As an observer, since Governor Mai Mala Buni took over the affairs of Yobe State unveiled his administration’s readiness to partner with the relevant local and international stakeholders toward the implementation of his ambitious policies to improve the standard of living of the people of the state.
Within the last 100 days of Mai Mala Buni’s second term in office, his administration has greatly made significant achievements in every sector to consolidate his gains in the first tenure in office.
Like we all know Yobe State was facing the twin challenges of desert encroachment and floods. Because of these challenges the state was losing a sizable part of its land to the disaster and also recording huge losses to floods yearly. The administration has planted more than 10,000 trees to push the desert back. To tackle floods across the state, the administration took proactive measures. All roads washed away by floods in the affected communities have been rebuilt.
However, in the last four years the health sector in the state has received utmost attention from the Buni administration.
Even at 100 days of Buni’s second tern in office the administration had expanded the state’s contributory Healthcare scheme coverage to reach people in both public and private sectors. The administration also launched Yobe State Emergency Medical Ambulance Services Agency to provide emergency/first aid services to victims of road and domestic accidents. It established a Consumables Management Agency to monitor the quality and standard of Medical consumables provided to patients by all Medical institutions both government and privately owned Health institutions.
Governor Buni had in the last 100 days broken the 50 year old jinx constructing the karasuwa-Galu and Gashua to Masaba roads.
Therefore, all ongoing projects in health, education, rural electrification and roads are being completed. New roads have been initiated, too.
On youth development, the administration has distributed trade tools, and equipment to unemployed youth, women, and vulnerable persons for economic empowerment. Over 2,670 university graduates, diploma and NCE holders have been employed from 17 local government areas of the state.
Distribution of fertilizer for the 2023 cropping season with vaccination of over 7m livestock is another dimension of Buni’s efforts to cushion the effect of petrol subsidy removal.
The administration came up with strategies to ensure transparency in the distribution of palliative measures which would cut across over 14,000 communities in the state through the stakeholders, religious, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations CSOs.
The committee already distributed food items and other palliatives to over 80,000 households with over 400,000 individuals across the 17 local government areas of the state.
The beneficiaries include vulnerable persons, persons living with disability, civil servants, and students, the elderly and women-headed households.
In related efforts the administration has provided food and other needs worth N1 billion to Internally Displaced Persons, People living with disabilities, orphans, widows and other vulnerable groups across the state.
Before the state had bitter experiences with Boko Haram insurgency and other insecurities challenges. The administration continued with its active partnership with security agencies for improved security of lives and property across the state.
Most importantly, Governor Mai Mala Bunni’s prioritize accountability, and prudence in financial discipline Yobe State was recognized as the best performing state in the Northeast by the World Bank and overall first position in Investment Project Financing Instrument among the 36 states of the country due to financial discipline and accountability hence the need for the council members to sustain the tempo.
The administration also continues to accord premium to the welfare of civil servants, and prisoners, and set machinery in motion for the much-desired people-oriented governance. The administration achieved its far-reaching policies and programmes taking the state to greater height.
His Excellency Mai Mala proves to be a personification of humanity, a selfless leader and an uncommon governor, who thinks more about his people’s welfare.
It is worthy to note that the Buni administration utilized every opportunity with a high sense of responsibility to improve the lives of the people. It ensured that the interest of the masses is not sacrificed on the altar of political expediency or in pursuit of a narrow selfish agenda of those who hold the levers of power.
The administration demonstrated its true passion for issues concerning the people and state as a whole and governor Buni devoted his life to the service of his people and excelled in changing the fortune of the state in spite of lean resources.
The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will that will help others. Described by most people as gentle, generous, humble, trustworthy, extremely loyal and down-to-earth, Mai Mala no doubt, displayed high and esteemed leadership qualities which endeared to the people of the state. Indeed, he perfectly fitted into the postulation by John C Maxwell when he said: “Success knows your purpose in life, growing maximum potential and sowing seeds that will benefit others.
It is worth noting that the Yobe State governor has been action-packed and applause-worthy indicates that the governor has started his journey on a very sound footing. I earnestly and sincerely pray to God to grant you more wisdom and good health for more historic successes in the days, months, and years to come.
Dukawa write in from Kano can be reach at sbbahydukawa@gmail.com
