in repositioning the state with short, intermediate and long-term policy measures for the state to achieve greatness.”
Responding to a reporter’s question on why the governor has not formed his cabinet, Bakabe said it is because the governor does not want to make a mistake.
He dismissed suggestions that the governor might be under pressure from his predecessor, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, to retain most of his former cabinet members.
He said: “The governor is not under any pressure from the former governor, Ibrahim Gaidam. What is delaying the formation of the cabinet is not connected with such allegations at all.
“Our governor, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni is committed to choosing the best team as a cabinet that will help him actualize his dreams and visions for the development of our dear state, Yobe.
“Those allegations are baseless. This is the truth about the situation, and Isha Allah, our governor will soon submit the list of his cabinet members.
“But you will agree with me that about 18 governors have also not constituted their cabinets. So we are still in tune.”
The Yobe State APC scored the governor high on education.
He said:”In an effort to actualize the emergency declared on education, government has in the last 100 days, organized the first ever education summit and thereafter, constituted a committee of erudite scholars, seasoned education administrators and prominent intellectuals to develop a roadmap for government to achieve the goal of repositioning primary and secondary education.
“As the ruling political party in the state, we are glad with the political will exhibited by the Buni administration in the constitution and support given to the committee to have successfully completed its assignment with a high sense of commitment within a very short period of time. We are equally proud to see the vibrant governor commencing the implementation of the recommendations made by the committee.
“Similarly, the undergraduate and post graduate foreign studies scholarship scheme introduced by the Buni administration would accelerate the manpower needs in critical areas across the state.
“Already, the committee has also submitted its report and the governor has approved 228 slots for studies in medicine, paramedics, agriculture and engineering.”
APC, PDP disagree over Bala Mohammed’s performance in Bauchi
THE All Progressive Youth Parliament in Bauchi State has faulted claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Governor Bala Mohammed has performed well in his first 100 days in office.
While the PDP is of the opinion that Mohammed has recorded tremendous developmental achievements so far, the APC Youth Parliament said there is little or nothing to cheer about.
Zonal Chairman of the PDP (Bauchi North), Alh. Yayanuwa Zainabari, said: “Within the first 100 days, the governor flagged off road construction in areas that lack accessible roads and renovation of the dilapidated ones in both the state capital and other senatorial zones.
“The first ones he flagged off in the state capital were the construction and rehabilitation of four roads worth about N5 billion which include Ibrahim Bako to Maiduguri Road Bye-Pass, Sabon Kaura to Jos Road, while those of Muda Lawal Market and Yakubun Bauchi Quarters would be rehabilitated.’’
Yayanuwa Zainabari, who doubles as the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, said further that other roads projects awarded by the governor within the period under review were the 58-kilometre road linking Yalwan Duguri, Badaran Dutse, Birim, Bajama, Kumbala, Kundak, Wurno and Burga communities of Tafawa Balewa and Alkaleri local government areas, Sade to Akuyam in the Misau local government area, GRA Azare to old Kano Road in the Katagum local government area of the state.
But speaking in to The Nation, the Secretary of the APC Youth Parliament group, Mallam Nasiru Shigari, said ‘’ The PDP governor has achieved nothing. First of all, he had promised he would recruit jobless people in the state, conduct local government elections , pay outstanding gratuities of workers, but none of these has been achieved so far.
It’s a mixed grill for Gov Fintiri
IT is a mixed grill for Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State with some residents saying he has been slow and not done enough.
Critics, who fault his speed at executing development projects, compare his government with that of his predecessor, Sen. Jibrilla Bindow, arguing that Bindow did more in his first 100 days, while those who are satisfied with Fintiri’s pace list his achievements so far and conclude that he has actually done more.
Mr Phineas Elisha, who was prominent in the political circle and seat of power when former Governor Murtala Nyako was in power, told our correspondent in an interview yesterday that Fintiri had spent a lot of time, complaining about and “dismantling the deeds of his predecessor” without doing enough to justify the time he has had to make his own impact.
He said Fintiri’s predecessor, Jibrilla Bindow, was able to commission 201 feeder roads (some inherited from his predecessor) and started the construction of many urban roads within his first 100 days.
He said Bindow started the renovation of long dilapidated schools, hospitals and other public institutions, among others, and that he already had his cabinet in place, all within his first hundred days.
Another critic of the Fintiri administration, who similarly stressed the absence of a cabinet so far, is Alhaji Ahmed Lawan, who functions in the state as Organising Secretary of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ahmed Lawan said the lack of a cabinet after such a long time within which the Fintiri government has been awarding contracts borders on gross abuse of power.
”I wonder a lot who approves the contracts when the approving authority, the state executive council, is not in place,” he said.
According to him, “only four people are running the government: the governor, the deputy governor, the SSG and Chief of Staff,” as against what should be a full cabinet that should include commissioners overseeing the various sectors of the state.
He also faulted the Fintiri government for “witch-hunting” the Bindow government, emphasizing that Fintiri “is dwelling” on the government before his because he has no programmes of his own to implement.
A voice for the Fintiri government that of Alhaji Usman Ibrahim, a notable public commentator, dismissed the notion of Fintiri’s being slow, contending, especially on the matter of cabinet appointments, that consultation is necessary for effective choices.
He said: “People are just not patient. Every leader has his own style. People say he is delaying the constitution of his cabinet because various interests brought him to power. I do not see it as an infraction. Leadership is always advised to consult widely.”
He added that, in any case, Fintiri had done a lot in the first 100 days to be commended. He enumerated improvement in the welfare of workers and security situation as among the achievements.
“His Excellency, Ahmadu Fintiri, has paid all arrears of workers, both state and local government workers, and he has always ensured since he came that workers receive their monthly salaries before or on the 25th of the month,” he said.
Gov Sule promises to pay N30, 000 minimum wage
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State promised to pay the N30, 000 minimum wage once the template for consequential adjustment is agreed on.
The governor made the promise on Friday in Lafia while giving account of stewardship of his first 100 days in office.
According to him, the state government under his administration will pay the new minimum wage because it has become a law in the country.
“As soon as the template for the consequential adjustment is agreed on at the federal level, we would also commence the process for the implementation in the state.
“If we rush now, we might make avoidable mistakes, so it is wise to wait for the template,” Sule said.
The governor also said he had directed the Teachers Service Commission to convert more than 2, 000 teachers that were hitherto on casual appointment to permanent employees.
Gombe enjoys regular water supply, says Gov Yahaya
Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State said he is addressing the challenge of water supply in the state as residents of Gombe township and environs currently get 40 million litres of water daily.
Yahaya told reporters on Friday in Gombe that water is a cardinal aspect of his manifesto and will continue to receive attention until residents get regular supply across the state.
He said as part of the effort towards achieving the promise to give residents water, he set up a taskforce on water supply.
“We are committed to our campaign promises and we will continue to do all within our resources to address other challenges that affect the people.
“Our administration is concerned about human capital investment and that’s why we resuscitated the sector to give water to our people,” he said.