This is the continuation of Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s speech during the Academic Submit held in Dutse, recently.
Provision of infrastructure, particularly roads and power supply, is deemed critical within our overall Agenda for Greater Jigawa. This is in consideration of the key roles these play in accelerating inclusive economic growth and development with multiplier effects on other sectors.
Notwithstanding the fact that Jigawa State has one of the highest road network densities in Nigeria with virtually all urban centers and major towns connected to each other, provision of roads and electricity has continued to standout are major development needs of most communities in the State.
In consideration of this and in fulfilment of our commitments, Government has awarded contracts for 46 Road Projects with a distance of almost 978 kilometres worth over N304 billion. This is unprecedented in the history of Jigawa State. The project scope include new regional and township roads, rehabilitation and upgrade of some existing roads, and some few rural feed roads. Indeed, this was in addition to 26 ongoing road projects inherited from the previous administration covering a distance of about 340 kilometres with total outstanding liabilities and contractual commitments amounting to over N60 billion. I am delighted to inform this gathering of esteemed academics, that 23 out of the 26 projects have been completed waiting to be commissioned while others are going on in earnest in accordance with the agreed completion periods. Indeed, we are also planning to flag-off the commencement of more new road projects in the State in the coming months.
Following the deregulation of the power sector and its inclusions in the concurrent legislative list by the National Assembly, we are taking some bold steps to transform the power sector in Jigawa State. To lead this Agenda effectively, we have established a State Ministry of Power and Energy and have enacted a State Electricity Law to provide for an Electricity Regulatory Agency for the State. This was done to promote access to electricity through increased private sector investments and public-private partnerships in the area of generation and transmission of electricity including off-grid renewable energy solutions. I am delighted to inform our esteemed audience that we have a substantive Memorandum of Understanding with KEDCO (in which Jigawa State now has a 10% stake) to jointly explore the renewable energy solutions to improve power supply in the State. Discussions are already ongoing with some prospective investors towards the establishment of independent power station in under a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement.
It is also worthy of note that earlier this year – 24th February to be exact – we had a very constructive engagement with the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria (REA) and some other very important Stakeholders in the Renewable Energy Market, largely from the Private Sector and the Development Community. That engagement culminated in the signing of an MoU with REA targeting to create partnership and collaboration towards exploring viable options for sustainable access to reliable power supply to our rural communities including the establishment of mini grid power station in different locations across the State. Soon, we are starting a collaborative Program with REA titled ‘Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) which will also facilitate achieving the objectives of the signed MoU.
As we continue to explore viable innovative solutions to increased access to effective power supply, we have not relented our efforts in continuing to invest in the conventional power supply sources. In this regard, we have over the last one year, undertaken several projects, including among others, the procurement and installation of transformers to replace dysfunctional ones in various locations and the completion of several rural electrification projects across the State. Following a cost-benefit-analysis and successful piloting, we also have commenced a project to establish Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Center in the State.
Human Development Services
Human Capital Development is about imparting knowledge and skills to develop competencies and capacities and ensuring that people are healthy and productive members of the society. Our primary commitments in this respect is ensuring access to functional and qualitative education at all levels and qualitative and affordable healthcare services. Conversely, we have also committed to squarely address the phenomenon of out-of-school children, human resources deficits in both the education and heath sectors, and dearth for infrastructure and facilities in educational institutions and health facilities. Over the last two years, during which not less than one-third of our budgets is earmarked for the education and health sectors, we have steadily made progress in delivering our commitments and addressing many of challenges bedeviling these two human development sectors.
I have requested one of the academicians in our Cabinet, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Isah Yusuf Chamo to make a presentation of our progress in the Education Sector. I would therefore not bore you with any details here. Suffice it to say that we have, over the last two years, implemented several interventions which have drastically addressed the issue of infrastructural deficits in our schools across both the basic and post-basic levels, significantly improved pupil-teacher and student-teacher ratios, and satisfactorily improved learning outcomes in our schools. The challenge of out-of-school children is also gradually being addressed through special intervention programmes under the Universal Education Board and the newly established Tsangaya Education Board. As I said, you will get more details of the progress we have made so far at all levels of the educational strata from te Commissioner for Higher Education.
For the health sector, we have equally pursued several policy initiatives and executed numerous projects and programs to achieve our objective of ensuring improved access to qualitative and affordable healthcare services in Jigawa State. Primarily these include development infrastructure at all levels of the health sector including the completion of inherited ongoing projects at secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare provision. We have also undertaken, what we called the optimization of PHC Services in 67 Primary Health Centers (including 7No. supported by UNICEF) involving the provision of additional structure, facilities and human resources to ensure that these facilities effectively provide 24 Hours Services including Basic Emergency Obstetric Care and post-natal services. Additional 114 PHCs are also currently being upgraded through World Bank assisted IMPACT Project which will accelerate our progress towards improving access to quality healthcare services throughout the State.
We have reviewed the Law establishing the State PHCDA and the State Health Insurance Agency with a view to streamlining their functions to improve their performance. This has enabled us to enormously expand the coverage of community health insurance through the enrolment of 143,000 poor and vulnerable population into the State’s health insurance scheme. We have also undertaken massive recruitment of health workers, including over 1,200 on permanent and pensionable basis and about 1,000 JHEALTH Staff.
Other initiatives that are novel in the health sector include:
Establishment of a new Dialysis Center in Gumel General Hospital and Rehabilitation / Improvement of the existing Center in Hadejia General Hospital both of which are presently providing free dialysis services. Plans are also under way to establish another Centre in Kazaure General Hospital.
