By Noel Ebije (Kaduna), Gyang Bere (Jos), Layi Olarenwaju (Ilorin), John Adams (Minna), Scholastica Onyeka (Makurdi)
In less than 36 days, new state chief executives first elected during the March 18 governorship election, as well as those re-elected to serve a second term, will be sworn into office on May 29.
On the campaign trail, the elected/re-elected governors made promises to the electorate in their various states.
Despite the promises made by the governorship candidates during the electioneering period, residents of affected states have desires and governance expectations from the incoming governors.
In this second part of the ongoing reports, Sunday Sun captured what residents in Kaduna, Plateau, Kwara, Niger, and Benue states said are their priority needs.
KADUNA
Residents of Kaduna State, which has been at the core of multiple, murderous attacks and abductions by bandits, desperately want insecurity to end, to avoid the state turning into what a Kaduna-based evangelist and politician of Southern Kaduna extraction, Mr Sunday Mordecai Ibrahim, described as a “Banana Republic” under the new administration.
Mr Ibrahim said that even 50 days would be enough for the new governor to give the people the dividends of democracy they deserve, adding that insecurity must be rooted out within the first 100 days.
His words: “Insecurity is the greatest challenge for us in Southern Kaduna. This problem must be frontally faced and solved once and for all. A situation where ragtag idiots seemingly overwhelm the state and the people is unacceptable.
“If the government cannot use its might to solve this problem that has inflicted pain and acute food scarcity on the people, then there will be no need for government. We can as well know that we have become a lawless, government-less, Banana Republic.
“That people are forced to abandon their farms is the worst economic setback or punishment you can inflict on any community or nation. This can be solved in 100 days by any serious governor.
“Our educational system has been criminally destroyed. Just go round schools in places I have visited such as Kachia, Kagarko, Jaba, Kajuru, Chikun and Zangon Kataf, and I strongly believe it is the same in many other LGAs where our secondary schools are mostly without core science teachers in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Majority, about 70 per cent of secondary school students in my constituency no longer offer sciences because of the acute shortage of teachers who read these subjects in our rural schools. Most of the teachers are crowded in city or township schools. Even when they are posted there, they find their way back to the cities. Very few stay in places that are usually overwhelmed by workload.
“You could find a school having only one Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology teacher who is teaching SSS1-3 classes in the entire school. A responsible governor can address this problem in 50 days by stamping his feet to ensure that teachers remain where they are posted. Incentive and punitive policies should be put in place. More of these trained science-based teachers are employed, and this can happen in the 100 days.”
PLATEAU
The expectations of Plateau citizens on the new administration of Governor-elect Caleb Mutfwang appears to be overwhelming, cutting across all sectors of the economy due to the under-performance of the Governor Simon Lalong administration.
In the run-up to the governorship election, residents of the state clamoured for a refreshing administration that would build strong and enduring institutions beneficial to all, taking into cognizance the unique cultural values and belief system of the people.
Most citizens who had bitter experience of the protracted violence that robbed the state of its name, Home of Peace and Tourism, particularly rural dwellers, desired a governor who will protect Plateau’s heritage and give voice to the wailing communities who have suffered decades of insecurity with lives and property lost.
There is high expectation on the need to return displaced persons to their ancestral communities and create a peaceful atmosphere in the state where farmers can go to their farms and return without harassment or any form of intimidation.
In this regard, the people are eagerly waiting for the return of Operation Rainbow, the state security outfit, where vigilante groups and hunters from respective communities would be mobilised to join the conventional security outfits to secure rural communities. The people are looking forward to the take-off of the novel idea, to tackle decades of killings in the state.
Importantly, the residents are looking forward to getting subsidized fertilizer and other farm inputs that have skyrocketed in price in the last eight years of the APC administration, thereby making it extremely difficult for farmers to function optimally.
Farmers expect the new administration to build an agricultural sector where there will be food security, expanded employment generation with higher income levels. It is believed that the new government will leverage on agricultural products with comparative advantage in Plateau to make the state the hub of agriculture.
