Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has described collective actions as the only plausible panacea for banditry and other forms of security challenges facing the state and Nigeria in general.

He stated this in his Independence Day anniversary message to people of the state.  The governor stressed the need for people to complement the effort of the Federal and state governments in protecting the citizens’ lives and property.  According to him, the present administration, since its assumption of office, has spent huge sums of money in securing the state.

“When we came on board, the monthly allowances given to the security operatives deployed to flash points had stopped, and we have since restored that and even increased the amount

“We equally procured 100 vehicles, which we distributed to the security outfits in the state to check the activities of bandits,”he added The governor further said his administration has also set up a Community Guard Corps with a view to complementing the effort of the conventional security outfits in protecting the lives and property of the rural communities. 

Aliyu said: “All these are part of our modest efforts to redeem our pledge  to guarantee the safety of lives and property of our people.” The governor expressed optimism that with the present measures being taken by the Federal and state governments, the security challenges confronting the nation would soon be surmounted. 

He, therefore, called on all Nigerians to collectively join hands with the governments at all levels so as to get the country out the current security quagmire and other challenges that have become bottlenecks to Nigeria’s development. 

The governor congratulated Nigerians on her 64th anniversary and charged them not to forget the founding fathers’ struggles, which led to the attainment of independence in 1960.

Meanwhile, the state government says it has employed 845 nurses and midwives to facilitate access to improve quality health care services delivery across the primary health centres in the state.

The Economic Adviser to the governor, Dr Bashir Achida, said this during an interview within Abuja, on Friday. Achida said the recruitment became necessary given the need to address medical personnel gap in the state.

According to him, the state government is determined to address healthcare challenges such as maternal and infant mortality rate and Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF).

“At the moment, I don’t think that there is any state in this country that has employed 845 nurses and midwives in one year for its primary health care centres”, he said. He said plans had been concluded to also absorb medical doctors graduating from medical institutions in the state and other universities into state health facilities.

The doctors on interns, he noted, would also be absorbed by the state government to reduce doctor-patient gap in the state. He said seven primary health care facilities had been renovated and had been put to use by the state government.

He also paid glowing tributes to the nation’s fallen heroes for the sacrifices they have made in making the country an indivisible nation. He further stressed the need for Nigerians to always ensure that Nigeria’s unity is preserved, protected and not compromised.