Fintiri’s Five Years of Action in Adamawa

Daji Sani writes about the accomplishments of Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri as Governor of Adamawa state in the last five years.

The five years of the Adamawa state Governor, Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s administration has no doubt made much impact in all sectors and the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

His holistic philosophy of no one is left behind and nothing is left untouched has really guided him in fulfilling his 11-point agenda in his first tenure and eight- point agenda in his second tenure as his campaign promises to the state.

Fintiri has transformed the state especially the state capital to a modern centre through his infrastructural developmental giant strides too numerous to mention that have attracted foreign and local investors into the state. Every one that comes into the state always speak of his style of leadership and his developmental strides like King Solomon in the Bible.

Fintiri has received several awards for meritorious service, one of which was an award on Infrastructure Delivery by his political opponent, the  former President Muhamadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

His style of leadership to bringing all the illustrious sons and daughters and good numbers of political gladiators and stakeholders to his side have continue to bother his political opponents in the state.

No wonder he was able to scale through to the second tenure beyond every political forces which militated against his coming back as the governor of the state.

So at the inauguration of the Police Roundabout flyover  bridge rated  as one of the best and first in the Northeast sub region of Nigeria and as part of the activities to mark the celebration of his five years in office and one year in his second tenure,

former president Olusegun Obasanjo who was the guest at the inauguration of the flyover said Governor Fintiri has done very well and the sky is the beginning for him.

According to him: “Finitri has shown to the world, what it takes to lead, I am very pleased with what I see in Yola today, Governor Finitri, you are doing well”.

He further noted that the efforts being made by the Finitri’s administration is an indication that Nigeria will get to the desired place if the military do not  interrupt the process saying Nigerians have not gotten it right but it will get there.

The former president who performed the bridge inauguration said the essence of governance is to bring positive change to the people who are being served, and also charged the governor to take his urban renewal programmes to the rural areas, stressing that rural development will help in curbing security challenges as it will reduce rural migration.

Obasanjo who also reflected on his stay in Yola prison said” my experience in Yola  prison made me a better person and also form part of my success story as president of Nigeria.

“I am very pleased with Adamawa people,my best friend is from Adamawa, I have a very strong affinity with the people of Adamawa, my running mate and Vice President came from Adamawa state”.

In his remarks, Governor Finitri celebrated the  return to civilian administration saying “it was a celebration of our peoples’ preference of participatory democracy over dictatorship.

“Since I took over as governor of the state, l made up my mind for real positive change engendered in the promise of democracy.

“Exactly five years ago, I took the oath of office to serve as your democratically-elected Governor. In my address at the occasion, I stated that ‘’Positive change has come to Adamawa State’’.

“I was conscious of the hope of our people and the trust in me to bring about the positive change for all Adamawa people regardless of tribe, religion, social background or political inclination.

“The task ahead was very clear in my mind and I was fully committed to discharging it with the zeal of a missionary.

Also speaking at the inauguration ceremony,

former Governor of the state, Bala James Nggilari, said the governor has demonstrated his commitment at changing the narrative of the state from deplorable stage to a beautiful and a modern city that can compete with other major cities of the nation.

Nggilari, who is APC chieftain in the state, and elder brother to the governor who is  of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said God gives power and God has given power to Fintiri.

He, therefore, called on stakeholders in Adamawa state to rally round the governor who is already doing a great job adding that old political era has come and gone.

“But they are left with the development of their dear state, all hands must be on deck to support this young man,’s administration”, he said.

To also mark the celebration of a successful tenure and one year in his second tenure, a Lecture and a dinner were held by the state government to celebrate, appraise and evaluate the governor’s Stewardship in the state.

Fintiri in a state broadcast as part of the anniversary activities said he remained immensely grateful for the confidence and the opportunity to further serve

and reiterate his commitment to serve the state with unwavering determination.

