In two years time, she will commemorate her golden jubilee anniversary of creation. But Niger state, whose affairs are presently being steered by Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago, is 48 years-old. The state turned 48 on February 17, 2024.
The North-central state came into existence in 1976. Amazingly, that was when her ‘Farmer Governor’ Bago, who just clocked 50, was barely two years-old. Among several things, many already know about it, “The Power State”, as Niger is otherwise called, is endowed with vast arable land. Its land mass in the country is second to none.
It is one of the agrarian states in the country, where farming is largely the main occupation of many of its citizens. Yet, hunger is presently ravaging its people. But this, partly, is due to the low agricultural productivity in the state in recent years.
Like Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina, among other North-west states, farmers in the Kontagora axis of Niger have since abandoned their trades, due to attacks on their ancestral communities and farmlands by terrorists. There are four major hydro-electric power stations in the country, all of which are in Niger state.
They include the Kainji, Jebba, Zungeru and Shiroro Dams. Yet, the supply of electricity even in Minna, the capital city, aside from other parts of the state, is horribly erratic. Most parts of Minna, where this writer’s family resides, have become used to darkness, as a result of irregular power supply by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, to residents.
When the farmer governor assumed office in May last year, there was a noticeable improvement in power supply across Niger. However, it seems that was to herald his administration. Power availability in the state at the moment is something many will not like to discuss. In terms of natural resources, Niger is truly endowed, with many assorted types.
In her land, plenty of uranium, coal, gold, iron ore, tin, phosphate, crude oil, molybdenum, salt and gypsum’s deposits are domiciled. But we all know our leaders. They are mostly not visionary in conceptualising developmental ideas for their nation’s or state’s economic growth. Like Nigeria as a whole, and other states in the federation, the resources gifted Niger have been laying fallow for decades.
They have not been properly harnessed to improve the socio-economic fortunes of its people, by successive governors who piloted the Niger ship. Among its plethora of woes, poverty and rising insecurity stand out, albeit ‘dishonourably’. In the “New Niger” farmer governor Bago is envisioning, and which he is building already, prosperity should visit every resident of the state.
One is not expecting Bago to hand out free money on a regular basis to Niger residents. One is not saying he should start catering for all the basic needs of his people, which besides, is even impossible fulfilling, as an obligation. But he can lay a solid foundation for that to become a possibility, and set the development wheel of Niger in a fast accelerated motion.
There is a need for him and his administration to evolve viable socio-economic policies that will boost economic activities in the state. This will, in the first place, even help to create an enabling environment for small businesses’ growth in Niger. Let the farmer governor also consider it pertinent to set up cottage industries for the manufacturing, production or processing of various goods and food crops into useful items.
This will help tackle the crisis of food insecurity in the state, create meaningful jobs for youths and unemployed persons, while also attracting revenue for the state government. In opening up Niger to both local and foreign investors, having some key capital infrastructure, like good roads aside from constant power, is pertinent. But I don’t think Niger can boast of them.
Most highways leading into the state, together with some intra-state roads, are nightmares for motorists and commuters. It is therefore necessary for the Bago administration to permanently fix the Suleja-Minna road, Minna-Bida road and several other vital road assets in the state, which are in total dilapidation.
Unlike his predecessors, Governor Bago accords premium attention to human capital development. But that is only reflecting in the large number of youths and women appointed into his government. Other Niger citizens without jobs will fancy the launching of various skills acquisition programmes, by the Niger state government, to make them also financially self-reliant and economically independent.
Micro-credit facilities should also be provided to businesses with bright growth prospects. Now, while unrepentant terrorists and ruthless bandits have not ‘given’ teeming Niger residents peace of mind, lately, pockets of skirmishes orchestrated by hoodlums and some restive youths in Minna, magnify the state’s fast deteriorating security.
But I know why these criminal elements have remained obstinate. It is because past governments in Niger state showed zero commitment to fighting them headlong. Within the period he has been on the saddle, Governor Bago, franky speaking, has taken vital steps towards ending terrorism and other violent crimes in the state.
He has also engaged and solicited the partnerships of the Defence Headquarters, DHQ; Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA; Nigerian Air Force, NAF; Army and a host of other security agencies. The Bago administration, indeed, deserves commendation for adopting a multi-stakeholder approach to rid Niger of daredevil elements.
In the long run, the state will become safe and secure against some non-state actors, by the time the Niger government’s collaboration with our security and military forces start yielding fruits. But since this may take a long time and Niger residents are still regularly being attacked, killed, maimed and injured, or even sacked from their ancestral abodes, Mr. Governor must put on his thinking cap again.
If possible, let him also float a local security network that will complement the efforts of the conventional security agencies in the state. Katsina Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda, inaugurated one for his state about five months ago. Ditto Governor Dauda Lawal Dare of Zamfara.
Other governors of states in the North-west are planning to do the same. Niger state is already afflicted with the insecurity malaise. So, it needs it too. With something like “Niger State Vigilance Corps”, NSVC, many security threats will be curbed.
Again, the farmer governor administration will also be providing jobs to many idle youths, who easily could have been recruited into criminal groups. If Niger has achieved little in its evolutionary transformation as a sub-national entity within the last four decades and eight years, the coming years afford it a golden opportunity to take a giant leap towards attaining the visions of its founding fathers, and those who agitated for its historic birth.
Every citizen and well-wisher of The Power State will be anticipating that the farmer governor will use this occasion of Niger’s 48 years since creation, to begin changing her not-too-pleasant narrative. Whatever the state may have achieved so far are not the best she could have recorded.
Bago should ensure that our dear Niger fulfills her ultimate purpose as a part of the country’s federating units. He has started in a spectacular fashion. Let him remain on the progressive governance path he is treading. It will surely lead our ‘Power State’ to the El Dorado.
Abdulsalam Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, writes via [email protected].
