Dankwambo: Beyond electoral victory

This is what we have seen in the last four years in states like Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Nasarawa and other states. Some of these Governors are called billboard Governors. While in others, the godfather and godson became bitter rivals resulting in dirty political fight between their supporters. This happened in Zamfara, Enugu, Kebbi and Jigawa […]

This is what we have seen in the last four years in states like Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Nasarawa and other states. Some of these Governors are called billboard Governors. While in others, the godfather and godson became bitter rivals resulting in dirty political fight between their supporters. This happened in Zamfara, Enugu, Kebbi and Jigawa States.

In Gombe, although from the onset, Dankwambo has shown he is a man of himself, having asserted himself politically after the so-called CPC tsunami that swept across the northern region, it is wiser for him to be very careful in the way he handles the affairs of the state, especially in his first two years.

In the last eight years as  governor, Muhammadu Danjuma Goje, the outgoing governor has, no doubt, transformed this rather rural state to one that has all the necessary structures any state can boast off in the country. Apart from road network that cut across the whole state, Goje has established a state university, an international airport, school of nursing and many other projects. Goje’s administration can be described as one of the most performing in the country in recent times.

However, his critics have pointed out that in terms of human development, his score mark is below average. The living condition of the people of the state is no different from the rest of the country; Gombe is in the North-East region of Nigeria. According to HDI report 2010, the state falls under the north-east region of the country that has the worst living conditions outside conflict zone, with the highest Human Poverty Index (HPI) rate of 48.90. And the state represents one of the sad stories of meeting the MDGs in 2015.

These are some of the enormous challenges that the new leadership in Gombe has to contend with. It will suffice to offer our little advice on how these problems can be tackled, hoping that Dankwambo will use his vast experience to surmount them. The major problems in Gombe State can be summed up into three, if addressed; they will go a long way in improving the standard of living of the people in the state. The state, especially rural areas suffers from acute shortage of water, youth unemployment (both in the rural and urban areas), and neglect of the agricultural sector. These are some of the major problems that if addressed can go a long way in improving the living conditions of  the people.

Water supply as a key component of the Millennium Development Goals has to be the main focus of his government because acute shortage of water remains a source of worry to the people, especially in the rural areas. In fact as it is now, majority of rural dwellers have to travel long distances in search of drinking water for themselves and their animals. Only few local governments’ headquarters can boast of pipe-borne water. To tackle this, the Dankwambo administration need to establish a special ministry dedicated to rural water supply where alternative sources of water supply should be devised. The ministry should as a matter of urgency, embark on aggressive rural water supply programme through the construction of earth dams to address the intractable shortage of drinking water for animals in the whole state. The ministry should also be responsible for the construction of bore-holes, where that is possible or the use of solar powered bore-holes.

Kabiru Danladi Lawanti, Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria