Borno: Zulum’s 100 days, a perspective

Within the few months in saddle, Borno state has had it good in terms of democracy dividends. ABUBAKAR SADIQ in this report examines some of the landmark achievements of this man in 100 days.

Credibly, despite the 10 years battle with insurgency which had obstructed development and progress of Borno state for years, Governor Professor Babagana  Zulum on taking over the mantle of leadership of the state affairs swung into post insurgency developmental projects and programmes of existing and new sectors of the state with upmost priority to security. This basically centred on a 10-point agenda of his administration between 2019 and 2023.

Major landmarks

While giving priority to safety of lives and property of the citizenry, he began with the recruitment of over 3000 CJTF and vigilante hunters and improved monthly allowances of N30, 000 per month. This is apart from introduction of electronic payments of salaries and allowances on a monthly basis.

Zulum further provided the security men with over 200 patrol vehicles and office accommodation across the state in addition to engaging over 3,000 unemployed youths into the state government-owned Vocational Entrepreneurial Training Scheme through the Ministry of Science and Innovation, a new ministry he created, among others, to discourage political thuggery and loitering around public buildings and government offices.

Thereafter, he swung into action to tackle problems and challenges associated with IDPs’ food distribution challenges as well as their welfare by ensuring transparency in the system. At the various IDPs camps, the governor personally distributed food and non-food items to the IDPs, cautioned NGOs, SEMA and NEMA on honesty while directing the local government staff, teachers and traditional rulers to return to their localities and continue their works and deliver service to the people.

The governor also brought sanity in the security systems who man the IDPs camps. This is because in the past, they have been accused of alleged diversion and mismanagement of donations and provisions of food and non-food items from governments, donor agencies, corporate organisations and individuals meant for the displaced persons. He is also working assiduously for the relocation of the IDPs to their localities in order to continue with their normal life of farming. To that extent too, he also encouraged most Emirs to return to their communities and stay with their subjects.

These achievements followed the unique inauguration of the first of its kind, the agro rangers scheme which is a special security outfit comprising civil defence-trained special squad, mobile police squad, CJTF and vigilante hunters group consisting of thousands of personnel where he provided them with about 100  brand new patrol four wheel drive vehicles to facilitate their mobility within and outside the Sambisa Forest which was occupied by Boko Haram insurgents before the Nigerian troop recovered the forest from the insurgents. 

One project many people applauded as a welcome development is the remedy to herdsmen and famers clashes and issues relating to grazing of land or demarcated and reserved areas for cattle rearing.

Medical sector receives a touch

He further embarked on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of health and educational facilities and several amenities across the state. This includes the renovation of erstwhile dilapidated schools, hospitals, clinics, upgrading of health centres and construction of new schools and hospitals in some communities including Monguno. He also employed resident medical doctors’ apartments apart from upgrading the Monguno General Hospital and the Construction of new local council secretariat in Biu town of Biu local Government Area.

Workers not left out

The governor further approved the payment of outstanding allowances of NYSC medical doctors worth hundreds of millions of naira owed them by past administration. By this he restored good conduct, attitude, discipline and respect towards work among civil servants, especially medical doctors and nurses across the state who are on night calls.

This, according to reports triggered discipline, transparency, occupational attitude, respect and accountability in civil service in terms of staff attendance and attitude to work. It stopped absenteeism in work places and eliminated ghost workers on the payroll of the state government and at the local level through verification and biometric data capture as well as e-payment of salaries and allowances. On a general note, there is improvement in the work system across the state.

Zulum being a technocrat constructed Biu council’s new secretariat complex, sanitised the workforce, approved payments of outstanding salaries and allowances as well as pensions and gratuities worth billions of naira to thousands of civil servants and teaching staff at primary and secondary schools, among others, while at the same time laying foundation for the construction of housing estate at the University of Maiduguri, Ajiri and other areas.

Education, a priority

His passion for education led to the take-off of the state owned university, BOSU preparatory for September 2019. With 2019/2020 academic session commencing in October 2019, the first set of the university students would be admitted in September to commence 2019/2020 academics session with the appointment of principal officers of the institution already in place since early 2019 who are working effectively to ensure the successful take-off of the university.

He further offered scholarship to indigenous students of the university to study sciences in the institution including medicine. These are expected to handle the various hospitals and clinics across the state.

With the creation of a new ministry and merging of some ministries, Zulum within 100/ days in office also visited those ministries and pledged to construct a housing estate to resettle victims of flood in Ngamdu while at the same time laying the foundation for over 1,000 housing estates in Ajiri and Mafa communities among others to resettle IDPs affected by the insurgency.

Recently, his visit to Gubio and Magumeri made him to approve the reconstruction of the local government secretariat and other buildings burnt down by the insurgents in August 2019 while at the same time inaugurating a high- powered committees on verification and biometric data capture of LGC staff and teachers of primary schools across the 27 LGAs of the state.

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