Niger State @ 40: Where are we now, where are we heading to?

Fellow Citizens of Niger State, I present to you the first budget of Niger State Government for the financial year of 1976/1977. As you are aware, this State was created from the defunct North-Western State of Nigeria on 3rd February 1976 by the Federal Military Government. With effect from 1st April, 1976, the State Government […]

Fellow Citizens of Niger State, I present to you the first budget of Niger State Government for the financial year of 1976/1977. As you are aware, this State was created from the defunct North-Western State of Nigeria on 3rd February 1976 by the Federal Military Government. With effect from 1st April, 1976, the State Government has assumed full responsibility for its services.
“The overall budget of the State for this financial year comprises a total revenue of N105, 544, 704 (One hundred and Five Million, Five hundred and forty four thousand, seven hundred and five Naira) only against the total expenditure of N131, 116, 695:00 (One hundred and thirty one Million, one hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and ninety five Naira ) which gives the overall deficit of N25,571,990 (Twenty Five Million, Five hundred and seventy one thousand, nine hundred and ninety Naira )”.
That was the words of the then 32 years old well shaved, lanky, bold, stern looking young Naval Officer; Commander Murtala Hamman Yero Nyako, as the first Military Governor. Aside Nyako; in order of preceding, the following persons served as the Governor; Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, Brigadier Olayemi Oni, Alhaji Muhammadu Awal Ibrahim, Lt. Col. David Mark, Col. Garba Ali Muhammad, Col. Lawal Gwadabe, Late Dr. Musa Inuwa, Col. Cletus K. Emein, CP Simon Oduoye, Col. Habibu Idris Shuaib, Engineer A.A Kure, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and the incumbent; Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.
The state’s initial budget which is comparable to what many LGA’s receives today in the country as monthly allocation cater for numerous projects which includes;  provision of office accommodation, construction of dual carriage (Bosso Road) in Minna, Electrification of Agaie, Lapai, Baro and Kagara town, Construction of 570 Housing units for senior, intermediaries and junior staff, additional Divisional secretariats at Bida and Kontagora, continuation of water scheme project in Minna, Bida, Abuja (Suleja) and Kagara, Minna-Abuja (Suleja) Road, High Court buildings in Bida and Kontagora, Judges quarters, upgrading of Mokwa and Badeggi water scheme, continuation of work on the construction of Irrigation scheme at Raba, Guzan and Gbakogi, construction of veterinary treatment centre in Lemu and Rijau,  construction of primary schools for the take off of Universal Primary Education (UPE) across the state, modernization of existing wards in Bida General Hospital, expansion of Tungan Magiya Hospital with additional wards and quarters, construction of 72 Bed hospital in Mokwa, expansion of Kontagora and Abuja (Suleja) General Hospital, building of Health Centres, expansion of Staff training centre in Bida, construction of Rehabilitation centre in Kontagora, additional capital share on Sunti Sugar Company and expansion of Abuja Pottery centre. In addition to the listed projects, the take off budget also cater for the absorption of all staff of the State origin and others deployed from the service of the defunct North-Western State Government.
Today, the projects and structures executed with the take off budget of Niger State in 1976/77 has not only outlived itself, but it may jolt the readers while it might not shock many Nigerlites that the majority of said structures and facilities are still in use and are yet to be replaced.
It’s an undeniable fact that the state suffers deficiency of infrastructural developments. The history of the state’s decline can be traced to the period of the 1979-1983 and 1999-2015 where the elected political and appointed public officers choose to prop up their personal interest rather than those that voted them to power. The state received closed to N500 and N900 Billion Naira in 1999-2007 and 2007-2015 respectively from the federation account which it has nothing positively to justify its impact on the masses. Those years were regarded as the epoch of economic boom which the State’s allocation was suppose to be channelled to human and infrastructural development, but the reverse was the case.
The state’s failure can be traced to corruption, visionless leaders, lack of effective policies, sentiment, maladministration and incompetency led to the avoidable poor governance been witnessed in the state.
The state despites myriad of its brilliant professionals, technocrats, career civil servants, Jurists, Journalists, Academicians, Lawyers, Medical Doctors, Educationists, Religious leaders, Retired Military and police officers is not only padding behind its contemporaries, but today wadding behind those that were created in 1987, 1991 and 1996 respectively in terms of human and infrastructural development. One wonders who is to be blame for the woes of the state; is it the dozens of elder statesmen, professionals and technocrats that failed to guide and advise the elected public officers or is it the elected political and public officers that opt to ignore their wise counsel or choose to do what suit them?
The state’s intimidating landmass of 76,244sq.km which is so fertile and has the capacity to produce virtually all of Nigeria’s stable crops with ample opportunities for grazing, fishing and forestry is enough to turn around things for good in the state. If not for the developmental holocaust the State went through; it will today be presumed to be ranked among the strongest and economically viable hub due to its agrarian nature. But, it will mystified the readers that the State’s largest land mass remain underutilized either by the government through an effective agricultural policies or by the private individuals which will have lead to investment opportunities, revenue generation, industrial development and employment generation.
Bad governments that fail to deliver are replaced through democratic elections by candidates with good policies that will result in progressive reforms and development of the State. Corrupt and visionless leaders are replaced by those with veracity and foresight to enable the followers to follow by example. As the state prepares to step into adulthood, it’s widely said that “life begins at 40”. The citizens of the state should no longer be taken for granted nor will accept excuses on failed governance by our elected political and appointed officers any longer. There is a fear that our best years are behind us, but with effective and honest leadership, our best is still ahead. My word to Governor Bello is that much is expected from the ship he captains, he should always remember that he was voted into power with a lot of expectation by the people of the state after suffering developmental holocaust by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administration from 1999-2015.
A poser to my fellow Nigerlites especially those that were privileged to be elected and appointed to represent us to have a reflection on where are we, where are they and where are they taking us to? 

Mr. Yahaya wrote in this piece from Jagbele Street, Muye, Niger State and can be reached on +2348036616767