Most people believe that more resources should be invested in agriculture to enable it become the main pillar of new Plateau economy, targeting export of products advantageous to the state.
Leaders of communities trooping in to congratulate the governor-elect also use such visits to seek completion of certain roads projects considered very important, which were initiated by the Jang administration to ease movement and boost the state’s economy.
One of those roads that deserve maximum attention is the Utonkong Bridge initiated by the Jang administration and abandoned during the eight years APC reigned in the state. Several of these road projects are located across the three senatorial zones, which are begging for attention of the new administration.
The people are looking forward to the revival of the state economy, which has been punctured by decades of violence and economic downturn.
Traders are anticipating a conducive atmosphere where their businesses would thrive to grow an economy with equal opportunities.
Many believe that the new government should take advantage of the diversity of Plateau State by bringing on board all the ethnic nationalities and ensure that they channel their energy in a progressive manner towards the advancement of development in the state.
In 100 days, Plateau people expect to see practical changes in the manner in which security issues are handled, with great reversal in number of attacks and killings in rural communities.
KWARA
Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was re-elected for a second term in office knows first hand the weight of the burden of good governance that rests on his shoulders, given the enormity of expectations of the people.
A resident of Ganmo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Ajisefini told Sunday Sun that his earnest desire is the government would reconstruct the “totally dilapidated Ganmo Afon Road” to ease the people’s easy of movement and transportation of farm produce to the market. He said that sale of farm produce is the major activity at Ganmo international market.
He believes that the price of farm produce will fall when the road is done, as the cost of transportation will go down considerably.
But for Hajiya Sabitiyu Usman of Pakata Area, in Ilorin West Local Government Area, the biggest headache is “the issue of poor drainage around our area here because any time rain falls our houses are flooded and the road becomes impassable.
“Also, as a retired teacher, I will be happy if within the first 100 days the government pays off the backlog of unpaid gratuities, though he has tried to reduce the backlog from 2010 and has been able to pay fully up to 2012/2013. He should see this set of people have his priority by helping to reduce the hardship they are facing in old age.”
A senior civil servant in the state, who asked not to be identified in print, urged the governor to ensure all past promotions and entitlements of workers are paid to them, to enable him start on a good note.
In the opinion of Mr Niyi Adekeye, an APC stalwart in Oro Ward 3 of Irepodun Local Government Area, the governor has no reason to complain as he has less opposition to tackle. He, therefore, opined that the governor give focused attention to the opening of rural communities as his major concern.
“We want him to ensure projects are spread evenly to all nooks and crannies of Kwara State,” Adekeye said, adding that the governor should do more in the area of health development.
“As the government is renovating cottage hospitals and primary health centres, the effort should be complimented with provision of adequate drugs and equipment, as well as the engagement of staff to man the health facilities. This will discourage movement of people from rural areas to the urban centres. The governor should give priority to the issue of employment as many of our youths are unemployed. So, we expect him to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of the state,” Adekeye said.
Another APC member from Lafiagi in Edu Local Government Area, Alhaji Ndagi Sabi Jiya, advised the governor to change his style of leadership by increasing the tempo of governance, to enable the people enjoy more benefits of democracy. According to him, his first term efforts were made to rebuild the foundation of Kwara State destroyed by the previous administration’s method of doing things without being challenged.
He said the coming of AbdulRasaq opened the space a bit and allowed the people to see the difference.
“Because so many things are wrong and would require critical thinking to move in the right direction, the administration may appear slow or inactive. It would require patience, proper planning and constructive criticism to move the state forward,” he said.
NIGER
In Niger State today, the hot button issue and major topic of conversation is the desire of the people to see the outgoing governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, thoroughly probed for burying the state under a mountain of debt, in his tenure that has lasted for eight years.
The incoming governor, Rt. Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago, a three-time member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency, has to grapple with a N250 billion debt burden. For this reason, the four million residents of the state want the next governor to make financial transactions of his predecessor public.
