Giant Strides By Matawalle’s Administration In The Move To Revitalise Public Structures It Inherited

It is in the public knowledge that the emergence of His Excellency Governor Bello Muhammad Matawallen Maradun as the State Executive Governor in 2019 was what put to rest the tussle on who picks the winning flag in the race.

The victory by Governor Matawalle was seen as a miracle by Allah the Almighty whose graciousness and mercy made it possible realization of the grant of prayers of the electorate and their votes cast that eventually led to the success in the interest of peace and justice in the State democratic governance.

However, in view of the prevailing circumstances, records need be put straight especially as it affect the condition the State was in at the material time Matawalle took over the State affairs. He inherited from his predecessor a critical condition rendered the financial situation. It was outrightly in shamble to the extent that his government had to engage available source accruing from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAC) and other valuable public properties as collateral to some financial institutions.

The political opponents intentionally prevail in their self centered interest to castigate the efforts being put to tinker into repositioning the battered State to a prosperous one.

It also beats one’s imagination why the distractors were bent only their stand to count what the Federal Ministry of Finance publish monthly as approved by the FAC, not minding to know what has been deducted by the banks after remittance.

These are the kinds of the intelligent questions people of zamfara need to be asking the authorities before making any analysis of what has been accrued both internally and externally. It is only from the factual gathering one could then be able to separate from the current and recurrent expenditures and values, especially the current expenditures and tie it with the realistic figures to see if it is not close to reality. A disparity found could then be used as basis of challenging anybody in Government.

It is imperative to clear the air that timeframe and the availability of funds in all governance processes are very key indices for any leadership to succeed. No one can compare the duration of eight years and that of three years.

A fact undeniable it is that, despite the huge financial burden it is saddled with, coupled with high rate of insecurity all inherited from the previous regime in the State, the present administration of Governor Matawalle endeavor to unleash enough political will added to the Governor’s personal passion for putting smiles into faces of the State communities towards the success his good governance drive is recording so tremendously.

The fiscal transformation of our State currently seen is thanks to the policy effected in targeting some major strategic public properties previously abandoned in a serious dilapidated conditions left much unfavorable, until now, to be called and used as Government owned properties.

A quick comparative analysis of the global trend in standard perspective, shows how palaces, presidential villas and Government Houses are structurally given global outlooks and standards.

Among the numerous successes being today marked, the present outlook in Zamfara State Government House alone is an initiative serving as enough example of a course to be much proud of and a reason to applaud the concern by Matawalle in bringing the State to its rightful stand. No matter how sadistic one is against meaningful development elsewhere, a true and bonafide indigene would be patriotic enough to at least feel happy deep inside his and her heart as an achievement.

It is certainly something to beat chest for, because, in that respect, Zamfara is by this development placed in the frontline in the comity of States in the Federation.

You will also agree with me that institutions like the State House of Assembly (now known as Ibrahim Mallaha State Legislative Complex) which over the years from 1999 until recently, was in a sorry state of dilapidation or of poor architectural design much that the leadership could not host any VIP even at the office of the Speaker.

A glimpse at the present status of the complex, there is beheld a befitting structure erected to standard, to the test of time and proudly comparable with it’s equals. The Honourable Legislative Members can henceforth accommodate any high profile personality without being disgraced. The outcome is complement of Matawalle administration! All within the period under review, that’s just within his three years in office.

Some shallow-minded people filled with negative and retrogressive thoughts are always of the opinion that such kind of capital projects need not to be executed. According to them, the projects are not of direct benefit to the common man. The question here is that what’s wrong in the Government’s provision of conducive working atmosphere in the environment for the benefit of, for example, both executives, the legislatures and the members of the judiciary?

The Halal Hotel Abuja, the two Zamfara Liaison offices, one each in Abuja and Kaduna respectively, are yet other standard edifices. A flashback stirred a question that, when last a Government official was accommodated while on official assignment? Obviously, the answer is that two places in their moderate (but dwindling outlook owed to non-renovation) were functional only between 2007 and 2011, while from then onwards to the expiration of the last tenure, the properties suffered neglect from maintenance culture. Today and posterity witness practical evidence of Matawalle’s style with a difference in good governance.

Lest we forget, Matawalle also:
√ championed the fight for reclaiming Zamfara State ownership right over Halal Hotel. Justice eventually prevailed in favor truth against false, the particular property was returned back to the custody of its original and legal owner, that’s Zamfara State Government.

✓ Reconstructed the three structures to Abuja and Kaduna standards and by extension global standard in whose investment Zamfara State Government now generate revenues.

✓ Notwithstanding scarce resources, His Excellency Governor Bello Muhammad (Matawallen Maradun) has adhered to the spirit of importance attached to the hosting of national and international activities in the State as a means of projecting the good image and cultural heritage of our people by revitalizing the conference hall in JB Yakubu State Secretariat to the standard state-of-the-art multi-functional edifice labelled to be known as Garba Nadama International Conference Hall.

Let’s take a break at this juncture in episode one in the narrative for digestion by the enlightened.

My narration I the next episode would focus on areas of Health, Education and Agriculture.

Until then, for now I conclude with a bet that no one who takes a critical look into the former and present status of the identified projects, comparing the design and quality work featured in each period, would fail to fully understand what it really means to be a good leader with people-oriented governance, as well what could be known as the State development under the stewardship of the peace maker of the moment, His Excellency Zamfara State Executive Governor Dr. Bello Muhammad (Matawallen Maradun Barden Kasar Hausa and Shatiman Sokoto).

Signed:
Comrade Babangida Umar Zurmi, ANIPR, is the Director-General Press Affairs, Deputy Governor’s Office, Zamfara State.
03/02/2022.