According to the governor, “I and my team served the state to the best of our ability and the fear of God. Guided by our 11-point Agenda which has now been recalibrated to an eight-point Agenda and the philosophy of ensuring that ‘no one is left behind and nothing is left untouched’, we have made indelible footprints on all sectors and in all Local Government Areas of the state.

“Our strategic leadership style has also been guided by our partnership with you, our beloved citizens, hence, we prioritized an all-inclusive, people-oriented government. Much of our successes therefore is attributed to your support as well as your resilience in the face of attempts by some desperate politicians to manipulate you. I salute your sense of patriotism.

“I specially salute the support and understanding of our youths with whom I have engaged at different levels. My administration is committed to harnessing the abundant talent and creativity of Adamawa Youths so as to entrust them with our future. We are heavily investing in their education, engaging many through pensionable employment and empowering others with skills, funds and ideas to make them self-sufficient”.

He further explained that with their support and understanding, they have been able to execute massive and unprecedented developmental projects such as roads, bridges, fly-overs, schools, hospitals, housing projects, and so on.

“Yola is gradually assuming the status of one of the most modern state capitals in the country and the destination of choice for hosting conferences and meetings. We shall do more. The new superhighway linking the upcoming fly-over at A.A. Lawan junction and half cloverleaf fly-over along Yola-Numan road, the 1,000 units Fintiri Housing Estate, the new Shopping Mall, the Stadium and other projects which are all being flagged-off or on-going will add to the positive transformation of our state capital.

“Our hope is that these infrastructural developmental strides coupled with the sustained peace and security will provide a favourable platform for businesses to thrive.These measures will attract more investors to the numerous sectors that God has endowed us with such as in agriculture, mineral resources, tourism and so on, l am glad that investors are responding” he said.

Fintiri said the major objective of all his policies, projects and programmes is to fight poverty adding that the massive infrastructural facilities were also intended to allow investors to engage in profitable economic activities.

According to him: “We believe that addressing Out-of-School syndrome, providing free education, paying WAEC and NECO fees for our candidates, building and furnishing new schools, recruiting more teachers and so on that we have been doing will ease the economic burden on parents and equip our youths with the tools to swim out of poverty.

“Similarly, we are paying special attention to skills acquisition as well as Science and Technology. In this regard, I am happy to announce that we have commenced the process for the construction of three new comprehensive technical schools, one in each senatorial zone. One of these schools is going to be exclusively for girls.” he said.

Fintiri promised to continue to empower especially women and youths saying “I have directed that in every quarter, 10,000 beneficiaries will be selected and given #50,000 each under the Fintiri Business Wallet Scheme. We are also working with the World Bank to commit over 15 billion naira to empower women towards viable economic activities.

“I have also constituted a committee on Food Security in the state; the committee has submitted a Report that is already receiving favourable attention. Among others, we have commenced plans to prepare, in phases, 300 hectares of land in every Local Government Area and make it available for cultivation by our youths. We shall continue to support all farming activities and livestock husbandry with inputs and improved varieties of seeds.

“We shall continue to pay priority attention to the remuneration of workers and the entitlement of retirees as demonstrated by the recent release of three billion naira for payment of gratuities.

I charge those who have just been appointed or will be appointed into government Boards and Parastatals to place the welfare and interest of the people ahead of any other consideration.

“Our plans to construct a Modern Shopping Mall at the erstwhile Jimeta Shopping Complex and the reconstruction of the Yola Market are all intended to boost commercial activities in a more secure and conducive environment. Ultimately, this is in the interest of the traders and the state, with benefits that far outweigh the temporary inconveniences that it entails.We shall continue to devote our energy, intellect and resources for security and peace-building as well as infrastructural development.” the Adamawa said.

Developers are however quick to advise the Fintiri government to look forward to harnessing the huge natural resources deposit in the state especially huge deposit of limestone (cement) in Guyuk LGA and Gold left for illegal miners in Ganye LGA  for the economic benefits of the state and the nation.

They said that was the only way to attract more investors to the state as the mining activities if harnessed will create thousands of job opportunities, increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state as well as promote business activities in the areas.