By El-Yakub Dabai
The 29th of May 2023 was the D-Day. The day when the light that would illuminate Kebbi State was switched on. The Day that removed the chains on the hands of the citizens that hitherto hindered them from removing the ones on their legs. That was the Day Comrade Dr Nasir Idris was sworn is as the fifth Executive Governor of Kebbi State amidst cheers and fanfare.
It was the first time a home grown politician was given the leadership of the state since its creation in August 1991. He actually came into office as a flag bearer of the All Progressives Party, APC defeating his closest rival General Aminu Bande of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last February Polls with a wide margin
Shortly after assuming office Governor Idris put behind him the euphoria of leadership ceremonies and went straight into action by strengthening the agricultural sector through the provision of free fertilizer to farmers. The exercise was flagged off in Kardi Village of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area.
During the ceremony the Peoples Governor revealed that about 129, 000 bags of fertilizers were procured at the cost of over Two Billion, Three Hundred Millions Naira and behold, all the stock was distributed statewide. The distribution was carried out under a very meticulous mechanism that blocked illicit deals
Going down memory lane the Governor said “We are in rainy season when most crops need fertilizer to boost their yieads so also farmers need assistance to have a bumper harvest.
This occasion is a fulfilment of some of my campaign promises as well as return the State to its lost glory as one of the food baskets of the country”
Let us shift away from Agriculture to beautification. To all the people of Kebbi State the physical condition of Birnin Kebbi the State Capital had always been an eyesore because of its deplorable and haggard state; almost incomparable to any City in Nigeria.
It lacks aesthetics identifiable with State Capitals. In view of this Governor Nasir Idris contracted Habib Engineering Nigeria Limited to construct township roads capable of upgrading the status o Birnin Kebbi to a modern city.
The upgrade of the roads included the provision of Solar street lights, drainages,asphalt overlay,road shoulders as well as the expansion of narrow roads and were being executed throughout the length and breadth of the State Capital. The construction had since picked up in earnest and expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024
During the contract signing ceremony the Governor said this “I employ Habib Engendering and Ministry of Works to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract adding that any violation shall meet the full wrath of the law” In spite of the heat in the kitchen the Acting Permanent Secretary Architect Sa’adu Sakaba did not get out.
He had doggedly along with the Engineers of the Ministry of Works been monitoring the project in order not to let his boss down because the contract was too expensive to let go unattended to. It was a whooping N9.3b project funded by the tax payers money
As a professional teacher one can confidently bet his last kobo on Governor Nasir Idris to do a turnaround maintenance in the Educational sector.
He actually did that by warding a contract of N2.4b to that effect and the money was being used curently in the construction of eighty-six secondary schools, rehabilitation of existing two hundred and twenty-four schools while about seven thousand, one hundred and fifteen sets of furniture will be made available to the learning institutions.
In addition to these, all schools that have broken fences were at moment been reconstructed while new ones would be provided to schools that don’t have them in order to provide maximum security to both teaching staff and students.
Before the mark of his 100 days in office Governor Nasir Idris scored a remarkable goal in his political carreer by awarding a contract to MTECH Universal Concept and ZBCC Nig Ltd for the completion of an 11-Year old abandoned Ultramodern Secretariat in the State Capital. Don’t guess. It was a N10b project.
Wao! This gentleman has passion for Civil Servants. He affirmed so during the contract award ceremony by saying “I am a product of Civil Service and I know the relevance of a befitting environment for workers.
I will not rest on my oars until the Secretiat is fully completed and made available for workers in the State. It is by so doing that they would maximally contribute to the development of the state”
Other efforts worthy of mention were the provision of scholarship to the victims of FGC Birnin Yauri, the liberization of mining activities, Control of gully erosion, rehabilitation of water scheme, strengthening of the Animal Health Sector, Providing empowerment to women, the and the vulnerable besides building the disable.
Worthy of note maximally supporting the sector to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the citizens.These are facts and figures never recorded by any Administration within such a short time since the creation of Kebbi State 32 years ago.
There is no doubt that in few years to come the Governor Nadir Idris led Government would transform the state to a place of pride to both the citizens and visitors
Happy 100 Days in office Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu
