Taking Adamawa to the fast lane

ADAMAWA State is topping the list of grossly underdeveloped states in Nigeria, no thanks to poor performances of past administrations in the state.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, the state has not been lucky to get leaders that can tackle the serious issues that have caged its development.

The worst period was between 2007 and 2015 when three different personalities ruled the state; from Murtala Nyako, who has just been granted bail from prison, to Alhaji Ahmed Umaru Fintiri and Mr. James Bala Ngillarri.

As a result of this, attention was completely shifted from issues that affect the people and the main priority became the power tussle between powerful interests.

When the new helmsman, Governor Bindow Umaru Jibrilla, took over the mantle of leadership on May 29, he was faced with the daunting task of lifting the state up.

It was indeed a big task for him giving allegations that no proper handover was done thereby denying him the opportunity to commence operations with the right official documents.

Within 24 hours after taking the oath of office however, Bindow appointed key members of his cabinet that he needed for a seamless administration.

He appointed the Commissioner for Justice immediately, considering the fact that the administration needed someone that can give the government proper advice especially on issues that have constitutional implication.

A source said that the governor placed a priority on the appointment because of the fact that he took over government at a time that the entire state judiciary was grounded due to alleged past administrations’ poor attention to issues involving the sector.

Within a few days judicial workers who had been on strike resumed work and the governor also sourced for funds to pay the backlog of salaries owed them.

The new governor who seems to have proved his critics wrong has made many giant strides within his first 30 days in office.

Within this period, the governor has awarded contracts for five important roads that have, over the years, been reduced to death traps.

He acquired the services of a Chinese firm to re-construct all the General hospitals in the state and brought medical specialists from the Asian country to join their Nigerian counterparts to run the facilities for effective services.

While speaking at the flag-off of one of the roads in Demsa local council, the governor said that the project will boost the revenue of the state, since farmers have problems of taking their products to the market and that investors will be attracted to invest in the state since they can easily access all parts with their products.

Bindow pointed out that the roads projects were contained in his promises during his campaign tour and that he cannot afford to fail the people of the state that elected him to pilot the ship of Adamawa to the promise land.

He said that all the 21 local councils will benefit fully from the infrastructural development programmes under his leadership, because the only way voters can feel the importance of democracy is to witness a change their condition of living to a better one.

Former Governor Fintiri had once described the general hospitals in the state as consulting clinics when he visited Numan General Hospital to assess the condition of the facility.

Bindow said based on the appalling state of the general hospitals he visited, it is clear that past administrations turned their back on the health sector.

In a statewide broadcast, Bindow said, “The main thrust of our government shall be improving our revenue base, curtailing waste, blocking leakages and zero tolerance for corruption.

“Transparency, accountability and prudent management of scarce resources and effective supervision of projects and service delivery as well as effective motivation of workers as the engine-room of government, will be our focus.

“We are studying the handover notes, but on the surface, we are aware that Adamawa State has a huge debt burden. But we also know that you did not elect us to complain or lament the problems. You elected us to find solutions to the problems. Ours shall be an open door policy and a listening government, but we shall be decisive when necessary.”

In the governor’s inaugural speech, he said that the funds that come into the state treasury would be used for the development of the state.

“We will do our best to ensure that your hopes are met within the limit of what is available and the innovative style we are going to introduce so that the picture of the state will change with the slogan of our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“We know you want us to do so many things to improve your lives, yes we will, but you know that we are only your servants not magicians, we shall do so responsibly,” he stated.

On the Boko Haram crisis, Bindow, has called on the Federal Government to improve the living condition of the nation’s armed forces for better performance.

He said that a conducive atmosphere would stimulate the military to perform better, noting, “They deserve better than what they have now. The military cannot give the people of Nigeria what they needed unless government provide all the necessary incentives and arms they need in a modern world for effective operations”.

The governor said that his administration would continue to partner with the military for efficient security in the state.

He gave assurance that the APC government would better the living conditions of the military, nothing that the president was committed to addressing the issue of welfare of the military.

Within this period also, Bindow has resolved all the strikes embarked upon by health workers and judiciary staff and his administration has received many commendations from royal fathers and members of the public, particularly the civil servants.