By Keem Abdul

Once upon a time, you would be hard pressed to hear one good thing about Zamfara State. Since its creation in 1996, the state – located in the north-western geopolitical region of Nigeria – has been associated, in the imagination of most Nigerians, with the most negative manifestations of state dysfunction – terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling and so forth. It was seen as a lawless, Hobbesian jungle where life was nasty, brutish, desolate and short. This terrible reputation played no small amount of havoc on the state’s developmental aspirations – as investors, local and foreign alike, shunned the state like a plague, in the belief that there was nothing whatsoever to prefer about Zamfara as a destination for business/investment – let alone for pleasure.

In just two years, however, the state is barely recognizable – both in terms of its physical outlook and developmental profile. Zamfara is a state transformed; it has emphatically debunked the unfortunate stereotypes that had attached themselves to its name over the years. In their place, there is now a palpable resurgence of hope in the air, a feeling among the people that the narrative of their state’s socio-economic trajectory has indeed changed for the better. Two years into his four-year tenure, the transformational narrative promised by Dr. Lawal when he campaigned for the No. 1 job in the state is no longer a promise; it is a living, breathing reality – thanks to the stewardship of a purposeful, forward-looking, proactive and eminently capable Chief Executive.

From his assumption of office as the 5th Executive Governor of Zamfara State on the 29th of May, 2023, Dr. Dauda Lawal has been single-minded in pursuit of his ‘Six Smarts Rescue Agenda’ for the development of his state and the welfare and security of its people. The Agenda – spanning SECURITY, AGRICULTURE & FOOD SECURITY, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, THE ECONOMY and EMPOWERMENT – is the blueprint by which he has been able to move the developmental needle. Anchored on transparency, capacity development, and institutional resilience, the Agenda is steadily reversing years of systemic decay, and offering the people of Zamfara renewed hope in a government that works for them.

Lawal’s administration has leveraged the twin pillars of the economy – agriculture and mining – to ensure the provision of foodstuffs for domestic consumption, raw materials for export and local industry, and the provision of employment for young people. It has completed a number of key infrastructure projects such as roads (many of them aimed at ensuring more effective and timely access of farm produce to markets and end-users) and also pursued a robust synergy in the mining sector between Zamfara and both the federal government and foreign development partners that benefits the people of the state and meets its developmental aspirations.
Recognising the need for an effective transportation system as a component of sustainable economic growth, the administration unveiled 50 brand-new mass transit buses to ease transportation within and outside the state.

These buses, equipped with real-time monitoring systems and free Wi-Fi, aim to reduce travel hardship and enhance public revenue collection through a digital fleet management platform. The move points to the Governor’s drive to create jobs, reduce transportation costs, and modernize Zamfara’s commercial landscape.
The connection between education/skill acquisition on the one hand, and economic development on the other, is no longer debatable in our 21st century world. Listed for decades as one of Nigeria’s educationally-disadvantaged states (with a high incidence of out-of-school children), Zamfara was a humanitarian crisis waiting to happen. But given the priority Gov. Lawal has given to it (to the point of declaring a state of emergency in the sector at the beginning of his tenure in 2023), that reality will soon become a thing of the past. His passion for the advancement of the state’s human capacity profile is borne out of his personal experience with education and his professional trajectory.

A banker by training, the Governor embodies the benefits that a sound education can bestow upon an individual, and he is keen to spread its benefits to as many of his fellow citizens as possible. The administration has constructed and rehabilitated over 400 schools across the state – including three completed Integrated Qur’anic Schools, one in each senatorial zone, designed to modernize the Almajiri education system. He has also cleared longstanding debts owed to WAEC and NECO by previous administrations, and recruited over 500 new teachers to fill the manpower gap in public schools. His school rehabilitation drive in a number of selected schools entailed the provision of science laboratories, ICT centres, classrooms, libraries, staff quarters, etc., thereby transforming schools into modern and a highly-stimulating learning hubs – as part of a broader recovery framework that aims also to re-train educators to meet global standards.

To address the menace of out-of-school children as well as encourage girl-child enrollment and retention in school, the Lawal administration contributed N150 million as counterpart funding to fast-track the implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment Additional Financing (known as AGILE-AF), a World Bank intervention programme aimed at empowering girls to complete basic education and acquire skills enabling them to become self-reliant and productive. The Lawal-led administration has extended scholarships/bursary awards to cover the tuition fees of students studying in Nigerian institutions and abroad, in a bid to ensure the seamless progression of their academic pursuits. Lawal also taken measures to ensure that private schools met the required standards for providing quality education in an appropriate physical and social environment.

Public service reform is another area that has enjoyed the benefit of the Governor’s innovative drive to strengthen the service. In an unprecedented move, Dr. Lawal introduced a competency-based examination for Directors aspiring to become Permanent Secretaries – leading to the appointment of twelve Permanent Secretaries based strictly on merit, and marking a turning-point in the promotion of professionalism.

