Examining Sani Bello’s stewardship

By Yakubu Mustapha Bina

Many leaders live by the legacies and stewardship after leaving office, it is on this strength the incisive examining of the stewardship of governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state become expedient.
Like many of his predecessors, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello enjoyed many criticism and some outright rebuking, however he has embarked on many projects and programmes that worth noticing
He has, his style no doubt, but People’s Daily investigated some of his actions and inactions from his single style of leadership build on modest approach to many projects he excuted as the number one citizen of the state.
It was discovered that he is a trustworthy person and a good party man as demonstrated by his role during the All Progressives Congress APC crisis in Niger state where he championed that the right thing must be done. He comported and does not disrespect people.
Nevertheless, following his simplicity and tolerance, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello does not embarrass his appointees or civil servants working under him.
Due to his attribute of fairness, justice and equity the governor approved partial autonomy to the local government areas of the state to ensure accountability and transparency of public funds especially at the grassroot levels which hitherto was dashed by the State House of Assembly due to lack of money to pay salaries by majority of the local councils.
Similarly, the outgoing Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello is known to have always stopped while traveling to interact with villagers without restrictions which was aimed at getting first hand information about their community challenges and how to intervene appropriately.
Many communities, villages and some individuals especially the poor and down trodden had benefited from his stop over on transit to attend, asked and sympathize to add value to the lives of the beneficiaries or lucky people and villagers.
An old Akara woman at Tnuga in Minna the Niger State capital has benefited from such kind gestures. Also at Bina village in Lapai Local Government of the state where the governor stopped over when he sighted dry season rice farmers while returning from Kogi state after his condolence visit to the family of late former Governor Abubakar Audu. Although investors visited the community after that which raises the hope of the people but was not fruitful.
Furthermore, other communities got their mosques constructed because of such stopover on transit of the outgoing governor aside financial benefits as well.
He will leave behind the legacy for the establishment of Ministry of Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs to curb activities of insurgency, banditry attack, kidnapping and other social vices like youth restiveness which has helped in fighting the stability of the criminals and establishment of banditry camps in Niger State.
The Special Adviser on Political Matters to the Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, Alhaji Nma Kolo has applauded the achievements recorded by the administration of the governor in the last eight years in the state.
He made the declaration in an exclusive interview with our Reporter in Minna, saying that the state was challenged with problems which include; paucity of funds, insecurity, decayed infrastructure that deserved the prayers of the citizens to succeed.
Nma Kolo disclosed that the outgoing administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has done its best despite challenges like economic down turn, Covid-19 among others.
He described Governor Abubakar Sani Bello as a very humble, very simple and gentle man, peace loving individual, down to earth whom he appreciated for creating environment for his success as his political adviser and the entire administration.
The administration of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had continued to strive despite challenges by vigorously managing the mega resources available to the state.
The administration is never complete without mentioning the ‘ Whole School Approach’ where three schools were selected in each of the three geo political zones cut across secondary, science and technical schools for total over hauling, this are projects one can see, touch and verifiable that deserved commendation.
Notwithstanding, governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state when he took over in 2015 inherited over N2.5 billion pension liability which he cleared out of magnanimity. His government also refund 7.5 percent Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to civil servants on the old scheme in 2018 new pension law of the state as passed by 9th Niger State Assembly.
In another development, the health sector has witnessed a lot of impact in the last 8 years of the present administration in Niger state which include expansion of general hospitals of Kontagora, Minna while others had been facelifted like Suleja while schools of health given prompt attention as well establishment of Collage of Nursing Sciences, Kontagora with the required accreditation.
However, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello declared zero pothole on the Minna, Suleja Bida and Kontagora township roads whose maintenance has been under Niger Road Maintenance Agency (NIGROMA) over the past years uninterrupted deserved applause.
Not only that some intercity roads like Minna, Kontagora, Suleja and Bida witnessed construction to over 100 km of such roads in the state, some federal roads inclusive.
Consequently, governor Bello has contributed in terms of youth and women empowerment, renovation of public offices, up to date payment of civil servants in the state without arrears, provision of items through NSEMA during emergencies for the victims of banditry attacks, flooding and fire disaster among others.
The outgoing governor, Abubakar Sani Bello will surely be remembered for his simplicity, humbleness, gentleness, tolerance, endurance, peace loving, receptiveness and all these attributes will remain indelible for a very long term in the minds of the people in Niger state.