DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY

DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY

(Democracy Day - June 12, 2020)

 PROPELLING KEBBI STATE TO THE NEXT LEVEL:

It is a known tradition the world over to publicize the achievements of government to the general populace. In a political clime like ours, where some people are fond of condemnations and criticisms without making any sacrifice like to fix even one pot-hole on our roads where they too ride their vehicles. This is a community service which is an integral part of civic and social responsibilities. In addition to this, these kind of  people have never donated a packet of Paracetamol to any of our public hospitals, where patients are lying down (some) in critical health and financial conditions. Theirs, is Governor has not done this and that, period. Hence, permit me to mention just a few of our action governor's achievements. I am at liberty to do so,  it is the school of thought of late Sir Ahmadu Bello the premier of the then Northern Nigeria:

'Blow your own trumpet; nobody can do that for you

Because everybody is busy blowing theirs'.

  _-  Sir Ahmadu Bello (1910-1966).

_ 

I am thus, free to publicize some of our achievements. I can only mention some, because they are too numerous. May I start with his sterling leadership qualities? 

 *RESPECT FOR OUR RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL VALUES* 

Every society has a system of values. A value, then, is anything - idea, belief, practice, thing - that is important to people. There is no society known to us in which the people are concerned exclusively with the material ends.

Within all societies there are certain rituals or ceremonial patterns which values are collectively expressed and affirmed. His Excellency Senator  Abubakar Atiku Bagudu respects our religion  (Islam) and social values. He didn't impose any restrictions on Islamic activities even at the peak of corona virus  (covid - 19) pendamic. Credit must be given to him. May God pay him and reward him abundantly. Ameen!

 *KEBBI STATE, THE MOST PEACEFUL POLITICAL ENTITY IN NIGERIA* 

Kebbi state is not only the land of EQUITY but also the home of peace and harmony. Nobody can take it away from us. Though, it is the motto of another state but in reality Kebbi state is enveloped and surrounded in/by peace.

Nothing comes for nothing, the said peace is achieved through the combined efforts of His Excellency Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders as well as the security personnel. Periodic security consultative meetings with all Security Chiefs are periodically held in Kebbi state. 

In summary, there is a synergy between all those concerned in security matters. 

 *PEACE IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT* 

Peace is an essential tool for sustainable development. Kebbi is enjoying an atmosphere of peace under the able leadership of Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, moving the state to the level of being the most peaceful in the entire federation.  

Peace breeds healthy business environment which is important and essential for any sustainable development. Contrariwise, in conflict - ridden communities, business operations are mostly disrupted due to the fear and unreliable social services and the prevalence of social problems such as poverty, hunger and inequality. In order to escape direct, structural and/or cultural violence, businesses may be forced to close down and move to safer locations, even as the people remaining in these conflict - ridden areas experience poverty, hunger and decreased opportunities. No wonder kebbi state has become a safe haven to many a business men and women who are relocating to Kebbi state on daily basis. 

The traditional notion of peace - the absence of conflict-is not enough to bring about sustainable development. If a government stops or ends armed hostilities by either providing palliative measures or issuing a ceasefire without addressing its underlying factors, conflict may resume, further disrupting business operations and exacerbating poverty, hunger and inequality. Thanks to this, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu addressed causative factors by providing employment and treating every entity making up the state equally. The state of the EQUITY is thus, truly peaceful, basking in Positive Peace not the opposite. We have:

1. Negative Peace and

2. Positive Peace.

To be a little bit academic, Johan Galtung argued that there are two types of peace: negative peace and positive peace. He defined negative peace as “the absence of violence, absence of war,” and identified three major categories of violence: direct, structural and cultural. Structural violence refers to the unjust systems that marginalize certain groups. Cultural violence pertains to social norms that justify direct and structural violence. Direct violence, such as war and crime, is an outcome of structural and cultural violence.

Galtung described positive peace as the “integration of human society.” Positive peace involves preventing or ending direct violence as well as structural and cultural violence. Unjust social structures and social norms are corrected to avert the occurrence of direct violence.

Moreover, the eight factors behind positive peace―also known as the Eight Pillars of Positive Peace-are:

1. Well-functioning government 

2. Sound business environment

3. Equitable distribution of resources

4. Acceptance of the rights of others

5. Good relations with neighbours 

6. Free flow of information 

7. High levels of human capital 

8. Low levels of corruption

The above stated 8 pillars are so evident and pronounced in Kebbi state. 

 *KEBBI STATE THE HOME OF CULTURE* 

Kebbi leads other states in cultural revival. Culture brings creativity and innovation to the economy, Key values for development like creativity, heritage, knowledge and diversity must shape culture as the fourth pillar of development. A holistic and integrated approach to development will only be achieved when these values are explicit and operationalized. 

Having this knowledge, our action governor Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu revived the comatose cultural festivals across the state. These are:

1. Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival 

2. Rigata, at Yauri and

3. Uhola, at Zuru. 

CULTURE 

- Has become a good source of tourism 

- Brings friendship and cement a bond of togetherness 

- Unite people for socio-economic development 

- No Nation has ever developed technologically with the borrowed culture (language)

Kebbi state is surely on the threshold of economic development. No doubt about that.

 *ONLY GOVERNOR IN THE NORTH WEST THAT FIGHTS CORONA VIRUS (COVID - 19) WEARING A HUMAN FACE* 

His Excellency Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu like any governor got himself at the cross - road. Corona virus (Covid-19) rears its ugly head, claiming lives and spreading in some places like a wildfire. Total lockdown could be a good option but would neither be a better nor a best option. He thus, out of his political expediency adopts a partial lockdown. Corona virus is being fought and kept at bay at the same time Kebbians are not being locked into their houses to battle with the hunger and hopelessness. 

https://kebbidailynews.wordpress.com/2020/05/18/op-ed-governor-bagudu-is-winning-the-war-against-covid-19-and-kebbi-state-is-bouncing-back-to-normal

 *KEBBI STATE STILL LEADS IN RICE PRODUCTION* 

Agriculture was the main source of income to Northern Nigeria before the discovery of (black) oil. Cotton and groundnut pyramids were the proud features of the then Northern region. 

Annoyingly, black oil money made us lazy and dependent upon one source of income, making Nigeria a mono - economy Nation. In consequence, food pyramids disappeared in reality only to be seen on the pages of history books.

Interestingly, rice pyramids resurfaced in Kebbi state,  we have seen the said resurfaced rice pyramids during the launching of WACOT RICE MILL the biggest rice mill in west Africa and Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival, 2020. Sardauna Ahmadu Bello has gone, Matawallen Gwandu Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has emerged!

Still, on agriculture, on the 29th May, 2020, helicopter hovered over kebbi state spraying pesticides in preparation for this year's farming.

Pesticides are important. They help farmers grow more food on less land by protecting crops from pests, diseases and weeds as well as raising productivity per hectare. Beyond any doubts, without pesticides, more than half of our crops would be lost to pests and diseases. All farmers need pesticides. Kebbi state farmers got it at gratis (free). Finally, fertilizer and other agricultural inputs are being subsidized.

 *SUMMARY OF GOVERNOR (SENATOR)  ABUBAKAR ATIKU BAGUDU’S ACHIEVEMENTS* 

 *Water, Rural and Urban Electricity Supply* 

- Sinking of motorized and solar boreholes as well as hand pumps.

- Procurement of water treatment chemicals for water supply to Birnin Kebbi, Zuru, Argungu and Yauri

- Repairs of pipes at Aliero Quarters Birnin Kebbi destroyed as a result of road construction 

- Purchase of transformers and repairs of high tension lines 

- Electricity supply to the Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu.

- Supply of 20 units of assorted transformers 

- Construction of low tension line in seven locations in Birnin Kebbi

- Payment of statutory fees for inspecting of 11 units of power transformers

- Rehabilitation  of high tension poles between Dagere junction to Masama 

- Electrification of GGSS Dankingari

- Extension of electricity supply at the Nana Asmau GGC Kamba

- Rehabilitation of over 200No. hand operated borehole across the state.

- Provision of many Hand pumps in various locations;  Koko -Besse, Tungar Magaji,  Mai Ruma, Tungar Dodo, Gwarje Koko, Mallamawa and Maikwari.

- Provision of motorized schemes for Bongo community, Birnin Kebbi local government.

- Provision of water supply to the city settlement in dire need of water: Baiti primary school, GRA NEPA, Birnin Kebbi.

- Provision of portable water to the some villages namely: Bungola, Donkeri, Baga and Mairuwa.

- A borehole scheme for Amanawa Village Kalgo Local Government

- Provision of a solar powered supply system at senator Atiku Bagudu Model Primary School and Government House Birnin Kebbi 

- Rehabilitation of motorized borehole scheme at RafinTsaka, Gumundai and Baraya and hand pump at Baraya Fulani at Arewa Local Government

Provision of water scheme for Mado Mai Maje Village in Bagudo Local Government 

- Provision of 1 No. solar borehole scheme and three number motorized borehole schemes in Farsengu, Fawangu, Iribabba and Matseri

Provision of 7No. hand pumps in various locations of koko-besse, Tungarmagaji, Mai Rumu,Tungar Dodo, Koko town, Garage, Koko Mallamawa, cemetery and Maikwari

- Provision of motorized scheme for Bango community of Birnin Kebbi Location Government

- Provision of water supply scheme to Abuja area of Koko town and other village in Koko-Besse Location Government

- Provision of water supply scheme at Baiti Primary school, GRA NEPA, Ondo Arewa

- Provision of water supply in five villages of Bungala, Donkeri, Baga, Mairuwa

- Construction of three number motorized schemes in Arewa Local Government

- Construction of a new borehole at Hajiya Turai YarAdua General Hospital Zauro/Ambursa

- Rehabilitation of over 80 No motorized borehole schemes across the state

- Rehabilitation of 30 solar powered water schemes across the state

- Rehabilitation of over 200 No. Hand operated borehole across the state.    

 *Education* 

- Construction of 640 new blocks of classrooms for primary & Junior Secondary Schools.

- Renovation of 740 blocks of classrooms for Primary & Junior Secondary Schools.

- Procurement of 34,120 sets of furniture for Primary & Junior Secondary School.

- Drilling of Boreholes and hand pumps in schools

- Upgrading of schools  to model schools

Supply of 480 computer sets

- Procurement of Laboratory science materials for schools.

Provision of First Aid facilities to schools 

Upgrading of Education Management Information System (EMIS) Centres.

- Procurement of Books and Journals for Schools.

- Supply of Sports equipment for schools

Prompt payment of monthly cash allocation to facilitate day to day activities of the Board.

- Construction of 500 capacity female hostel at permanent site AACOE Argungu      

-:Construction of 500 capacity male hostel at permanent site AACOE Argungu 

- Renovation and furnishing of Ministry of High Education.

- Rehabilitation of Government Girls Secondary School Mahuta

- Rehabilitation of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School Maga

- Rehabilitation of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School Aliero

Rehabilitation of Government secondary school Karaye

- Rehabilitation of Haliru Abdul Arabic and Islamic secondary school Jega

- Completion of overhead water tank at Girls Science College Ribah

- Rehabilitation of AbdullahiFodio Islamic secondary school Birnin-Kebbi

- Rehabilitation of Government day secondary school Zauro

- Rehabilitation of Government secondary school Makera

- Rehabilitation of Dr Amina College Birnin-kebbi.