Commencement of Free Medical Services for Diabetic, Hypertensive and People with Sickle Cell Diseases.
Establishment of a State-of-the art Diagnostic Centre, a Cardiac Centre and a Cryo-Oxygen Plant in Dutse. Once these are completed, such specialized diagnostic services such as Mammography, MRI & City Scan including providing comprehensive care of heart conditions will now be available in the State. As I mentioned during the launch ceremony, even though all the initial investments for the projects would be through direct treasury funding, ultimately the plan is for these to be run based on a model of public-private-partnership model effectiveness and long-term viability.
Expansion of the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Services complimented with a upward review of maternal cash transfer of pregnant and lactating mothers. Free Healthcare for People Living with Disabilities and Accident Victims have now been integrated into the Scheme.
Youth Empowerment and Employment Initiatives
One of the topmost priorities in our 12-Point Agenda is targeted youths and women empowerment programmes for job and employment creation. This was informed by the preponderance of youth in our population with high dependency ratio and youth unemployment. To squarely address these, we deemed it imperative to be creative and ensure total commitment to the process. It was in this spirit that we established, by Law, the Jigawa State Economic Empowerment and Youth Employment Agency at the very beginning of our administration. I must say I am most delighted by the progress being recorded by this Agency, having mounted over 50 programmes in the last two years with over 300,000 beneficiaries now skilled, employable, empowered with means of sustainable livelihoods, or even being employers of labour themselves. With programs such as the Rice Millionaires Initiatives, Hand Pump Repairs and Modern Solar Installation Training, Satellite TV Installations Mobile Food Vendors, Digital Skills Acquisition Training Program, and Soilless Farming Program, a lot of our youth have now transited to the middle-class family. Through our partnership with Bank of Industry, access to low-cost capital in now available to hundreds of our Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. Very soon, we will also commission state-of-the-art industrial-scale modern embroidery and fashion design centres in each of the three Senatorial Districts in the State. These are also meant to provide sustainable means of livelihoods for thousands of our youth and women in the fashion design.
Other Achievements
An abstract of other specific achievements that would accelerate the momentum of progress towards the attainment of our overall vision of Greater Jigawa include the following:
Increased Government Investment in Information & Communication Technology to ensure that Jigawa
State is not left behind in reaping the benefits of the Fourth Industry Revolution. While supporting the emergence of a digital economy and the implementation of our e-governance policy, our interventions have already started yielding results in terms of job creation for our youths through out-sourcing initiatives. It was towards this ends that we have taken steps to reinvigorate the State-owned Galaxy ITT including increased investments, funding and appointment of competent management staff to turn its fortunes and ensure that it significantly contributes to our desire to develop a functioning digital economy in Jigawa State.
Provision of Mass Housing projects across some of the major Urban Centres. While the first phase of 500 houses is largely completed, procurement process is already ongoing for the commence the second phase.
Environmental Development and Protection Programs generally focusing on Flood and Erosion Control, Forest Nurseries Development and Production of Seedlings for the development of our Forests Reserve & Shelterbelts. Of significance here was the production of 5.5 Millon Tree Seedlings in 2024 which was unprecedented.
Water and Sanitation – With access to safe drinking water above 85% in the State, our target is now to achieve universal access to Water Supply and Sanitation Services in the State. With the huge investment in the sector, we have been able to rehabilitate and improve almost 160 Water Schemes, Conversion of over 220 Motorized Water Schemes to Solar-powered, and Construction of almost 600 Hand Pump. Very importantly, thanks to the our incessant follow ups and lobbying, after being on the drawing board for about one decade and a half, the Greater Dutse Water Project is finally happening.
Social Protection Interventions aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and extreme poverty among the population. For this, we have reviewed and amended the Law establishing the Social Security for the disabled with now allow us to review the benefit package upward and to enroll more beneficiaries. We have also concluded arrangements to commence new social programmes for orphans and populations aged 65 Years and above.
Entrenchment of Good Governance through the Jigawa State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission. Though a Law was enacted for this since 2022, it was only last year that we have made it functional. Our objective here is to promote good governance characterized Accountability, Transparency and Prudence in the management of public resources and to support our stance for zero-tolerance to corruptive practices in the governance process.
In conclusion, let me most sincerely appreciate our sons and daughters from the academia who are able to grace this occasion. We are certainly honored to have you all with us today. Some of you have contributed to the crafting of our 12-Point Agenda and it is important that from time to time you get feedback. We have at the beginning of our administration also invited some of you to join us in serving the State and the Nation and in the implementation of our transformation agenda for greater Jigawa. I am glad some have answered the invitation and are positively contributing to this journey of progress and development. We deeply appreciate all of you and recognize your contributions to the development of our State.
As I mentioned ab initio, interactive sessions such the one we are having serves very important purpose in the governance process. While promoting accountability and transparency, they serve as veritable means of getting honest and constructive feedback on the governance process from those that matter who are considered as very important stakeholders in our effort to transform our State for the better. Beyond this, I strongly believe, these interactions will help build momentum towards delivering our commitments and achieving our strategic development objectives for Jigawa State with greater understanding, shared vision and a common purpose. Indeed, as stakeholders coming from various institutions representing various disciplines, the interactions would provide opportunities to obtain multiple insights and perspectives on what we can do better. I profoundly thank everybody. I urge you to freely interact and constructively contribute to the discussions we will be having today. You all have a duty and responsibility to contribute to the development of our dear State.
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