Yobe state helmsman Governor Mai Mala Buni ended his first four-year term in office and began his final term on Monday.
When he came to power, the state had its own bitter taste of the Boko Haram insurgency and other related security breaches. But within the last four years of his first term in office, the Buni administration’s monumental achievements ring loud and louder each passing days since 2015.
He proved to be a personification of humanity, a selfless leader and an uncommon governor, who thinks more about his people’s welfare.
The administration has demonstrated its true passion for issues concerning the people and state as a whole. The governor worked relentlessly to address matters of great concern to Yobeans and quickly earned a reputation as a true people’s governor.
The administration achieved its far-reaching policies and programmes taking the state to greater heights.
It is worthy to note that the Buni administration utilised every opportunity with high sense of responsibility to improve the lives of the people. It ensured that the interest of the masses is not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency or in pursuit of a narrow selfish agenda of those who hold the levers of power.
In the last four years, Buni had devoted his life to the service of his people and excelled in changing the fortune of the state in spite lean resources.
Apart from governing the state, he discharged the additional responsibilities assigned to him by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to resolve internal conflicts and reposition the party. His CECPC made unprecedented achievements to reposition the party by attracting three serving state governors of Zamfara, Cross River and Ebonyi and other top notch politicians from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the party. Amidst doubts and speculation of plot of tenure elongation of the APC caretaker members the Buni led APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee conducted transparent, rancour-free national convention.
CECPC completed work on the party’s national secretariat in Abuja as well as settling outstanding payment for the building.
Buni began his first term in office with a declaration of ‘emergency’ in the education sector. The administration held educational development summit with stakeholders in primary and secondary education to proffer solution for the sector. The summit birthed a working committee called the ‘Technical Committee to Revitalise Basic and Secondary Education’, which was charged with the responsibility of materialising the lofty recommendations of the education summit.
To sustain the success of the education summit, Governor Buni instructed for recruitment of qualified teachers, establishment of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education schools, audit of teachers across the state to ascertain their competencies and determine those who need training, re-training or even deployment to other sectors as appropriate. Yobe state under him witnessed an outstanding improvement in education.
The administration embarked on the construction of model schools in the major towns of the state; Buni Yadi, Damaturu, Gashua, Potiskum and Nguru. Each school has 30 classrooms and computer centres. These schools were aimed at decongesting classrooms and encouraging school enrollment. At the end, these schools will also address the number out-of-school children and ensure that no child is out of school. Buni administration emphasis on education is already making impact with improvement in the overall performance of Yobe state in WAEC/NECO.
On youth empowerment, the various empowerment packages have sped up the state post-insurgency recovery and wealth creation for stability and prosperity. This is in conformity with teaching the people “how to fish” instead of giving them fish. The empowerment is largely to support small scale businesses. Empowerment of the people of Yobe state is an integral part of the Buni administration’s economic agenda.
In the last four years, the state has executed several empowerment and skill acquisition projects to fast-track government’s recovery programme, enhance livelihoods and the general economic advancement of people and Yobe state.
Recently, Governor Buni distributed 1,900 irrigation pumps and accessories, 125 commercial pick-up tricycles also known as Jega and 125 commercial tricycles or Keke Napep. About 500 youths from rural communities would be empowered and supported with skill-acquisition materials such as sewing machines, barbing saloon kits, pasta-making machines and hairdressing materials.
Early this year’s the administration procured 100units of Toyota ‘Avensis’ cars at N461, 125,000.00 to be offered on loan to 100 beneficiaries at subsidised rate of N2 million each payable within a 2-year duration.
In addition with humanitarian gesture of the present administration in the state, government distributed sewing, grinding and vulcanizing machines, among others, to the less privileged to improve their livelihoods.
To boost business and industries in the state, the administration
revived state-owned companies aimed at creating jobs and give incentives for investment in Yobe state.
The resuscitated Yobe Polythene and woven sacks industry in Damaturu is now producing over 7,500 sacks daily. Yobe flour mills Potiskum now has the highest production in the state. Sahel Aluminum company in Potiskum is now operating at full capacity. Yobe State Fertilizer Blending Company is currently being resuscitated. Buni is wooing local and foreign investors to the state.
Dukawa writes from Kano via [email protected]
