By Barr. Gimba
To my dear Yobeans, you know where we are now and you know the brilliant future we are heading to under the stewardship of H. E Mai Mala Buni. And let us not forget the not too distant past when hope was a dangerous thing for indigenes of Yobe State to have – not because we were not capable of hoping, but because the fruits that come with it have always eluded us – until MMB. There is no denying that he has made Yobe better than he met it and he has only just started.
Like all one-sided reports, Sahara Reporters’ left out facts that would defeat their aim to tarnish the image of Honorable Mai Mala Buni and to provide an accolade for those that wish to see him fail. They have spread lies about a sick Abba Kyari, and they will do it to me and you if they know there are enough persons that hate you and me enough to share their “exclusive” reportage on us without digging into the root of the matter. Anything. That. Will. Make. Them. A. Rave. Of. The. Moment.
The cars in question were ordered when Coronavirus was not even an issue in the province of China, let alone in other parts of the world. When the Coronavirus pandemic found its way to our shores, the state government tried all it could to get out of the deal but couldn’t because its contractual obligations means it risked a long legal battle that may result in us paying more than a thousand percent of the original funds and that will only bring untold hardship to the state at a time of great uncertainty. And what is the solution? Mai Mala Buni and his entire cabinet donated 50% of their salaries to fight the mayhem when other governments would have rushed to borrow.
I laughed hard when I read the claim that only 100,000 people in Yobe live above one dollar a day without any statistical backing. And while I don’t have data to counter it, as someone who has lived for the best part of three decades in the state – I know that it is a blatant lie.
Anyone from Yobe knows that the wealthiest people are either into farming or haulage business. And as someone that has previously advocated for the modernization of our source of wealth, he is about to complete a modern trailer park in Potiskum (Nigeria’s center of haulage business) that is projected to provide at least 15,000 direct and indirect jobs at the very least and by modernizing and incentivizing the agricultural sector because in his words “it holds the key to boundless opportunities to Yobe people”.
But despite all these, MMB recognizes that we are problems yearning to be solved – and since he picked the baton, he has worked with the understanding that the world has left us behind but that we can catch up.
Thus, he created opportunities for citizens to participate in decision making through the first-ever Town Hall meetings, first education summit and first agricultural retreat – effectively transforming our youths from private citizens to public-interest citizens that have a say in matters that affect them. That’s transformative politics at its best!
MMB has worked towards reducing the level of poverty in the state, and in enhancing human dignity through education, creation of SDGs office, livelihood support through SEMA so that indigenes can harness their potentials for the benefit of us all.
Through the SDG coordinator, he has trained 570 youths on paint production; 185 youths on digital photography; 50 on advanced auto mechanics skills in partnership with PAN Learning Centre, Kaduna; training of 200 youths on GSM repair by Tecno and Samsung; partnership with GT Bank Plc to train 200 youths as money agents. Each has been empowered with tools and start-up capital.
170 have been trained in Agric Business under the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Social and Community Development in partnership with CBN-NIRSAL after which each person was empowered with a N10 million loan as start-up capital. All the trainees have set up their businesses in the state.
The establishment of model STEM schools in each of the senatorial zones, and the ongoing implementation of all the recommendations of the report of the committee he set up on revitalizing education in the state have made quality education not just free but compulsory for indigenes. Even the Coronavirus induced lockdown hasn’t stopped the progress made in the education sector as classes have continued through the state television, radio, WhatsApp and Facebook live streaming.
Furthermore, 69 law school students received 400,000 Naira and a laptop each from the administration. 1,000 students have also been awarded scholarships into undergraduate, masters and PhD programs in India, China and Turkey. Added with the revitalization of primary education, it means all levels of education have been positively impacted by this administration.
The state’s Sahel Aluminium Roof Company in Potiskum, Nguru Oil Mill, Fertiliser Blending Plant in Gujba, Asphalt Company and many have begun production and are accessible from anywhere in the state including remote communities like Danchuwa, Machama, Ɗababur, Ɗabah, Bubaram, Zagam, Bulah, Kakawa, Garin Bingel that have all been linked by this administration to the Maiduguri Federal Highway. A gypsum company in Fika and a cement company in Gulani are coming up.
The state government has paid pensions in three payments of 84m, 365m and 220m to retirees and it is working towards more. The state in less than a year of Buni’s administration have also adopted the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), 16 years after its introduction in Nigeria.
Youths have also been given key government agencies and are developing their key leadership and administrative attributes. His vision has allowed him to work for the present and the future. He might not even be around to take the credit for some of the work, but 70 to 100 years from now – readers of history would look at where the state is and tie it all to the foundation that was laid by the Buni administration. So, carry on my governor because it will take more than the shenanigans of a newspaper that tried and failed to ignite violent revolution in the country to discredit your enduring legacy of good administration and prudent management. Carry on, your excellency!
Gimba, is a corporate lawyer, child rights practitioner and an advocate for justice and good governance based in Abuja. You can find him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BarrGimba
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Indeed his Excellency Mai Mala Buni, did a great work to our pride yobe.
With regard to law student receiving 400 and a laptop barrister gimba is a blantant lie,the student never had it so bad like now a promised done by the governor and publicized to whole world but yet he did not kept to his promised is too bad of him.his attention need to call to make good his pledged,this is something done since during Bukar Abba Ibrahim without any publicity but while he publicized his own but yet to date he cannot do it,pls stop publishing what he did not do.