100 Days: Residents Score Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa Governors High

Some residents in Bauchi, Dutse and Gombe have applauded their respective governors for displaying strong political acumen to fast track sustainable social and economic development of the states.
The residents spoke in separate interviews in Bauchi, Dutse and Gombe while reacting to the 100 days in office of the governors, who were inaugurated on May 29.
Governors Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe and his counterpart of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, are in office for the second term, while Umar Namadi of Jigawa is serving his first tenure in office.
A cross section of residents in Gombe, described Yahaya’s first 100 days in office as ‘good start for continuity’.
They said that Yahaya’s first 100 days witnessed continuation of projects initiated in his first tenure.
Malam Kabiru Baba, a resident of Herwagana community in Gombe Local Government Area, expressed delight over continuation of the projects initiated during Yahaya’s first tenure in office.
“This is the essence of governance and that’s the good side of second tenure and a good reason for consolidating on gains recorded in the past.
“So far, it has been good but the pace is slow and not as that of his first administration,” he said.
Another resident, Kola Adewale noted that the projects initiated in the past four years were being strengthened for the good of the people.
Adewale said the governor’s performance in the 100 days showed that no abandoned projects would be left in the state.
“This is because the governor who initiated the projects will be in power for the next four years.
“So far, we have not seen revocation of contracts or projects which is usually the case if a new administration other than that of Yahaya had been sworn in.”
However, Adamu Danlami, a pensioner, decried the delays in the constitution of State Executive Council Members three months after the inauguration of the new administration.
Corroborating Danlami, Mr Yusuf Ibrahim, said there were high expectations by the residents in view of the huge projects initiated by the Yahaya’s administration.
“There is so much expectation from the citizens because governor Yahaya started many projects which the citizens are eager to see to fruition.
“Like the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, so many resources had been invested there,” said Ibrahim, who is the state’s Chairman, Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (ANGO).
Reduce poverty

He urged the governor to prioritise empowerment programmes to reduce poverty towards improving social and economic wellbeing of the people.
Similarly; Mr Abdullahi Yelwa, a Lecturer in the Department of Crime Management and Control (CMC), Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, lauded Bala Mohammed for his commitment to make life better for citizens of the state.
He noted that the provision of 30 buses for the state owned Yankari Transport Corporation would ease transportation difficulties being experienced by the people.
“The governor’s intention to offset the backlog of gratuity of retirees in the state is also appreciated.
“The gesture should be detached from political affiliations so that people, irrespective of their party identity, would benefit.
“The state also witnessed massive road construction and many other projects some of which are 50 per cent completed, but coming back now, we have not seen work going on or progressing.
“We may not know the internal challenges but I think it’s a gap that the government within these 100 days ought to have addressed and we were optimistic that even before this 100 days, we will be celebrating the completion of these projects,” he said.
According to official documents, the governor has approved recruitment of 1,680 workers in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs within his 100 days in office.
The fact sheet released by Alhassan Dambam, Director of Press, Government House, Bauchi, said the state government distributed four million mosquito nets and procured anti malaria drugs for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) targeting over two million under-five children.
It showed that the governor also approved the release of N1.3 billion to 323 healthcare facilities to enhance quality service delivery at the grassroots.
The governor also launched the National Guidelines for the State-Funded Procurement of Family Planning Commodities to strengthen actions against maternal and new-born mortality rate in the state.
“The programme aimed at domesticating the global policy on family planning systems by making commodities available in healthcare facilities in the state.
“Gov. Bala Mohammed also launched the sales of fertiliser for the 2023 farming season with N2 billion committed for the purchase of raw materials to stimulate fertiliser blending in the state”.
On road infrastructure, the governor embarked on construction of a 19km road to link Liman Katagum – Luda – Leka in Bauchi LGA, while a N2.4 billion counterpart fund was provided to the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project supported by the World Bank.
Mohammed also launched the 2023 Annual Tree Planting campaign with an ambitious plan to plant trees covering over 12.6 kilometres in Bauchi metropolis.
A farmer in Jigawa; Mrs Amina Ubale commended governor Umar Namadi for his passion for women development.
While Umar Abdullahi, a civil servant, hailed the governor for appointing credible persons and season administrators as his cabinet members.
“He appointed real administrators in the service to handle various sectors effectively, and he didn’t fill the space with politicians,” Abdullahi said.
Commenting on his achievements, the governor said that his administration doled out N100 million to empower 1,000 women; 1,500 small businesses and 1,000 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Training

He said that 240 youth trained on various income-generating trades also received N125, 000 each to enable them to set up their businesses, while 250 others were currently undergoing training on plumbing.
Namadi said, “We established Youths Empowerment and Employment Agency, to address restiveness and unemployment among teeming youths in the state.
“We have concluded plans to rehabilitate and equip six Skills Acquisition Centres across the state, to engage more youths in the programme,” Namadi said.
The administration, he said, also sold fertilisers at subsidised rate to farmers and trained them on seed production in the past 100 days.
It also introduced free medication for vulnerable women and children in public hospitals and constituted a committee to facilitate implementation of the programme, while school uniforms were distributed to girl-child.

NAN/Lateefah Ibrahim