The glaring achievements of an administration like that of the Executive Governor of Jigawa State, Mallam Umar Namadi, in just its first year in office shall, from all intents and purposes, bring into view rare leadership mettle, especially in a period beset with myriad problems.
No sooner had Gov Namadi mounted the saddle than he started engaging everyone on the way forward. He promised to chart a new course for Jigawa State development through a 12-pillar roadmap christened “GREATER JIGAWA AGENDA,” which includes: Agriculture, Health, Information Technology, Manpower Development, Rural Transformation, Urban Infrastructure, IGR, Education, Natural Resources, Local and Investors for Development, Social Security, and Securing Jigawa, not just in the first year but throughout his four years in office.
As Governor Namadi’s first year anniversary in office approaches, the people of Jigawa State shall begin to look at the records and make assessments. This should by no means be the definitive judgment on Mallam Umar’s administration.
The good people of Jigawa can only be proud that the government has set the priorities right and clear, and has also shown the will to put smiles on the faces of many. It’s vital to note that this administration began early to deliver its core mandates, and it will take a little while before it all takes recognizable shape.
On the other hand, promoting oneness and unity of purpose among Jigawans is one of the positive aspects Governor Namadi has brought to the governance of the state. No doubt, Mallam Umar, who is widely known as the prosperity governor, regards every part of Jigawa as his primary constituency, regardless of political affiliations, an attribute which has endeared him to all and sundry in the state.
This new philosophy of development built on security and unity of purpose has placed the state on the fast lane of a new development narrative, based on the principle that development comes first before any other primordial political considerations. This is the reason Jigawans have decided to embrace his bipartisan approach to governance.
Besides that, those who have watched closely with keen interest the Danmodi-led administration have often described him as a good student of development studies. This is not far from the governor’s penchant for policy continuity in governance by resisting the mentality of abandoning projects and programs, which is a common phenomenon in this part of the world.
Moreover, his beliefs and actions anchored on a well-established institutional policy framework have kept him focused.
He assured the people of the state that he would spare no effort to complete projects he inherited from his predecessors. This is a radical departure from the past, particularly in some states, where abandoned projects dotted the streets for years with resultant effects of economic wastages.
In the past year, Governor Umar Namadi’s government has invested in providing the necessary equipment to the security agencies to carry out their duties in Jigawa State. The government has also employed various strategies to tackle security challenges in Jigawa State, including initiating voluntary policing for more effective intelligence gathering and policing the entry and exit points of the state.
Health, being the major determinant of the well-being of all societies, is receiving the priority attention it deserves. Ante-natal and post-natal care have led to a reduction in the mortality rate.
General hospitals, comprehensive health centers, and primary health centers were rehabilitated and equipped for the provision of healthcare services to the people. Mallam Umar Namadi, conscious of the need for effective service delivery by health personnel to the teeming populace, has emphasized the culture of paying unscheduled visits to health institutions to ensure compliance with standards in service delivery.
As agriculture remains the mainstay of Jigawa State’s economy and major source of employment for the majority of the state population, it is given deserving attention with the sole objective of improving agricultural productivity in the state. Under Mallam Umar Namadi, Jigawa is witnessing a massive transformation as fertilizers were made available at a very subsidized amount, and farm inputs were purchased and distributed to boost food production and promote self-reliance as part of palliatives following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, made a historic visit to Jigawa State to inspect the location of a 70,000-hectare federal government wheat farming project. The choice of Jigawa State was not by fluke; it was informed by the determination and political will of the present administration.
Having recognized the need for shelter for the people of the state, the Jigawa State government approved a N6 billion project aimed at constructing 1,500 housing units across various locations. The housing initiative is strategically distributed, with 600 units earmarked for Dutse, 200 for Hadejia, and 100 for each of Kazaure, Gumel, Ringim, and Binin-Kudu Local Government Areas. Babura and Kafin Hausa LGAs are set to receive 150 units each, addressing the pressing need for accommodation in these areas.
Governor Umar Namadi said the construction of the 1,500 houses is part of his government’s commitment to providing affordable housing to the people of the state in line with his 12-point agenda. He added that the project has multiple social and economic advantages as more job opportunities and employment will be generated besides the provision of more accommodations.
Good governance is the paramount yardstick for determining true democracy. It undeniably symbolizes the actualization of the full-blown dividends of democracy. However, in the context of Nigerian polity, it somewhat seems to be a horrendous task. But the case with Mallam Umar Namadi is ironic, as he did not relent in beginning where his predecessor ended. He has orchestrated mind-blowing policies that profusely fostered the transformation as well as the rejuvenation of the socio-economic and infrastructural fortunes of Jigawa State, with the aim of raising its rating in all positive indices among its peers in just his first year in office.
With these unprecedented strides within just the first year in office, it is certainly the beginning of even greater developmental projects in the coming years for our rising Jigawa State.
Hon. Kafinhausa is an SSA to the Governor of Jigawa State on Health Monitoring
