Sixty and thirsty

I had long ago, just before the inception of this administration, declared pity and empathy for that one person that will ascend the seat of leadership of my dear Bauchi State as the new governor of change. The reasons are many and most have manifested themselves, and Governor M A Abubakar’s government has continuously battled […]

I had long ago, just before the inception of this administration, declared pity and empathy for that one person that will ascend the seat of leadership of my dear Bauchi State as the new governor of change. The reasons are many and most have manifested themselves, and Governor M A Abubakar’s government has continuously battled with these issues till date. Indices such as the state’s debt profile which is in the staggering range of 80 to 120 billion naira is one of such issues. 

Another parameter was the state’s earnings which had signalled a spiralling fall and has continued to do so, which not only suggests that debt servicing was impossible, but also that the state would struggle to make ends meet including payment of salaries, which is the barest minimum that it ought to do. So how was this promised change going to work?

By May 29th 2015 when M A Abubakar Esq. was sworn in as governor, Bauchi State owed 4 months salaries of its workers. In one fell swoop, Governor M A changed that. Cumbersome as Bauchi politics can be, advanced and highly opinionated with virtually everyone on the street owning a PhD in politics, one at the helm of its affairs would have to possess a whole lot of focus and a determined poise to achieve the developmental agenda one has set for himself, otherwise he would be submerged in one skirmish or the other, or in a fruitless quest to please or satisfy certain persons or ‘quarters’. Before you know it, time would run out with nothing to show.

Waving off all the unbridled distractions, GMA had from the onset, embarked on road  construction projects in both township and rural areas. Despite meagre resources and the constraints on our dwindling economy, the bulldozers and the caterpillars were rolling in and out, and some of these roads are ready for commissioning by Mr President in a few days. The criticism I have seen on these projects are boundless and I have not seen any like it, but today, completion is at our doorstep and the projects are not only complete, they are sound. 

In spite of the state’s deficit, GMA was able to muster 50% funding for the SDG projects which is constructing primary health care centres in all 20 local government areas of the state. In our recession period, primary and secondary schools are being refurbished, built  and furnished, handled by local contractors in a bid to empower the state’s own artisans and businessmen. Healthcare and education are being improved simultaneously. Two months ago, GMA was at it again with infrastructure as he flagged off yet another  batch of road construction projects in all 3 of the state’s senatorial districts. Township and rural roads in Bauchi were being built and repaired. Misau, Jama’are, Itas, Gamawa, Azare are all not left out and various roads are being constructed. 

All the access roads to the state’s capital are being dualised. This is from the exit point from the capital and 5 kilometres onwards in all 5 directions. The 1 to 2 months unpaid salaries have been cleared and even though not much noise has been made over the payment as was made over the non-payment, civil servants in the state have been paid and the hullabaloo has been laid to rest. 

Leadership is about confronting problems and challenges and surmounting them. It’s about looking the devil in the eye and calling his bluff. GMA, for as long as he is governor, will continue to go over one hurdle over the other and the more successful he is, the better Bauchi is for it. I have seen energy and enthusiasm that is not rivalled by any close by. Today he is smashing shots on a badminton court, tomorrow he is playing golf while aides, commissioners and all are watching from the stands as he walks up and down an 18-hole golf course. He is in the office from Monday to Sunday and he is at work from January to December with no holiday just yet. 

I started off my article with the title ‘Sixty and thirsty’, which means that Governor M.A Abubakar has just clocked sixty today and instead of the Nigerian tradition of becoming sixty and facing retirement, he is turning sixty and getting even more thirsty for success and honour. Your success is ours as well.  

Tahir wrote in from Bauchi, Bauchi State.