Good Governance: The Governor Dauda Example In Zamfara

Through the dutiful implementation of his administration’s Rescue Mission agenda, Governor Dauda Lawal has, in two years, been working assiduously to transform Zamfara State. He restored security, reformed education and healthcare, improved infrastructure, revitalised the civil service, empowered young people, and reconnected with global partners. His leadership has repositioned Zamfara toward stability, development, and sustainable progress across all sectors.

Zamfara State has experienced significant progress since Governor Dauda Lawal took office on May 29, 2023.  Before he assumed power two years ago, the state was on its knees, its treasury depleted, insecurity at an all-time high, schools in decay, hospitals in disrepair, and public confidence in the government virtually nonexistent.

However, things are steadily changing for the better. Through a focused and reform-driven agenda, tagged ‘The Rescue Mission,’ Governor Lawal has repositioned Zamfara on the path of recovery, renewal, and sustainable progress.

And here is how. 

Security remains the most critical issue in Zamfara, and for Governor Lawal, it is the heart of his administration’s agenda. Within two years, his government has committed billions of naira to security operations, many of which are undisclosed due to their sensitive nature.

A significant step came with the establishment of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG) on January 31, 2024. Trained to provide intelligence and support to the military and police, the CPG has become a vital force in foiling bandit attacks across local government areas. Their presence has restored a sense of safety and confidence among rural dwellers who bandits have terrorised.

Additionally, the government provided 140 operational vehicles to security agencies in May 2025, thereby enhancing mobility, response times, and coordination. Armoured patrol vehicles are now a common sight on previously volatile routes. Regular State Security Council meetings ensure that intelligence sharing and proactive strategies remain at the centre of the security architecture.

These efforts have yielded results. Several notorious bandit leaders, including Habibu Sububu, Kachalla Ali Kawaje—who masterminded the abduction of Federal University Gusau students—and others such as Kachalla Jafaru, Kachalla Barume, and Kachalla Shehu, have been neutralised in coordinated operations between state-backed forces and federal security agencies. The message is clear: Zamfara is fighting back.

The attention accorded to security is second only to education, which aptly captures the transformation agenda of Governor Dauda Lawal. On November 14, 2023, he declared a State of Emergency on Education, describing the sector as “the soul of development.”

For years, Zamfara students were excluded from national examinations due to unpaid fees. Between 2018 and 2022, WAEC withheld the state’s results, and in 2023, students were unable to sit for the exams. The Lawal administration promptly cleared a ₦1.4 billion debt, unlocking all outstanding results. He also paid NECO fees for all public-school candidates, released pending certificates from 2019, and restored the pride of Zamfara students in academic participation.

Infrastructure renewal followed swiftly. Over 500 schools across the 14 local government areas have been constructed, renovated, and equipped. Thousands of two-seater desks were distributed, and teachers received improved furniture and teaching materials.

Major tertiary institutions, such as the Zamfara College of Arts and Science, the College of Health Technology Tsafe, and Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, have undergone significant rehabilitation. The Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara, is undergoing massive infrastructural improvements and gaining new course accreditations.

The state also revived school feeding programmes across ten senior boarding schools to encourage attendance and nutrition.

Beyond infrastructure, the administration launched the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE-AF) in collaboration with the World Bank. With ₦150 billion approved as counterpart funding, the programme seeks to empower young girls through conditional cash transfers, educational support, and entrepreneurship training. Advocacy visits, needs assessments in 123 schools, and the inclusion of Islamiyah schools have expanded the reach of education to thousands of girls who are out of school.

Like education, healthcare delivery is also receiving deserved attention. Governor Lawal’s January 2024 declaration of a State of Emergency in the Health Sector was a turning point. Years of neglect had left hospitals in ruins and citizens without access to basic care.

Within months, his administration renovated and equipped General Hospitals in Maradun, Maru, Kauran Namoda, Gusau, and Anka, among others. Several Primary Health Care Centres were upgraded, ensuring that at least one functional PHC was available in every ward.

A flagship initiative of the administration is the Free Medical Outreach Programme, which provides free surgeries and specialist consultations for thousands of residents. Through tele-screening technology, doctors were able to reach patients in remote villages. Over 3,000 patients received life-changing surgeries, including cataract removals, hernia repairs, and corrections of vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF)—an unprecedented feat in Zamfara’s history.

The government has also ensured a steady supply of hospital materials across local governments, marking a significant shift in the availability and quality of healthcare delivery.

Interestingly, the administration of Governor Lawal is also paying deserved attention to the critical and indeed, crucial sector of water supply and sanitation.

For years, the capital city of Gusau has suffered from severe water scarcity. Residents depended on rivers and wells for daily needs. Governor Lawal swiftly tackled the problem, restoring water supply to Gusau and extending similar projects to other local governments.

And then there is a renewed focus on infrastructure development with the launch of the Urban Renewal Project in August 2023. This transformed the state capital’s road network. New roads now link major areas, including the Government House, Bello Barau Roundabout, Emir’s Palace, and Central Police Station Road. Similar projects are ongoing in Bukkuyum, Masama, Jabaka, and Dansadau.

Work on the Gusau International Airport has reached 70% completion, with the terminal and runway expected to be ready soon—an ambitious project aimed at opening Zamfara to global business and tourism.

Other urban development projects include the renovation of the J.B. Yakubu secretariat, the rehabilitation of courts, legislative quarters, and the NYSC camp, the remodelling of the Sardauna Memorial Stadium, the reconstruction of the Emir of Anka’s palace, and the upgrading of Gusau Orphanage Homes.

Recognising that governance thrives on a motivated workforce, Governor Lawal made workers’ welfare a priority. He cleared four months of unpaid salaries inherited from the previous administration and paid a ₦13 billion backlog of gratuities owed to retired civil servants since 2011.

In a historic move, he introduced a 10% leave grant for all civil servants during Ramadan 2024—marking the first such gesture in Zamfara’s history.

To cut costs and boost efficiency, the Governor restructured the civil service, reducing the number of ministries from 28 to 16 and trimming the number of permanent secretaries from 48 to 23.

The administration’s focus on youth empowerment led to the launch of the Zamfara Youth Sanitation Programme (ZAYOSAP) in August 2023. The initiative has engaged 1,500 youths in keeping the state capital clean and healthy while creating jobs and promoting civic responsibility.

In collaboration with the ACReSAL programme and the Ministry of Environment, the government awarded contracts for five solar-powered boreholes and five new earth dams across rural communities. These projects provide potable water and support irrigation farming, creating opportunities for both farmers and herders.

The Lawal administration also restored electricity to government offices after negotiating with the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO) to clear a ₦1.2 billion inherited debt.

Furthermore, Zamfara has reconnected with global partners, such as UNICEF, the World Bank, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which were previously severed due to mismanagement. The government has since settled outstanding obligations, restoring confidence in Zamfara’s governance framework.

Two years may seem short in the life of a government, but for Zamfara, the progress achieved under Governor Dauda Lawal stands as a testament to focused leadership and fiscal discipline. From security stabilisation to healthcare restoration and civil service reform, his administration has laid the foundation for a new Zamfara—secure, self-reliant, and forward-looking.

As the Governor himself often remarks, “We promised to rescue and rebuild Zamfara. That mission is not yet complete, but it is fully on course.”