Rehabilitation of - Government Girls College (Unity College)

- Rehabilitation of Government Day Secondary School Gesse Phase 1 Birnin-kebbi

- Rehabilitation of Government day secondary school Gwadangaji

- The provision of motorized borehole and overhead tank with a capacity of 50,000 gallons at Kwaido

Rehabilitation and provision of other infrastructure at command science secondary school Jega

- The supply of mattresses to the Ministry of Education Headquarters

- Rehabilitation of Emir Haruna Rashid College Birnin-Kebbi.

- The renovation of offices at the Ministry of Education Headquarters

- The repair of student’s hostel at Government Girls Arabic & Islamic secondary School Kangiwa.

- Provision of 10,700 units 2 sets of desks for students

- Training and retraining of both primary and secondary school’s teachers to acquire modern teaching skills

- Purchase of computers and accessories for the computer training unit of the Ministry of Education

 *Agriculture* 

- 225 trucks of assorted fertilizer have been purchased and distributed to Kebbi distributed to Kebbi State farmers at government approved price since the inception of this administration.

- Implementation of agricultural transformation agenda (ATA) is in progress and payment of counterpart funds for the smooth take off of the project already been paid 

- Partnership between Lagos and Kebbi States on rice value chain and other commodity that produced the LASKEB. This positive result did not go unnoticed by some of the country’s leading newspapers, Vanguard and Leadership Newspapers. The newspapers have closely monitored His Excellency’s human capital investment and interventions in this area and find it worthy of rewarding. He was thus named Vanguard Newspaper Governor of the Year 2016 and Leadership Newspaper Person of the Year 2016 

- Commissioning of WACOT rice mill recently held in the state is a true attestation of the administration’s investment drive. His Excellency’s investment effort has placed Kebbi second only to Kano in rice milling in the whole of the Northwest.

- Partnership with Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara State and the Moroccan Government to receive the supply over 300,000 tons of fertilizer. 

- The present administration procured for distribution to famers 100 tractors, 1000 Ox-drawn ploughs, 100 rice threshers

- Procurement of 100 motorcycles for monitoring. By trained Agricultural Extension Workers

- Encouraged more than 20,000 farmers to produce soya-beans in parts of the State

- In an effort to diversity, develop and harness the non-oil sectors of the economy the administration is encouraging livestock production.

 *Social Development and Sport Development* 

- Renovation of the orphanage homes and the construction of administrative block at the   Ministry of Women Affairs.

- Training of child protection officers in the state

- Support to people with special needs

- Procurement of psychiatric and non-psychiatric drugs, supply of mattress, renovation of administrative block, pit latrine at the Jega psychiatric centre.

- Construction of mini stadium at Zuguru

Revival of Kebbi United football club

- Revival of schools sports

- Sponsorship of clubs from the state to participate in the National sports festival, National League games, National Division II and National Division III play off.

- Sponsorship of the state football Association to participate in the Under 17 Football Tournament in Kano as well as the state chapter of the Nigerian referees to fitness test and the promotion examination in Abuja and Kaduna.

Support of the state contingent to feature in the under 13 and under 15 selection competition organized by the NFF, in collaboration with the Northwest Zone and the National Sports Commission Abuja.

- Provision of vocational and technical skills for the youth to be self-reliant

 *Information* 

- Provision of support to NTA Birnin Kebbi and Radio Nigeria Equity FM Birnin Kebbi with essential parts and machines to boost their operations. Equity FM can now be received all over the state.

- Hosting of Foreign and Local Media on assessment of rice, wheat and soya beans farms in Kebbi State.

- Receives Vanguard, Leadership and the Sun Newspapers award for commitment to economic empowerment through agriculture. 

- Digitalization and renovation of the State Media outfits

- To further encourage free flow of information, the present administration reintroduced the Equity  Newsmagazine and a Hausa Newspaper called ‘Adila’.

- Boosting of signals and outreach of the media stations to cover Yauri and Zuru Emirates not reached by the radio and television signals. 

 *Works and Transport* 

- Construction of bridge on the Shema-Bakoshi Road through army engineers.

