ZAMFARA STATE

ABDULAZIZ YARI: DISTRACTED BY ABUJA POLITICS

According education priority, Abdulaziz Yari has invested heavily in the sector, emphasising girl-child education. Subsequently, he has built and rehabilitated many schools for girls in Gusau, Talata Mafara and other local government areas in Zamfara State.

There have been instant results, as the enrolment of girls improved significantly, while the number of them completing their education up to secondary school certificate level has increased tremendously.

The governor has also given priority to water supply. He personally supervised the speedy completion of the N636 million Kaura-Namoda water treatment plant as well as another one in Gusau, the state capital. The completion of these projects has abated water scarcity in Gusau and Kaura-Namoda Local Government Areas.

The security situation in the state has, however, left much to be desired. In spite of the efforts of the military, cattle rustlers and bandits have continued to perpetrate their nefarious activities, especially in Anka, Maradun, Zurmi, Maru and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas, leading to the loss of lives and property.

Yari has picked fights with the legislature, leading to frosty relations, over the alleged misappropriation of the N11 billion bailout funds, a N1 billion agricultural loan released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and pension funds.

His state is one of the poorest in Nigeria and Yari has failed to take a cue from his neighbour in Kebbi who has opened up his economy to farming and agribusinesses. Yari’s performance, or lack thereof, has not been helped by the fact that he perambulates all over the country, especially in Abuja, by virtue of his position as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. This is a distraction he can really do without in order to focus seriously on the challenges in his state.

His statement on the meningitis outbreak in his state, which he said was God’s punishment for people’s sins, also drew derision from the public and exposed the absence of depth in his approach to governance.