When in 2019 John Gabaya was to square up with incumbent Chairman, Musa Dikko of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC); many pundits predicted Dikko’s victory, considering incumbency power in Nigerian politics. Against all odds, Gabaya defeated Musa Dikko in that election. Instantly, Gabaya was nicknamed “giant killer” for defeating an incumbent with a lot of financial warhead.
Probably aware of the major reasons Musa Dikko was defeated- bad governance, John Gabaya elected to do things differently in Bwari Area Council. Little wonder that he won re-election on February 12, 2022. Stakeholders in Bwari Area Council have reasoned that Gabaya has been delivering democracy dividends to Nigerians in the second biggest Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since the renewal of his mandate. But what is the barometer to fact-check or measure this viewpoint?
There are key sectors to look at when probing into the performance of Honourable John Gabaya in Bwari Area Council. The most important among these performance indicators are: Works and Housing/ Power Supply, Health, Education, Empowerment, Agriculture and Environment. It is no more news that Hon. John Gabaya on assuming office, promised he would take up road projects that will impact positively on the people in his Council, and so he prioritized the roads including the one towards market side and up to Kaduna road bypass. The urgency the road was given encouraged Bwari Area Council residents to keep faith with him as he keeps working to deliver the dividends of good leadership and democracy. It is no more news that Sabon-Gari road had received the attention it needed and Nigerians around that corridor are very grateful to Hon. John Gabaya-led Bwaei Area Council.
An elated resident of the Council, James has this to say about Hon John Gabaya:– “We are very happy with the work the chairman is doing because we do not need him to share money for us but to see him work for the development of the town. “You can see the market road now, down to JAMB headquarters has been completely rehabilitated. “So is Kuduru road, Tudun-Fulani road and Sabon-gari road. These are some of the highly populated areas of this town which had bad roads for years, until now. “What remain now is Baran-Goni road and the area council secretariat road itself which is also very important,’’–.
According to report, the Suma Bridge that needed urgent attention which Hon. Chief John Gabaya inspected on June 21, 2021, had been completed and functioning. This, too, attests to Gabaya’s commitment to providing democracy dividend to the good people of his Council. On April 18, 2023, Hon John Gabaya inspected two major road projects being executed by his administration. The 6.6 kilometer road cut through Igu, Kawu and Shere; as well as the 500M Bwari Central- 16-16 to SCC roads. The inspection was to know the level of work and quality too. Today, the road projects have had been completed and delivered. This writer will like to use this to appeal Bwari Area Council to as a matter of urgency rehabilitate the popular access road from Madam Edo to Channel 8 Junction. The rehabilitation of this link road will surely boost business activity in Ultra Modern Kubwa Market around that corridor. The Council will also harvest revenue from the Market via enhanced commercial activity.
On Empowerment, John Gabaya-led Bwari Area Council is also in the business of empowering the people in the Council. It is no more news that Hon Gabaya distributed motorcycles and wheelchairs to both people living with disability and able bodied people alike. The first batch of the event took place on September 22, 2021. The empowerment has continued till this day.
As part of effort to see bumper harvest in Bwari Area Council in 2023, Hon John Gabaya distributed 20 Bags of Fertilizer each to the 10 Wards in the Council. The policy of empowering farmers with fertilizer and other farm implements has been a yearly event though. While flagging off this year’s event, Hon John Gabaya, said that the effort was to support the farmers in order to boost crops production in the council.
According to him, farming was the major occupation of the indigenous people of the area, adding that there was no better way to complement their efforts than providing the inputs. “We deemed it necessary to assist these farmers so as to boost production in this year’s farming season.“We were able to afford a trailer load of both the NPK and Urea kind of fertilizers to be shared among the farmers in the 10 different wards of this council.“The councilors for each ward are here and would receive the input on behalf of the different wards. “We have put in place how the sharing formula would be executed because the councilors would take 20 bags each for their separate wards.“The sharing would be such that one person can get at least a mudu or even half bag which we expect should go a long way for them.”
He said that traditional heads of the council would take a bag or two each, as well as other individuals in identified groups of the area. Gabaya, who cautioned the people against selling the product, said that although the council bought them at subsidized price, it is given to them free of charge. “This is our own way of supporting the farmers; please it must not be sold at any point. I also encourage the farmers to make good use of it,”
Just as Hon. John Gabaya is making life better for the people of the Council, his wife is not left out in the business. It was not surprising that on 29th August 2019, Mrs. Yemi John Gabaya facilitated the training of over 100 youths and women on agricultural production. They were trained on the production, processing and marketing of orange and fresh sweet potatoes, in newly introduced variety of offering. Mrs. Gabaya said the programme, aimed at eradicating hunger, would also provide job opportunities and keep youths and women off the streets.
Speaking earlier, the chairman, (Dr) John Gabaya tasked farmers to always seek for new agricultural skills to enable them compete with their peers in the 21st century around the world. He stated that his administration would continue to support agriculture, adding that women and youths were relevant in his government. The FCT Orange, Sweet Potatoes Desk Officer, Mrs. Iheomu Mary, said the new variety of potatoes has a three month gestation period, “it is rich in vitamin “A” which is very important for the eye.“The potatoes can be used for juice, moi-moi, queen’s cake, biscuit, baking bread and has high market value that can generate more income to the farmers.”
On Health and Environment, Dr John Gabaya-led Council has renovated a number of Health Care Centers. His goodwill has attracted investment from some organizations’ in the health sector. The immunization effort of the Council has also been applauded. More investment should be undertaken in this sector, particularly in the construction of more health centers in the Council.
It is noteworthy that Hon John Gabaya has taken steps to priorities education in the Council. Not long after he took office, he visited Bwari Area Council library located at Bwari extension Area of Bwari Central Ward on 10th August 2020. The library was said to be in bad shape and abandoned for years without operation. To underscore the importance Hon Gabaya places on education, he ordered the renovation of the library and grading of the road leading to the library with immediate effect.
According to information, Honourable Gabaya sunk and repaired many boreholes in the wards of the Council. He has also sought and obtained assistance of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to distribute electricity to some market in the Council. Many in the Council see Gabaya’s action as big move for modern development. It is hoped he will see through this wonderful idea. Some wards are said to be mapped out for the provision of solar powered electricity.
Clearly, john Gabaya has elevated the status of Bwari Area Council in the last four (4) years, In a nutshell, Honourable John Gabaya has lived up to expectation in terms of provision of democracy dividend, by the standard of Area Councils’ Barometer Of Good Governance (ACBGG). But in truth, it is commendable that he has ensured equal distribution of impactful projects in the ten (10) wards in Bwaei Area Council. Other Nigerian politicians would have prioritized the development of their immediate area in terms of providing democracy dividend. If we are to go by Gabaya’s speed in delivering this vital dividend of democracy, the next three (3) years will witness even more purpose driven projects in the ten 10 wards of Bwari Area Council.
Emeka Oraetoka (Chancellor),
Area Councils’ Barometer Of Good Governance (ACBGG),
Civil Society Organization (CSO).
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