By Umar Usman Duguri
Jigawa State Government has announced significant achievements in meeting of 80 percent of bond commitment as well as a feat in reducing poverty to zero level in the state, marking a major milestone in its efforts to improve the lives of its citizens.
According to the Honorable Commissioner for Special Duties, Honorable Auwal Sankara, the state has made tremendous progress in addressing the plight of its citizens through various direct policies and government support which modify the state as ‘The New World’ which in tandem with modus operandi of Governor Umar Namadi.
The commissioner attributed the success to the state government’s commitment to providing relief to the most vulnerable members of society in thousands at the most needed time in an adjoin force of all stakeholders involve in charting the course.
One of the key initiatives implemented by the state government was the establishment of palliative shops sited at Sule Tankarkar Local Government, and Gwaram local government, and Garki local government, Jahun local government, Guri local Government and Buji local government, Mallam Madori local government, Kafin Hausa local government and Miga local government, Ringim local government, Gwiwa local government, Birniwa local Government, Dutse and Taura local governments, each with rice of 50 kilogram, 25 kg, 10kg, 5 kg and beans provided at same 50 kg, 25kg, 10kg and 5 kilogram and maize and Guinea corn of 50, 25, 10 and 5 kilograms too and millets of various kilograms and cartoons of spaghetti.
These shops provided all the food items at discounted prices, making them more accessible to low-income families.
In addition to the palliative shops, the state government also implemented free feeding programs for hundreds of people across all local government areas during Ramadan.
This initiative was designed to provide relief to those who were struggling to make ends meet during the holy month which by extension, Governor Namadi ordered it to tertiary institutions in the state for hundreds of students during the sacred period. Interestingly, over 600 political wards benefited from the feeding program initiated by government which translates to over 3.4 million beneficiaries across the 27 local government areas received the nourishing meals ”.
The state government also provided financial support to vulnerable and destitute individuals, as well as relief materials to flood victims, which are; 600 bags of rice, 600 bags of beans, 600 bags of maize, 25 bags of iodized salt (1kg pack time 20kb bags), and 100 kegs of vegetable oil (20 liters), 100 carton of seasoning cube, 300 bags of cement (50kg), 600 bundles of roofing sheets, 50 bags of 3 inches nails (25kg) 100 packets of zinc nails, 1200 pieces of blanket (GB36H), 1200 pieces of nylon mats, 200 pieces of wax prints and 300 pieces of ne children’s wears.
This support was critical in helping those affected by the floods to recover and rebuild their lives.
More so, ‘the visionary government succeeds in distribution of 12,000 bags of rice allocated to the 27 local government areas of the state, benefiting 444 households, with a targeted minimum of at least 3 persons per household in each LGA, totaling 1,332 beneficiaries per local government Area and 35,964 beneficiaries across the 27 LGAs, and another distribution of 47,642 begs of rice, reaching 9,000 households targeting 3 beneficiaries in each households, whereby a total of 27,000 beneficiaries benefited in each LGA, thus making the total of beneficiaries across the 27 LGAs to stand at 729,000 who have directly benefited from the gestures’. There is also distribution of 13,500 bags of maize with 500 households per LGA, with each household expected to have at least 3 members. A total of 40,500 beneficiaries across the state. And cash palliatives of N10,000 each were provided to 4,000beneficiaries per local government totaling 108,000 beneficiaries across the 27 LGAs, amounting to a staggering one billion and Eighty million naira (1,080,000,00). In broader perspective, the cash palliative was shared as N10,000 times 4,000 beneficiaries in each local government Area, where each local government received the sum of N40,000,00. Therefore, 4, 000 times 27 beneficiaries benefiting 100 youth=1000, and another 100 women = 100, and 1,000 Elders and 100 vulnerable = 1000 beneficiaries. And amazingly, after the program N163,100,000 million naira were returned to government coffers due to the fact that some names were wrongly filled or spelled or duplicated. This is was done deliberate in order to ensure transparency and accountability in disbursing the funds accordingly.
Furthermore, Jigawa State ministry of special duties ensured the state met its quota at the Federal Character Commission, with credible indigenes filling required positions in various military and paramilitary establishments. They are 30 indigenes joined the Nigeria fire service, 430 indigene aided to join the Nigeria army and 70 people joined Nigeria navy, while 446 backed to joined Nigeria police, 180 people aided to join the Nigeria immigration services, 70 joined the Nigeria Air force and 55 indigenes joined the Nigeria Defense Academy, and 57 joined the Nigeria police Academy wudil, and for short service in the Nigeria Army are 12 people and 8 people joined the Air force short service and another 8 people joined the navy short service and 10 indigenes aided to joined the military school Zaria and another 6 indigene joined calabar navy school and we supported our cadet with a million naira each while those in Wudil police training school receives laptop to aid their pursuits.
This achievement was seen as a major breakthrough for the state, as it marked a significant increase in the number of indigenes represented in the federal civil service, which the guidance and counseling department in the state stands for in changing the narrative of the state.
The state government’s efforts have been commended by stakeholders, who praised the governor’s leadership and vision in achieving these remarkable successes.
The achievements are a testament to the state government’s commitment to reducing poverty and improving the lives of its citizens especially with the milestone of bond success.
