TSINKAYA NEWS.. ..
The Association of local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) during its annual investiture and award night, has honoured 4 Governors across the country including Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State,
Governor Badaru was awarded the best Governor in infrastructure provision and was also singled out for mention for his role in saving some local governments from insolvency in 2015/2016 when allocation revenues were at their lowest.
The ALGON compère in a long and detailed citation said before “salary bailout” became a popular catch phrase in the states, Governor Badaru was quietly augmenting the allocations of almost 70% of his 27 local governments so they could settle recurrent liabilities till the financial situation improved. This went on from November 2015 to March 2016, and this process helped thousands of local government employees to continue getting their pay checks on schedule without realising that a rescue operation was in place at the state level.
ALGON said just like at the center, Governor Badaru took the politically unpopular decision to complete all the ongoing infrastructure projects he inherited from the previous administration after verifying them for value for money and economic impact.
The ensuing audit came up with a figure of N91.6 Billion in on going projects mainly roads hurriedly awarded between January and May 2015, and N13.6 Billion unpaid vouchers. Over N11 Billion discounts were negotiated with the contractors with N8.2 Billion savings realised on road contracts alone, and contractors were given a commitment to instant payment of verified valuation certificates which prompted them to resume work at a dizzying pace.
As at May 2018 716.5 km of those inherited projects were completed with Governor Badaru keeping to his word and paying over N31 Billion as and when due.
If the 396.8 Km of new roads awarded and delivered between 2015 and 2017, and the 149.32 awarded in 2018 are added up, a total of 71 roads covering 1,262.67 km have been delivered to the people of Jigawa State in a 3 year period characterised by revenue shortfalls averaging 50%
In 3 years total spending in the water sector in Jigawa stood at N11,808;934,568.68 with donor agencies like UNICEF contributing N2.5 Billion and this has resulted in rehabilitation of 4,571 existing hand pumps at the rural level with 2,237 newly constructed, and rehabilitation of 240 motorised water stations in the larger towns and 507 newly converted or constructed solar powered schemes.
ALGON also learned that the state has a target of converting all motorised schemes to solar within the next 2 years to eliminate maintenance costs associated with diesel power.
The citation also touched on Infrastructure provision in health and education where N9.76 Billion or 22% of budget was spent to construct or completely renovate 4,520 classrooms, 188 staff houses, 411 toilets, 4 JSS mega hostels, 6 admin blocks and delivery of 97,659 pieces of school furniture, 3,416 pieces of teacher furniture and 79 hand pumps in the basic education sector across the state.
In the Post Basic sector 44 day secondary schools have been established to address boarding congestion and 20,046 pieces of furniture supplied.
In Primary healthcare the State has committed to providing at least one functional healthcare facility in all its 287 wards by renovating existing facilities and building new ones to fill the gaps. 27 facilities were constructed with midwife quarters up to 2017 leaving only 30 facilities included in the 2018 budget year to meet up the target.
Two 300 bed specialist hospitals are under construction in Hadejia and Kazaure and the Birnin Kudu facility inherited at about 40% level will be delivered before December while several PHCs have been upgraded to General Hospital Status with 3 new General hospitals contracted out this year.
The ALGON Chairman Hon Gambo Tanko Kagara said what was particularly endearing to their selection committee was the fact that while Billions were going into capital expenditure in Jigawa, it remained one of very few states where all State and local Government salaries including optional allowances, and all pension and gratuity liabilities were paid as and when due from the administrations inception to date, even though the state politely declined the salary bailout package offered by the Federal Government.
All the projects were verified by an ALGON assessment committee, and they called on Governor Badaru to remain steadfast in his commitment to quality service delivery and unprecedented transparency and insistence on value for money at all times.
