Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, says his administration is on a gradual path to winning the war against banditry.
Lawal spoke during an official visit to the World Bank office in Abuja where he had audience with the bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiamé Diop.
A statement on Saturday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, noted that the meeting focused on development projects in education, health, climate resilience and agriculture adding that the visit is expected to strengthen cooperation and partnership between the Zamfara state government and the World Bank.
According to the Governor, “banditry attacks on our highways, villages, and cities are under control. We are gradually winning the war against criminals, and life is returning to our communities.
“This is evident in the number of incidents reported daily and the increasing project implementation across the length and breadth of Zamfara State.
“We recognize the security challenges that have previously impacted project implementation in Zamfara State, particularly those that have hindered the full achievement of targets due to constraints on operational activities.
“We are however, making progress as the challenge is being addressed and things are returning to normal.
“We have enhanced security measures through proactive steps taken by the state to improve security through increased patrols and strategic measures that mitigate threats.
“Our administration is dedicated to ensuring the safety of lives and property by providing adequate logistics and support to security agencies to maintain peace and stability.”
“I want to begin by thanking the World Bank for its ongoing support for our state. We have aligned our development objectives with the World Bank’s mission to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development.”
He assured the World Bank staff of their safety during support, supervision and monitoring visits, including secure accommodations, transportation, and communication protocols.
“Let me conclude by extending our invitation to the Country Director to visit Zamfara anytime soon and see the implementation of all World Bank-supported programmes and our modest efforts in changing the narrative in our state.
“I assure the World Bank that we have established mechanisms for ongoing security assessments to promptly address any emerging threats and ensure a secure environment for all development partners,” the Governor said.
In his remarks, the World Bank Country Director commended Governor Lawal for positively advancing Zamfara State.
He said, “I am impressed by the system you have put in place. Congratulations on achieving such feats in such a very short time.”
During the meeting, the Task Team Lead of the NG-CARES project, Dr. Lire Ersado, highlighted the success of the implementation model in Zamfara.
“We are not only adopting the Zamfara model in other states of Nigeria but are also extending it to other countries for implementation.
“I must commend the Governor and the state government for their efforts,” she said.
