From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The District Head of Gagi in Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, says the efforts of Governor Ahmed Aliyu in tackling insecurity and driving community development has significantly improve access to farms across communities unlike before when bandits prevent farmers from cultivating their land.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday in Sokoto, the traditional ruler said the governor has done wonderfully well in supporting both conventional and non-conventional security outfits working to strengthen security across all affected communities.
“For this, I have to thank Allah for sparing our lives to witness this year’s celebration and commend the giant effort and foresight of His Excellency, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu.
“He has supported the conventional security agencies as well as networked with the non-conventional forces, like the vigilante groups, to complement the conventional security,” he said.
According to him, the impact is already being felt, as access to farmlands has significantly improved.
“Last year, we abandoned a lot of farmlands because of insecurity, but this year, we are able to access more farmlands,” Jabbi said.
The District Head also lauded the governor’s agricultural intervention, saying that the government’s free fertilizer distribution was unprecedented in the history of the state.
“Never in the history of Sokoto have I known fertilizer was given free until now, under the government of Ahmed Aliyu,” he stated.
On healthcare, he disclosed that the Gagi health facility, established since 1979, has been upgraded from a Primary Health Centre to a General Hospital under the present administration.
“The project is ongoing and very speedy. The architecture and quantity survey was done in a very efficient manner. The quality is beyond the N600 million budgeted. In the next two months, the work will be commissioned,” he said.
Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi said the governor has employed more than 3,000 health professionals, invested in on-the-job training, and improved health financing.
On education, the monarch said the governor’s investment has reduced the number of out-of-school children and introduced monthly upkeep allowances of N200,000 for school principals, which he described as unprecedented.
He further praised the governor’s efforts in sanitation, water supply and hygiene, noting that open refuse dumping has become history in Sokoto and water works in Gagi, Mana Babba and Tamaje have been revived after acute shortage.
On Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), he said their welfare under Gov. Aliyu has improved tremendously.
“Today, the welfare of IDPs is even greater than that of the host communities. Every month, you see one empowerment programme or the other, cash transfers for them to start businesses, and enrollment of their children in schools,” he said.
He said the AGILE programme has also reduced girl-child street hawking by converting hawking hours to school hours through women empowerment.
He commended the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, the Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education for their commitment.
“Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. The governor is very intelligent and that is how he selected his commissioners and they are doing wonderfully well.
“On behalf of myself, the Gagi community and the entire IDPs, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency,” he added.
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