Zamfara State Government has said that it would use the opportunity of 30th year of the State creation to reflect on where it started, appreciate the foundation laid over the past three years of Governor Dauda Lawal

Addressing newsmen at the State’s Secretariat the Secretary to the State Government SSG, Mallam Abubakar Nakwanda said that it is marking the three decades of history, sacrifice, resilience, institution-building and the collective aspiration of our people for a peaceful and prosperous State.

According to him, Zamfara at 30 is more than an anniversary, saying that it would assess how far the State has come, and define the direction of the State for the next generation.

“Our 30-year story belongs to every administration, institution, traditional leader, public servant and citizen who has contributed to the development of Zamfara since its creation in 1996”, he said.

“We acknowledge these contributions and honour the sacrifices that brought our State this far. At the same time, this anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the accelerated transformation of the last three years under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Dauda Lawal, Executive Governor of Zamfara State, and how this period is contributing a new chapter to our 30-year development journey”

“Since May 2023, the administration has pursued deliberate interventions across security, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, human capital development, institutional reform and economic development”

“The objective has gone beyond delivering projects; it has been to address longstanding development deficits, rebuild institutions and establish systems capable of sustaining progress into the future. Security as the foundation for transformation”

He noted that the administration recognises that there can be no meaningful or sustainable transformation without security.

According to him, for a State that has endured years of banditry, kidnapping and disruption of rural livelihoods, restoring security remains fundamental to rebuilding communities, returning farmers to their lands, reopening economic opportunities and restoring confidence.

“Accordingly, the State Government has continued to provide substantial support to the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other conventional security agencies operating in Zamfara”

“This includes the provision of operational vehicles, armoured platforms, surveillance drones, specialised motorcycles and other logistical and operational equipment to strengthen mobility, surveillance, intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities”

“We use the occasion of Zamfara @ 30 to particularly appreciate the officers and men of our conventional security agencies for their courage, professionalism and sacrifices. Many have served under extremely difficult circumstances, while some have paid the ultimate price in defence of our communities”

“Their sacrifices will not be forgotten.10. Recognising also the importance of community participation, local knowledge and intelligence, the administration established the Community Protection Guards (CPG) as a State-supported security outfit to complement the conventional security agencies, particularly through grassroots intelligence, early warning, knowledge of local terrain and community-level support”

Speaking further, he said that the broader objective is to build a security architecture that combines professional conventional security operations, community-level intelligence, improved mobility, technology, surveillance and stronger inter-agency coordination.

“We recognise that the security challenge is not yet over. Government therefore remains resolute in providing every legitimate support within its capacity until our communities are safer, livelihoods are restored and our people can pursue their daily activities without fear. Institutional and civil Service transformation”

“A fundamental part of the transformation has been the restructuring, repositioning and modernisation of the Civil and Public Service—the machinery through which government policies and programmes are translated into services for our people”

According to him, the administration recognised from inception that sustainable transformation cannot be achieved through physical infrastructure alone, stressing that It requires a professional, motivated, accountable and technology-driven public service.

“An important starting point was addressing inherited obligations to public servants, including the backlog of outstanding salaries inherited by the administration. Clearing these obligations went beyond meeting a financial liability. It helped restore confidence in government, improve the morale and dignity of public servants and reinforce the principle that those who serve the State should receive their legitimate entitlements”

“This has been complemented by institutional restructuring aimed at improving professionalism, accountability, coordination, productivity and service delivery across government. The administration has equally invested in the provision of ICT working tools and supporting digital infrastructure across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to institutionalise e-governance”

“The objective is to progressively transition government away from excessive dependence on manual processes towards a more digitally enabled, integrated, transparent and data-driven system of public administration—improving communication among MDAs, records management, policy coordination, monitoring, reporting and accountability”

“The transformation of Zamfara is therefore taking place on two fronts: the visible transformation of physical infrastructure and the equally important transformation of the institutions, people and systems through which government functions. Education and human capital transformation.

‘In education, the administration has moved beyond simply renovating classrooms to a broader programme of rebuilding and fully equipping schools to create safe, functional and conducive learning environments for Zamfara’s children. The strategy is deliberately focused on the complete education pathway: enrolment, retention and completion”

“It is not enough to bring a child into school. The education system must provide the environment, facilities and support necessary to keep that child in school, enable effective learning and ensure successful completion”

“Accordingly, schools are being reconstructed and rehabilitated, furnished and fully equipped with essential teaching and learning facilities, while complementary reforms are strengthening school governance, teacher support, quality assurance, monitoring and accountability”

“These interventions are particularly important in addressing one of Zamfara’s most pressing human-development challenges—the large number of out-of-school children.The administration’s objective is to significantly and progressively reduce the number of out-of-school children by expanding access to quality education, encouraging enrolment, improving retention and addressing the factors that cause children to drop out before completing their education”

Nakwada further stated that the underlying principle is clear: every child enrolled, retained and supported to complete school represents an investment in Zamfara’s future.

“Education is therefore being treated not merely as a social service, but as a strategic instrument for human capital development, poverty reduction, social inclusion, economic opportunity and long-term security”

“The goal is to create a sustainable pathway from out-of-school to in-school; from enrolment to retention; and from retention to successful completion and productive citizenship.

In healthcare, the administration is investing in hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, medical equipment and modern diagnostic capacity to strengthen the continuum of care available to our people.

‘The objective is to improve access to quality healthcare, strengthen early diagnosis and treatment, bring essential services closer to communities and progressively reduce the need for citizens to travel outside Zamfara for services that can be provided within the State”

“Agriculture remains central to the identity, livelihoods and economy of Zamfara State. Indeed, our State’s proud slogan, “Farming is Our Pride,” reflects the historic relationship between our people and the land, and the enormous potential of agriculture to drive prosperity, employment and food security”

He explained that the administration is therefore working to reposition agriculture from predominantly subsistence production towards a more productive, commercially viable and increasingly mechanised sector.