The returned governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni in his inaugural speech titled ‘Continuity and Innovation’ made so many pronouncements to strengthen his covenant with the people of the state. In that speech, he revealed that that “a lot of efforts have been made to provide security, qualitative healthcare, improved education, massive infrastructural development especially road construction and agricultural development among others, to add value to the lives of the people. These laudable achievements had no doubt improved the quality of lives of the people”.
Speaking further, he assured that “under the new administration, all the aforementioned sectors will continue to be given the desired attention they deserve. The new government will explore and exploit new avenues and opportunities locally, nationally and, internationally, to improve and expand the existing structured policies and programmes for delivering maximum dividends of democracy to the people”. This piece, therefore, x-rays has much of this commitment the Governor has kept faith with in the last 100 days and how much for that matter, the people of Yobe can continue to expect a great deal from.
Since inauguration, Governor Mai Mala Buni has been focusing on the completion of ongoing projects and they are many. These cut across health, education, rural electrification, the construction of critical roads and the establishment of critical agencies in the health sector to improve service delivery.
He has also managed to employ over 2,670 people comprising university graduates, diploma and NCE holders across several sectors, especially health and education. This is no mean fit considering the state’s commitment towards improving its ratings in Maternal mortality, decongestion of schools with the construction of new ones and the general need to expand the formal and social sectors to improve the livelihood of the people.
But it has not only been about completing old projects. New projects have also been initiated. Within this period for instance, Gov Buni broke a 50 year old jinx by constructing the karasuwa-Galu and Gashua to Masaba roads. These roads have defied successive governments with the people of the area never entertaining hope of the roads ever constructed. The beauty of it is that the road was started and completed in record time.
Food and other needs worth one billion Naira have also been provided to internally displaced persons, people living with disabilities, orphans, widows, and other vulnerable groups. This is in keeping faith with the governor’s inaugural day covenant to take responsibility for vulnerable groups in the state. From all indication, this is an endeavour the governor holds dear.
In his drive to add value to the lives of the people, his excellency Governor Buni has expanded the Contributory Healthcare Scheme coverage in the state for people in both formal and non formal sectors. This is aimed at making access to quality healthcare easy for the people while cutting down on out-of-pocket medical expenses in this period of competing economic needs. And since health is wealth, there’s nothing more significant than protecting people with a medical cover for them and their loved ones.
Still in the healthcare value chain, the Yobe State Emergency Medical Ambulance Services Agency (YEMABUS) meant to provide emergency/first aid services to victims of road traffic and domestic accidents was also launched. In his remarks after the launch, Governor Mai Mala Buni said that the move “underscores his administration’s commitment to citizen centered health sector reforms that promotes improved healthcare access, technical excellence, functionality and standardization especially in medical emergencies. This is a very significant move in light of Yobe state’s geography, lined with a long stretch of highways, hence the preponderance of fatal motor accidents.
The Consumable’s Management Agency was also launched to monitor the quality and standard of medical consumables in the state. Only recently, the agency announced the completion of six zonal medical warehouses, built to reduce the cost of logistics movement for drugs in the state. However, only those in Potiskum, Gashua, Nguru and Damaturu have been up and running.
In the Agricultural front, that state has distributed fertiliser to farmers for the cropping season alongside trade tools machines and equipment provided to youths, women and other vulnerable groups for empowerment. In the same vein, over 10,000 seedlings have been procured and planted. Furthermore, over seven million livestock have been vaccinated.
On flood mitigation, roads washed away by flood have been repaired among many other proactive measures. This will not only protect the lives and properties of settlements in flood prone areas, but it will also help to protect farms and together with provided and distributed fertilizers, the state can expect a bumper harvest at the end of the year. Needless to say, that’ll translate to lower levels of hunger and poverty.
And like several state of the federation grappling with public outcry following the stupendous increase in the prices of goods and services since the federal government removed fuel subsidy, governor Buni has ensured that foodstuff palliatives were extended to workers alongside a N10,000 monthly stipend to each worker.
Indeed, Yobe state has continued the path of recovery from the Boko Haram induced destruction that affected much of our public and social institutions. With governor Buni’s focus on instituting service delivery through the strengthening of public institution and the provision of critical infrastructure, our people can continue to expect their lives to only get better.
Salisu writes from Kaduna
