By Abubakar Dan Ali
State governors often locate the bulk of their infrastructural projects in the state capital and other major cities of their states. Though it is not the best policy, it is quite understandable why it happens that way. Locating projects in the urban centres where many opinion leaders reside offers higher visibility and better publicity, the very photo optics that politicians need to campaign for the next election cycle and also shuts up the opposition. If a governor cares more about showmanship, rather than focusing on the actual needs of the people, investments in the rural areas would appear to be a waste of public funds, even though the rural population are the ones that go out to vote.
In this regard, the Governor of Sokoto state, Dr. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, sits apart in a class of his own, totally different from most of his peers. He is one governor who pursues rural development with the zeal of a Trojan horse, in the evident conviction that opening up the rural areas is crucial to overall growth of the economy and well-being of the people. Indeed, channeling resources to the rural areas often proves to be the most effective way to create productive jobs, expand infrastructural spread, and increase access to basic social services like healthcare and education, and ultimately lifting more people out of poverty.
A glance at the second anniversary scorecard of Dr Ahmad Aliyu reveals that his multi-pronged inclusive development policies, under the 9-Point Smart Agenda, have all dovetailed into a comprehensive rural development package, the sort of which has not been seen in the North West zone, or anywhere else, in the recent political history Nigeria. For instance, through increased budgetary allocation to agriculture, and the subsequent judicious application of such funds on initiatives that support increased food production, the administration of Ahmad Aliyu has raised the productivity of all classes of farmers in Sokoto state, increasing farm gate incomes, thereby contributing to the state’s economic growth.
Also, the renovation of 63 jumu’at mosques, payment of monthly stipends to Islamic preachers and the allocation of funds for the support of the less privileged ummah, in pursuit of an item in the 9-Point agenda, have helped to channel resources to the people at the grassroots, apart from promoting worship in the Seat of the Caliphate.
Overall, the administration of Governor Aliyu Sokoto has birthed over 250 impactful projects under two years, which the Aminu Tambuwal administration never achieved in its 8 years. These projects are carefully spread across the 23 local government areas and 87 districts of Sokoto state. Not a single one of them could be tagged as white elephant project, unlike some governors who install flyovers where there are few cars to drive on them, or construct gigantic hospital blocks for a show, but fail to install the necessary equipment or hire doctors to render the needed services to the people. Governor Aliyu’s projects are people oriented. He focuses on the people and their real needs, and he consults with the people to determine what they really need.
While Governor Aliyu’s mercurial achievements in Sokoto metropolis are well documented, his giant footprints in the rural areas are often overlooked or gounsung by the urban based publicity merchants. It is significant to note that Dr Ahmad Aliyu has done more than any other governor in recent times to open up the rural areas with access roads to facilitate economic and social interactions.
Read Also: Wanted: Nigeria’s sports calendar
After only two impactful years on the saddle as the Sokoto state chief executive, each one of the 23 local government areas in the state can boast of three or more road projects, either already completed or ongoing.This is impressive, to say the least. No other contemporary governor can match this record. Ironically, some uninformed political jobbers once accused Governor Aliyu of neglecting the rural areas in favour of the urban centres. This blatant lie was easily rubbished by the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Isa Sadiq Acida, who quickly reeled out scores of projects delivered by the administration in the rural areas.
In Sokoto State,the governor is jokingly referred to as a “rural governor” due to his strong commitment for the transformation of the rural areas.
In fact, going by the sheer number of road projects, and solar streetlights Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s administration appears to have raised the bar in rural development, as he has done in many other areas, often setting the example for his peers in the North West zone, and across the country, to play the catch up game.
Among the celebrated rural road projects of the Ahmed Aliyu administration in his two short years in office are theAlasan-Faga-Bagassaka-Bakaya-Romo road in Tambuwal Local Government Area; the Kaffe-GidanHashimu-Tsitse Spur-Kaddi-Arawa road in Gada Local Government, and the Buzuliga-Lukuwa-Yargada-Malikawa road in Gwadabawa Local Government Area.
It is important that these road projects are constantly listed in the public domains so that anyone in doubt could go and verify. Both the Tashar Gawo-Darhela-Badau-Sifawa road; and the Takatuku-Dandamu roads are verifiable in Bodinga Local Governement Area. In Goronyo Local Government Area, the people rejoiced over the construction of Garin Magaji- Gyattarana-Tudun Madugu-Dantudu-Alakawa and Goronyo-Kojiyoroad projects, as they promised to reward Governor Aliyu with their massive support for his second term in 2027.
The Gande-Mali-Gwahitto-Fako road bestrides Silame and Binji Local Government Areas, while the Illela-Kalmalo-Munwadata-Tashar Ragga road bears witness to the people of Illela Local Government Area to the outstanding capacity of Governor Ahmad Aliyu. The imposing Wamakko-Gwamatse-Kubodu-Dankala road does the same work of testifying to residents of Wamakko Local Government Area that their governor deserves another term of office to complete his good work.
In Gada Local Government Area, the Gada-Ila Gari-Dutse-Tabanni road speaks volumes about judicious use of public funds for the benefit of the people, while the New Zawiyya-Unguwar Maidaji-Kaurare-Gwaggo Yaya-Kilgori- Tandarawa-Kanwatare-Birsawa road in YaboLocal Government Area tells its own story: that a prudent governor can strive to meet the needs of the people without reckless borrowing or plunging the state into the quicksand of debts.