According to Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a system of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It involves the participation of the people in the process of enthronement of government that is legitimately popular and poised to providing dividends of democracy for the overall interest of improving on standard of living of the people.
Since the return to democracy in 1999, Niger State have had a successsion of three democratically elected Governors with Rt. Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago as the fourth Governor of Niger State under whose leadership the state is undergoing renewal and unprecedented transformation.
The former three-term Federal legislator assumed duties on the 29th of May, 2023 as the Executive Governor of Niger State and ever since after, the State under his watch has embarked on transformation efforts for a New and Sustainable Niger to change the negative narratives and improve the quality of lives of citizens of the state. This is evident in the unveiling of Urban Renewal, Green Economy Initiative and Agricultural Transformation Agenda where massive Infrastructural Development, Agriculture mechanisation, health care sector and education have been prioritised by the Farmer Governor in order to get results without delay experienced from bottlenecks of the civil service.
No nation since antiquity has attained state of Development without attainment of self sufficient in food among other characteristics of a developed state, without paying due attention to agricultural sector. It is against this backdrop that the Niger State Government embarked on massive investment in Agriculture by taking delivery of over 2000 agricultural equipments to boost agricultural production in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda to attainment of food security. The equipments which were officially inaugurated by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, include 500 large capacity tractors, 500 harvesters of varying capacities and 1000 different agricultural and irrigation equipment and farm implements. A press Release issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor of Niger State, Bologi Ibrahim indicated that the agricultural mechanisation programme aims at supporting 50,000hectares of fully irrigated food production hubs in Niger State which will help deepen food production, wealth creation, and employment opportunities for the teeming population of the state.
As the government is aware that no nation is an island hence the need for partnerships and collaborations, the State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with JS Bioenergy Limited to promote sugarcane farming in the state. The agreement was sealed at the Niger State Government House in Minna which unarguably is a milestone in Bago agricultural revolution of the state aimed at promoting national policy on food security. In the same vein the MOU will see to the establishment of a large scale sugarcane cultivation with focus on ethanol production on 10,000 hectares of land with the JS Bioenergy as the provider of funds necessary to develop the projects.
Niger State for decades have suffered poor Infrastructural development especially dual carriage roads, underpasses and overhead bridges. Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago whom many Progressives describe as God-sent, within his first 365 days in office had embarked on aggressive construction and reconstruction of road networks not only within the Capital city of Minna but across the rural and urban areas in the state. Also, he flaggoff not only construction of 5km in each of the 25 LGAs but performed a Groundbreaking of 118km road comprising 3 road projects in Zone C Kontagora as part of his urban renewal policy.
The road projects include the reconstruction of the 90km Kontagora-Rijau road, the construction of the 19.4km Kontagora Western Bypass ring-Road, Groundbreaking of the 90km Bida-Zungeru road among others to ease transportation of people, goods and services. In the same vein, the Governor as a goal getter who knows his way to attracting development for the benefit of his people, also secured Federal Government approval to reconstruct 90km Kontagora-Rijau Road which had posed hardship to people of the area for decades.
When completed the road would ease the movement of the people and goods as well as boost socio-economic activities in the area.
On the welfare of the civil servants whom are instrumental to the success of any administration, the Niger State Government has maintained regular payment of salaries to civil servants in the state. Moreso, the government had paid #1.6billion to the workforce of both Local and State where a cumulative amount of #1,647,580,000 was disbursed as wage award to both local government and the state workforce of 26,859 and 55,570 for local government totalling 82,429 as of February 2024 and each worker got #20,000.
Within the period under review, the Niger State Government signed $114million MOU with the ECOWAS Bank of Investment and Development to finance four priority projects in various socio-economic sectors. Projects to be financed includes the construction of Madalla Green Economic Market for $11million and the conversion of the Old Secretariat Minna to school of Medical and Health Sciences for $40million. Others are the construction of 8 International Trailer Parks in Mokwa, Tafa, Lambata, Bida, Makera, Dikko, Tegina and Kontagora at the cost of $43million. There is no doubt that the MOU would not only complement the ongoing Infrastructural transformation in the state but would also create new windows for investments, and job opportunities for the teeming youth population.