The outgoing administration started many projects, but did not make reasonable progress towards their completion. Much as the people want the incoming administration to work on and complete the projects for the good of the people, they argue that probing the eight-year tenure of Governor Sani Bello should be the first step towards making any meaningful start.
The people’s agitation for probing of the Sani Bello administration is based on what they called “monumental failure” of the government in all aspect of governance with no single project worth N5 billion started and completed by the administration in eight years despite the billions of naira that have accrued to the state from various sources.
Shortly after the governorship election in the state, the people took to their various social media handles, calling on the incoming administration to properly scrutinise and make public the financial transactions of the outgoing administration and make some of its officials to account for their financial dealings.
According to them, a transparent scrutiny would be the only way for the incoming administration to convince the people that governance under it would not be business as usual, and thereby restore the hope of the people who had patiently waited for a new era after years of failed promises and misery.
Adamu Idris Manarakis, a Nupe Language Professor Honorary in his Facebook post titled, “Probing is not good, but Abu-Lolo (Governor Sani Bello) needs to tell his principal officers to go and complete the projects given to them that worth N250 billion in debts,” pointed out that though Islamically, it is not good to probe anybody, “but where the problem will arise is when Bago starts paying off N250 billion debts that have no any beneficial effect on Niger State, you will agree with us that calling anyone that served under Abu-Lolo is not just a necessity but compulsory.”
Unlike in other states with huge debts and gigantic projects to show for their debts, Manarakis said: “Which one is ours in Niger? Is Minna to Bida or Minna to Kontagora, or even Kontagora Rijau roads completed? What can the people of the state point to as the achievement of the government in eight years?”
Further lamenting the eight years of failed promises in the state, the social commentator asserted that the eight years under former governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu were better with modest achievements, stressing, “Talba is not a saint, but I can show you five star hotels project, the three arms zone, Talba Estate, Bida Estate, Kontagora Estate, M.I. Wushishi Estate, Jummai Babangida Neonatal Hospital Minna, Gulu, Gwada, Nasko Hospitals, Kure Market, Talba Programme for unemployed youths which absorbed over 5,000 youths into the civil service and many other projects to mention a few.”
He, therefore, told the people not to expect anything from the incoming administration if it failed to probe the outgoing government, stressing that “when Bago (governor-elect) starts paying the huge amount of debts, he will hardly pay salaries not to talk of executing a viable project for the state he took an oath to govern.”
Meanwhile, insecurity, infrastructural decay, lack of potable water, decaying health facilities, among others, remain the greatest challenges confronting the state and its people.
BENUE
The electoral victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which saw Rev Fr. Hyacinth Alia emerging as the Benue State Governor-elect, was quite an upset that turned outgoing Governor Sam Ortom into a seeming political lightweight, who could neither win election into the Senate nor implant his preferred successor.
With bated breath, the people are waiting for the new governor with a long list of expectations they want him to deal with promptly. Top on the list is the issue of unpaid salaries and pension arrears.
The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Benue State, Mr Michael Vember, who spoke with Sunday Sun, expressed hope that they will have a new lease of life.
He said: “We welcome the new leadership into the government of Benue State. The fact is he said he is coming to pay pension and salaries. We expect that he will make the issues of delays or non-payment of pension and salaries a thing of the past.
“In his campaign promises, he said he saw the plight of the civil servants and pensioners and that he is coming to pay us. So, in the first100 days, if he is able to pay us what we are being owed, arrears of gratuity and pensions, we will be very happy because we have a lot of arrears running into months and years outstanding.
“For pension arrears, the state pensioner is owed 37 months while local government pensioners are owed for 78 months, that is the outstanding so far. So, as he comes in, we expect that within three months, he should offset a good amount of the arrears.
Henry Akem, a civil servant, urged the incoming governor to jettison old wine bottles and constitute a credible team by injecting new blood of qualified individuals to enable him succeed.
He said: “The people are eager to see the composition of the incoming government. It should be credible people and not a recycle of the old brigade, those who have been in the government of George Akume, Gabriel Suswam and Samuel Ortom. It should be of new blood, vibrant young men and women, people with integrity so that the government will command respect.
