Zamfara Reels out Roadmap to End Insecurity, Governance Deficit
Gboyega Akinsanmi
Prioritises poverty alleviation, education, urban development
The Zamfara State Government yesterday disclosed that the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal had reeled out a new road aimed at ending years of banditry and utter neglect of governance in the state.
The state government further disclosed that the roadmap placed emphasis on rebuilding communities shattered by years of insecurity and engaging in projects of urban and rural development that will fast track recovery.
The Commissioner of Information and Culture, Hon. Mannir Haidara revealed the effort of the new administration at a session with journalists in Ikeja GRA, Lagos yesterday.
After his inauguration, Lawal had revealed how his immediate predecessor and Minister of State for Defence, Malam Bello Matawalle left N3 million in the coffer of the state, compelling him to run the state on credit.
He had also revealed how the Matawalle administration defaulted the payment of salaries to all civil servants and pensioners in the state three months before the end of his tenure coupled with intractable insecurity that engulfed the state during the period.
At the interaction yesterday, however, the information commissioner confirmed that theDauda Lawal administration “has stated implementing a road map that will see the state emerge from years of banditry and utter neglect of governance.”
Haidara noted that the state government under Governor Dauda Lawal “remains firm on its position of not negotiating with bandits and supporting all the security agencies in the effort to rid the state of rampaging bandits.
“For Governor Dauda Lawal, there is no going back on never negotiating with bandits and putting all commitment to making sure that the people of Zamfara state live without the fear of being attacked.
“The top priority of our administration is making Zamfara state secure and free from years of insecurity,” Mannir Mu’azu Haidara said.
On governance, the commissioner said the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal “is currently restoring sanity.”
He also explained that the first thing the governor did was making sure that the three months unpaid salaries of workers left by the last administration “are settled, while also giving attention to efforts to settle all other entitlements of workers.
“Right now some projects of urban development have stated and are ongoing and more projects will be embarked upon in both urban and rural areas,” the information commissioner further clarified.
On education, the commissioner pointed out that a plan “is in place to make sure that quality of education is improved across all levels and learning environment upgraded to befitting level.
“Years of bad governance has left Zamfara behind in many years. Now, Governor Dauda Lawal has taken the daunting task of creating a new Zamfara that will be on track of progress and development.
“It is a huge task that will require a lot of resources, but Governor Dauda Lawal has the will and the massive support of the people of Zamfara state to make this possible,” the commissioner said.
Haidara, therefore, called on the media and other stakeholders to lend support the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is which is on a mission to rescue Zamfara state and its people.