The new approach to Governance so far exhibited by Hon Mohammed Umaru Bago has recorded unprecedented giant strides in the state which includes the following:
1. The Groundbreaking of urban renewal projects in Minna and the Ring Road Project in Bida
2. Payment of 20% subsidy on 100 No trucks of fertilizers
3. Payment of counter-part arrears to Donor Supported Projects in the State (such as ATAPS, NG-CARES, Value Chain Development, FADAMA, AGILE, ACReSAL Projects and others.)
4. Support to dry season farmers for the cultivation of 4,000 hectares of land
5. Procurement of 200 units of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses for ease of transportation
6. Repairs and fixing of 33no existing NSTA buses
7. Payment of N3.5Billion compensation on Minna – Bida Road
8. Repairs of Minna Airport and renamed Ahmed Bola Tinubu International Airport Minna
9. Hosting of the 1st Niger State Green Economy Summit to harness the green assets for the desired prosperity in the State.
10. Settlement of N600Million debt owed the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC)
11. Secured approval for the Establishment of the Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure University of Education to increase access to tertiary education and scholarship
12. Payment of outstanding debts to WAEC and NECO
13. Conversion of Shiroro Hotel into IBBU Teaching Hospital (IBBUTH)
14. Procurement of more Equipment for IBB Specialist Hospital
15. Placement of Medical Students on Salary Grade Level 10
16. Engagement of 1000 Health workers and 26 Medical Doctors
17. Development of the 3Arms Zone
18. Re-construction of the SSG’s Office
19. Establishment of Gold Shop in Minna for gold development and value chain.
20. Procurement of 15No Compactor Refuse Collection Van
21. Demolition and Reconstruction of Chanchaga Police Division to give right of way.
There is no gainsaying that the aim of the present administration is to ensure inclusion and greater citizen participation in governance thereby entrenching openness, accountability and transparency as enunciated in the Open Governance Partnership (OGP) Initiative which Nigeria is a signatory and keyed into by Niger State.
It is worthy of note that in the effort of building a New and sustainable Niger, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago led administration is focused on Urban Renewal and Rural Transformation, Security of Lives and Property, Infrastructural Development, Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Health; Water and Sanitation, Women and Children, Environmental Sustainability and People with Special Needs and Elderly Care.
Minna, the State capital and over the last 12 calendar months, is undergoing an aggressive redesigning and reconstruction of some major roads where underpass and overhead bridges are being constructed from Chanchaga bridge, Minna City Gate to Tunga Roundabout, Mobil Roundabout and Obasanjo Commercial Complex are already being considered for construction of overhead bridges which was only seen from far.
In the recent speech of the Governor while presenting 2024 Budget at the State House of Assembly complex, Governor Umaru Bago said his administration will among others, focus on self-sufficiency through intensive internal revenue generation by exploring all available sources, blocking leakages and all revenue-generating MDAs to account for all revenue receipts. To this end, the Governor announced abolition of the practice of “generate and utilize” by all MDAs including tertiary institutions stressing that the mechanisms for the operation of the new directive are being worked out as the government intensifies effort of diversifying the State revenue base.
He reiterated that his Administration will reinvigorate efforts with a view to engaging a genuine public-private initiatives to attract both domestic and foreign direct investment into the state.
“We will key into the National Financing Framework, encourage Corporate Social Responsibility and facilitate the ease of doing business to encourage investors and industrialists to the State. Also, the intervention of Development Partners will continuously be effectively coordinated, monitored and evaluated to ensure maximum results” The Governor stressed.
The State Government initiative of creating a New Niger Project Office under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha Bida, FCNA, (Sarkin Dawakin Nupe) to oversee the developmental projects of the present administration is a laudable initiative as the Office and as a structure under the Governor’s office will ensure successful implementation of projects in conformity with due diligence.
Abubakar Adamu Kuta is a staff of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, and writes as Information Officer, Government House, Minna, Niger State.*