“Secondly, the government must be able to have bearing; a clear cut policy on what to do and what not to embark on. Mainly, salaries and pensions have been owed for long – two to three years. The welfare of workers must be paramount and attention should also be focused on retirees, pensioners. These are areas the government should give premium attention and take immediate action.
“I’m also expecting that good policies and projects like recruitment of teachers embarked upon by the outgoing administration must be sustained. Government lacks teachers in both primary and secondary schools. Those who have been recruited and are qualified should be maintained.
“Alia should first constitute a credible, seasonal and qualified team to assist him develop the state. He should jettison old wines in the coming administration to earn respect of the people. This is the only way he can succeed.”
The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Benue State, Levi Aguma, said: “I expect that by the special grace of God, the incoming administration will be able to pay us, within the first 100 days, if not all, at least five months of what we are being owed.”
Aguma who recalled that Fr. Alia had promised prompt payment of salaries, improved and excellent welfare packages for Benue workers, added: “Based on his manifesto, he has the zeal to boost education in the state and we believe that as a child of God or a man of God, God will help him to do well for the state.
“We have backlog of salaries close to 15 months for primary school teachers. We have 10 months in 2017, we have February and March of 2022, December of 2021 and a few months in 2018. We have a staggered payment and we are believing and trusting God that he will do better and pay off part of these arrears in his 100 days in office.
“According to Governor Samuel Ortom, because he is in PDP, the APC Federal Government doesn’t want to help him do anything, but Alia is in the APC and it is our belief and expectation that the Federal Government will assist him to do better.”
A farmer, Mrs Tyonongo, simply said: “I expect him to work hand-in-hand with the Federal Government and quickly give us security in the state. In my community, Meeme and other villages like Akanawe, Changoji and Tse Ando, all in Ukemberagya/Tswarev council ward of Logo Local Government Area, we can hardly sleep with our two eyes closed.
“It is either herders are killing us or they are destroying our farms and farm produce. They attack us in the market, at home and in the farms. These days we can’t even go to the farm or the stream to fetch water, so we need security. We are living in fear due to what is happening in our area. We will be happy if he does something so that they will send security men to protect our area.”
Mrs Roseline Ade, a resident of Makurdi, said that she expects the new government to settle down to work immediately.
“We are farmers in Benue. Whether you are a civil servant or not, we are all farmers and to God be the glory, this is planting season. In these 100 days, I expect our Reverend Fr. to supply us seedlings and inputs, especially chemicals and fertilizers at subsidized rates. This will help us produce food,” she said.
Enyioma believes the incoming government should hit the ground running in two key areas.
“First, is improving the security of lives and property and the welfare needs of the long-suffering ordinary people of the state, particularly in the area of the prompt payment of salary, pension and gratuity.
“Although the period of 100 days is likely to be too short for one to see big reforms in this area, I want to see that the government is taking concrete steps to addressing the continued insecurity and welfare challenges that have plagued the state for so many years.
“A second area that I am expecting the new government to tackle in its first 100 days in office is the rising level of youth unemployment and redundancy across the state. Benue State is blessed with educated and creative youths, but past and present governments have failed to harness and utilize the quality human resources God has blessed the state with.
“Doing this with urgency is important because when young people in the state become productive, both insecurity and the revenue base of the state would be the better for it,” he said.
For Jonah, he prayed that the herdsmen will show understanding with the new administration and stop the attacks and killings in the state so that they can go home and access their farmlands, especially most of their relatives living in the IDP camps.
“We also expect that when he comes, he will pay our outstanding salaries. If he does this in his first 100 days in office, we will be happy,” he said.
For Mrs Mary Yila, a primary school teacher, payment of salary arrears is topmost on her list.
“My sister, I am expecting alerts, pim, pim! Pim, pim on my phone. I have lost count of the number of months I’m being owed so I expect he should pay us like he promised. Once that happens in his first months, then Benue will be good for it and our lives will also change.”