How the Sule Lamido tenure has redefined Governance. Written by Muhammad Nazifi Since the advent of democratic rule in 1999, states and federal purses have come under different custodians as managers. While some performed averagely of what was expected, others were so terribly disheartening that citizens lost total confidence in Governance. It was to such an extent that former EFCC chair, Farida Waziri recommended psychiatric test for anybody vying for elected office; Jigawa State was no exception. With the least federal allocation and meager-poorly managed IGR coupled with “Fantastic” managers; Jigawa state fared very well in the league of lagging states in terms of every indicator of poor development. Misplacement of priorities, scattered civil service, Educational decadence, child maternal deaths, Health care that was not available, a leadership by proxy as H.E was always outside the shores of Nigeria, and worst of all, a Government that was run based on the infamous Family-and-Friends concept. That was Jigawa state of 1999-2007! In 2007, what Lamido met was a classic mess to contend with. New Governors in other states like Bauchi Gombe or Katsina, where lucky to have found stable states with either no bank loan or liabilities supported by visible infrastructure. Which sector to start from itself was a herculean task, but with Sule Lamido the astute politician, the sage and pragmatic administrator as he turned out to be, Jigawa State sang a song of joy. From civil service, health care, education, human development, to governance, Lamido started tilting the clock of Jigawa progress and development back on swing. In Education, almost all the secondary schools in Jigawa were renovated well equipped and morale of teachers was improved. I had a cause to personally interact with one principal in Jigawa state where he narrated the happening then, hear him “… I was given a pack of chalk, one booklet of register, and a posting letter, that I should report to so, so school as a new principal. There I met few students that managed to attend school for that day, as truants student far out numbered; they sat on bare floor…sigh” Lamido, apart from the policy of free girl child education from primary school up to university also created a new university in Kafin Hausa to meet the growing influx of Jigawa state indigenes aspiring to further studies. From Primary to secondary schools through the newly established state-owned University in Jigawa, Sule Lamido made sure that both the teachers and students found learning not as a tool for personal accomplishment but as a tool to develop Jigawa Sate. A chapter on education cannot be closed without, of course, the mention of Jigawa state academy, school for the gifted. Despite the fact of being the only state Government owned academy in Nigeria, and second owned by any Government, Sule Lamido made sure that all that can be achieved overseas can equally also be achieved in Nigeria, it only requires a will. That academy rivals many universities and overtakes many polytechnics in terms of serenity of the environment, infrastructure, and adherence to teaching methods and of course discipline. In some states, having a thing near this academy, means the Governor performed till eternity, but wait, not Jigawa. Jigawa state is the only state in Nigeria that is running a social security programme that saw some 4,077 (151 from each of the 27 LGs) physically challenged persons collecting each, a stipend of N7,000 monthly totaling N28.5m. These people are not ghost, not ‘yan kalare or ‘yan banga; they are genuine and certified physically challenged. Also Jigawa state under Sule Lamido constructed over 2000KMs of road from 2007 to date. A feat achieved by few. Sule Lamido midwifed the creation of six skills acquisition centres in the state and provision has been made in this year’s budget to construct additional 24, making a total of 30, with one each representing a state house of assembly constituency. Did I mention international airport that is so different with traditional airports we have been conversant with? He constructed a new international airport that saw a plane landed within eight months of foundation laying, YES eight months. The airport will serve as a cargo airport to cater for vast agricultural products from Jigawa and surrounding states. Virtually, Dutse holds an apparent promise to becoming what Dubai is among middle eastern states, to Nigerian states; the only difference is while the architect of Dubai’s fortunes is a mornach, Jigawa’s own is an elected Governor. Sule made a policy that makes Abuja and Kano less attractive to both the civil servants and political office holders in the state by way of beautifying Dutse. Estates were carved out, plot of land issued, with strict compliance and enforcement monitoring. There is also a replica of Abuja’s 3 arms zone in Dutse; it houses the state legislature, the state secretariat, and the Judiciary. As a visitor to Jigawa’s Dutse somewhere in 2005, this second visit in 2014 proffered Dutse to me as a rapid developing city, which in some few years to come will give almost all the long established cities not only in Nigeria but West Africa the run of their monies just like Dubai in the UAE. Although Governor Sule Lamido inherited so much problems, he did, to so many people what magic cannot do. From education to healthcare, roads, to agriculture, security to human development housing to social welfare; the stories are the same. Sule turned the tide, to positive one for that matter. Saying a best Governor to him is an understatement, let’s call him a hero, YES a HERO!” As one writer opines “A man that is diligent with something small, will be more diligent with something big. Sule Lamido is naturally born a good ruler. Nigeria needs an ideologue” Muhammad Nazifi 08089892606 Is of Youth For Good Governance Was on a 3 day visit to Jigawa state
Posted on: Wed, 02 Jul 2014 20:59:47 +0000
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