Also, the state government completed the phased renovation of the JB Yakubu State Secretariat Complex, Gusau, providing dignified and functional workspaces for civil servants. In another of his many demonstrations of demonstration of compassion coupled with fiscal discipline, Lawal cleared over ₦13 billion in gratuity arrears owed to retirees – some dating back several years. He also introduced the 13th -month salary bonus, rewarding productivity and boosting staff morale. In his two years so far, Gov. Lawal has consistently affirmed that his vision for the public service goes beyond infrastructure. “We believe that a motivated and professional civil service is the backbone of good governance,” he has said. Indeed, the Governor’s meticulous, inclusive, and performance driven style, is redefining public service delivery in the state.

Healthcare, as a vital component of human capacity, is too often overlooked in our clime – but not in Zamfara State, and certainly not under the leadership of Gov. Lawal, whose administration has, in the past two years upgraded, remodeled and equipped a number of healthcare centres and hospitals. Upon assumption of office in May 2023, he declared a state of emergency in the sector. To that end, he embarked on a phased rehabilitation of general hospitals across the state, and has commissioned fully-renovated and equipped General Hospitals in locations such as Gusau, Anka, Maradun, Maru, Kaura, and Nasarawa Burkullu.

To complement these infrastructural upgrades, the administration procured cutting-edge medical equipment, implemented biomedical training for health workers, and institutionalized a health governance model that emphasizes maintenance and service delivery. The Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, in particular, has undergone a comprehensive remodeling to serve as a modern tertiary health facility.

Notably, for the first time in the history of Zamfara State, a CT scan and other advanced diagnostic machines have been installed in a public hospital, relieving patients of the need to travel to Sokoto, Zaria, Kano, or places further afield for specialised care. Also, in a first for Zamfara State, Gov. Lawal organized a Special Modified Medical Outreach Program to address critical healthcare needs and improve people’s quality of life. The outreach provided free medical services to people with cases of cataracts, groin swellings (hernias, hydroceles), vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF), etc. These treatments, which utilized tele-screening for patients from rural and semi-urban areas, have benefitted thousands of people across the 14 LGAs in the state.

The challenge of insecurity in Zamfara State may be long-standing, but it is far from insurmountable – thanks to the collaboration between the state government and the Joint Task Force (JTF). Gov. Lawal regards security as the bedrock of development in Zamfara – for which reason his government continues to help the security agencies in his state, notably with the donation of 140 new operational vehicles to security agencies operating across the state to enhance their efficiency.

The Governor also inaugurated the Community Protection Guards, a state-owned security outfit designed to supplement federal forces and engage communities in grassroots surveillance and early warning systems – as well as a State Security Trust Fund and a local security outfit known as Askarawa, to complement the efforts of conventional agencies. Regular logistical support has also been provided to ensure seamless daily operations and the improvement of coordination among security outfits. These strategic investments in security are already yielding results, with a noticeable return to normalcy in areas previously plagued by violence.

Meanwhile, the Zamfara Urban Renewal Project is gradually redefining the face of the state in no small way. Under Gov. Lawal, Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, has shed its image as a glorified LG headquarters and evolved into a modern city with a distinctive skyline. Its infrastructure is being overhauled at breakneck speed. The long-awaited Zamfara International Airport, already nearing completion, is expected to unlock new economic opportunities by connecting the state to the rest of the world.

It is indeed remarkable to note that all these achievements have been recorded without increasing Zamfara’s debt profile an iota, despite the fact that Gov. Lawal inherited a near-empty treasury on assumption of office. In fact, the issue of debt was at the forefront of public discourse sometime ago, following reports saying that since coming to office, the Governor – contrary to his assertion that his government has not incurred any new debts since inception – had actually borrowed sums totaling N34 billion! Nothing could be further from the truth, however; in refuting the claim, the government has said that the Lawal-led administration was still repaying the debts incurred by the previous administration.

Among the characteristics people from the dawn of time have looked for in their leaders are clear-eyed vision, a passion for people, and the competence and vigour to actualize that vision. Those who know the current Governor of Zamfara State say he has exemplified these qualities all his life. His disregard for the perks of office is legendary. By his own admission, he did not have the benefit of an official car upon his taking over the reins of office in 2023. But that was the least of his worries. As Governor, Dr. Dauda Lawal clearly sees his role as that of a humble servant who serves at the pleasure of his masters, namely, the people – all five million or so of them.

“As we work to build a stronger, more innovative Zamfara where our businesses can grow and create good jobs,” he has said, “… our greatest strength is our people, who are willing to contribute their talent and energy to address our challenges. I look forward to bringing people together and working with all to keep Zamfara State moving forward.”

Indeed, as a grateful citizen of the state said recently, “Truly, Gov. Lawal … cares about the rights of the people. Someone who pays salaries for 13 months in a year has now opened 14 skill acquisition centers that will train 1,600 people out of his target of 17,000. Each trainee will graduate with a start-up capital worth 700k. We are enjoying the leadership of our just Governor, truly.”

• Keem Abdul, is a public relations guru, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via +2348038795377 or Akeemabdul2023@gmail.com

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