In few days time, Governor Abdullahi Sule would be one year in office, but report indicates that what is known as dividends of democracy is a far cry as against government claims. Writes MOHAMMED YANGIDA.
On assumption of office on May 29, 2019, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state pledged to focus on security, power, education, healthcare, business, industries, economy and agriculture.
Others areas of focus, according to him, include infrastractural and rural development, youths and women ,traditional institutions as well as civil service and labour relations.
During his inauguration, he also declared that he would give priority to completing projects left by Senator Umaru Al-Makura rather than embarking on new projects.
Some of those projects include Kilema-Shinge road, Lafia International Cargo Airport, General Hospital B.A.D road Lafia, Agyaregun Tofa road, Kwandare-Keffi road, Fertiliser Blending Company, among others.
There have been comments from sundry quarters including the common man about the governor’s performance since he assumed office with prayers for improvement.
Anger and disappointment
However, one year after, there are mixed feelings among residents and indigenes of the state that the expectation of Nasarawa citizens have been shattered.
To many, the policy direction of Governor Sule’s administration is still unclear; this no doubt has earned him the phrase: ‘One tenure governor’ among most residents of the state. For instance, the take-off of infrastractural development has been slow while private sector development is almost non-existent even as he pledged to industrialise the state.
Analysts believe in his inability to complete some laudable projects especially the cargo airport and Kilema-Shinge road.
“The governor has demonstrated lack of focus, seriousness and zeal to perform. He believes in theory rather than practical performance,” says Haruna Ziga, a PDP chieftain in the state.
In the state at the moment, investigation by Blueprint reveals that members of the public are already passing comments on the need to draw a line between his own projects and inherited ones for accountability.
In the words of Abdullahi Sani, a resident of Lafia, “As custodian of the people’s mandate and armed with vast experiences, people had expected the transformation of Nasarawa state, but all they could hear is signing of MoUs, receiving unjustifiable awards and several inauguration of committees without results.”
The general opinion in the state is that the governor was not in the struggle towards the creation of the state, therefore unaware about the expectations of the people.
To many others, he is a first timer who needs more time to learn the ropes of public administration.
According to Sani, “This is where the likes of Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno state, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, Sanwo Olu of Lagos state, Inuwa of Gombe, Seyi Makinde of Oyo state come to mind. These are governors who have recorded greater achievements within a short period while Governor Sule was busy collecting awards.
“Even though he did not make public the financial position of uncompleted projects inherited from the immediate past administration, one should be able to read between the line and know where the problem is.”
During the first 100 days of Al-Makura as governor, he picked up very fast and impacted many people. He also made public the state of account and how much he inherited.
“Although it is not clear whether Governor Sule and his godfather, Al-makura, have parted ways, but many do not think that even Senator Almakura is proud of his 365 days in office,” Sani said.
Blueprint checks reveal further that while the government has a robust plan to engender an economically viable state as promised, it is also inundated with paucity of funds for inexplicable reasons. This has obviously slowed the pace of development, especially of physical infrastructure.
But irrespective of the excuses of lack of funds, it is also important for people of the state to examine the performances against their promises.
General comments
According to some citizens of the state who pleaded anonymity, “Sule has achieved nothing and is unlikely to achieve anything.”
They said the government is setting bad precedences by displaying non-challant attitude towards fraud and corrupt political actors that has portrayed the administration as an accomplice.
“Sincerely, we cannot score Governor Abdullahi Sule above 15 percent. This means that his 365 days in office has been nothing but a waste,” they alleged.
Works commissioner react
But the state commissioner for works, housing and transport, Mr Philip Dada, scored the administration high. He enumerated the level of infrastractural developments achieved by Governor Sule.
He said there is no doubt within one year in office, Governor Sule has made appreciable progress including tackling inherited projects in the state.
He revealed that road construction, for example, has received the desired attention, especially in the rural areas which are either ongoing or almost completed.
The commissioner explained that the administration in its first one year awarded a 25 kilometres road from Odege Mararaba to Odegi Beki in Nasarawa local government area with additional 15 kilometres from Sinsi Baki, Farin Ruwa to Mama in Wamba local government area of the state.
Dada said these are two critical roads that the governor has been able to award so far, but there are other four feeder roads that were conceived and executed within the first 100 days with many of them still ongoing.
These roads, he said, include a 10-killometre road construction from Shabu – Doka, Arugwa-Lakio road at 80 per cent completion. 22- killometre Agwade-Shupe Atabula Obi road at 52 per cent completion, then a seven kilometre road from Kanje- Abuni with 71 per cent completion with additional six kilometres from Kabgu A.- Asakio, Kabgu-Wana road with 51 percent completion.
He said there is also the construction of 2km solar power street light projects in each of the 13 local government areas of the state.
According to him, the Lafia Cargo Airport has continued to receive attention from the government and comprises quite a number of other projects and culverts which have been awarded.
He noted that the general building of the airport is almost completed but the runways and some features have been executed to 70 per cent appreciable level.
Dada maintained that Governor Sule has also made a giant stride in the area of security as he built a framework for peace, cooperation and understanding among the ethnic nationality in the state.
In the housing sector, the commissioner revealed that he was given a mandate to deliver 2,000 mass housing to the people. He said the concept has already been developed into one, two or three bedroom flats. “Now, the most difficult aspect of the process is what we have been doing and that is where we are at the moment.”
On the transport reform, Dada maintained that the administration is wiling and desirous to bring back the inter-city transit system in a very near future, among other achievements.
He therefore, called on the people of the state to continue to be patient and support the government to enable it to serve them better.
Information commissioner also speaks
However, the state commissioner for information, culture and tourism, Comrade Dogo Shammah, said the priority given by Governor Sule is worthy of commendation.
He explained that the governor has carried out so many reforms within his one year of office especially in the civil service, restructured MDAs and streamlined them for efficient service delivery.
He said Sule has been able to bring in investors into the state in the area of agriculture, signed MoU with AZMAN for rice cultivation and value chain processing; provided over 40 hectares of land in Umaisha Toto LGA, brought in an agro-allied processing company in Keffi.
The commissioner explained that government had also entered into an agreement with the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority to access 500 hectares of land in Doma local government area for the production of rice with a view to opening a vista of opportunities as well as create wealth through agriculture.
He Added that an innovative economic platform, NASS22 is ready to be formerly unveiled to the state as part of activities marking one year in office .This is a platform that would promote SMEs, News Wire, e-commerce, e-governance as well as generate revenue once it begins operations, among other achievements.
He said through the SDGs, he was able to execute well over 50 different projects especially in the construction of primary and secondary schools across the state.