- Construction of culverts and  erosion control project in Bunza

- Construction of  kilometers Kwanar Dabai-Zuru township road

- Rehabilitation of the Maga-Ribah road by Great Nigeria International  Construction Company

- Rehabilitation of  Malando-Ngaski –Warra road 

- Rehabilitation of Ribah-Bena Road 

- Completion of Kaoje- Illo and Suru-Giro bridges 

- Construction and completion of access road between Mechanic village, Birnin-Kebbi 

- Construction of Jega township road 

- Construction of Tundun Wada road in Birnin-Kebbi metropolis

- Construction of access road in Makera-Gandu

- Rehabilitation of Sultan Abubakar road which runs from First-bank to Rima round about in front of Government House. 

- Construction of Badariya-Kola Zuguru road

- Constructions of Alhaji Baraya-Natsini road

-;Construction of block lined drain at Yan lemu Argungu

- Constructions of additional cells box culvert at Bangolla village

- Construction of failed culvert at Yakubu Mera house general hospital

- Repairs of damaged section of road near WACOT rice mill along Argungu-Sokoto road. 

- Emergency Repairs of the washed out along Bunza Gulma-Sauwa-Natsini road

 *Health* 

- Renovation of Maternity Complex and ANC Unit at General Hospital

- Completion and commissioning of General Hospital Jega named it after Her Excellency Aisha Muhammadu Buhari.

- Sponsorship of cancer screening activities and treatment.

- Accreditation visit to the School of Health Technology Jega on 8th April, 2015

- Payment of counterpart funding for measles campaign in November 2015

- Payment of counterpart fund for MNCH week

State counterpart funding on EU- Unicef MNCH programme in the state for the year 2014-2015

- Rehabilitation of maternity ward Labour room and ANC unit at General Hospital Argungu.

- Sponsorship to attend the 9th International Conference on sickle cell held in London 6th to 10th October, 2015.

- In the state Government efforts to bring Primary Health Care services under one authority for effective services and monitoring of Facilities at LGA level, the law establishing Primary Health Care services under One Roof was signed by His Excellency the State Governor. The Technical Committee was inaugurated for the implementation of PHCOUR in the state.

- Payment of medical assistance abroad and in Nigeria to over 50 patients from the May, 2015 to date.

- The state has improved in the reporting of DHIS data being placed No.2 among the 36 states of the federation last month.

- Formation of medical advisory board.

- Payment of project allowances to medical laboratory students first of its kind.

- Fulfillment of criteria set by the World Bank to access 1.5 million dollars grant for saving one million lives.

- Payment of counterpart funds to EU MNCH programme.

- Launching and the Distribution of EU-MNCH Drugs and commodities by His Excellency Senator Abubakar AtikuBagudu.

- Identification and verification of 225 Primary Health facilities for upgrading to meet the PHC Per ward minimum health care package standard.

- Identification of 21 basic obstetric emergency care facilities at 1 per LGA.

- Purchase of Books to School of Nursing and Midwifery Birnin Kebbi.

- Procurement of Uniform for Nurses, Midwives and Hospital orderlies across the state.

- Prompt payment of counterpart funds on Immunization Plus Days in each round of IPDs.

- Construction of 12 New Radio Diagnostic Blocks in 12 General Hospitals.

Remodeling of 10 No. Radio Diagnostics Centers.

Lead lining of 22 No. X-ray Rooms.

- Free medical outreach services by Moses Lake Medical Team from USA 380,511 people benefited.

- Free eye surgeries to over 4000 patients sponsored by Kebbi State Government by Albashir International Hospital.

- Measles Campaign for the year 2017.

- Sponsorship of First State Council on Health.

- Purchase of HIV/AIDS Test kits and consumables. 

  

Happy Democracy Day.

 Aliyu Bandado

Coordinator/Senior Special Assistant

(New Media )

To the Governor Kebbi State.