As President Buhari Visit Yobe To Commission 4 Multi-billion Naira Projects
By Yusuf Ali, Damaturu
………Gov. Buni Has Executed 375 Projects Across Yobe
As President Muhammadu Buhari set to visit Yobe state, today 10th January, 2023, on one-day working visit to commission projects, that will put Governor Mai Mala Buni and his regime in the spotlight. The scorecard looked very impressive, at least, to all dispassionate observers, including Mr. President himself, who will have the privilege of cutting the tapes to inaugurate four Multibillion Naira world class projects, the Damaturu International Cargo Airport, Market, Schools, 2350 Housing and the Nigeria’s largest Maternal and Child Healthcare Complex projects. The visit is also symbolic and historic for the good people of Yobe state to host Mr President.
Massive as these projects are, it’s important to note they’re not the only ones executed by Governor Buni’s administration in every part of the state. Many had been done and dusted before now, which the people at the grassroots are intimately aware and are already impactfully benefiting from them, and a lot more are ongoing as we speak, including the construction of very strategic Modern Trailer and Mechanic Village, Modern Markets in major towns, the Yobe State University College of Medical Science and 153 Primary Healthcare Centre PHC in every electoral Wards across the state. It’s also remarkable to note, that the Buni administration has upgraded over seven PHC to standard General Hospital to provide affordable and accessible Healthcare services for the people of Yobe state.
As Governor Buni has said in a different fora, there is no part of Yobe without appreciable positive impact of his administration to better the lives of the people. It was a challenge as Gov. Buni keeps throwing up the question to the people at every gathering “let me know if there is any part of Yobe that has not benefited from any of our projects”, the governor queries. But there was none. Absolutely none.
The governor has said that his investments in healthcare, education, rural-urban development, water facilities, women and youth empowerment were so significant that emerging data had shown that the administration has impacted positively on the lives of the people.
He said the administration has achieved a lot despite setbacks by the Covid-19 pandemic and the global recession witnessed, adding that the government is working even with the meagre resouces at disposal providing infrastructural development and carrying out social services in the state.
Gov. Buni listed many of the administration’s completed projects in road, water, health, and education across the state, adding: “Beyond these, we have many ongoing projects that have been designed towards boosting the economic base of the state.
“Whether in water, rural development, basic education or healthcare, or peoples’ welfare, we have clearly delivered on our mandate and we continue to do more Insha Allah,” he added.
Another areas the governor has done remarkably well is road construction. Buni’s giant construction on roads and drainages is carefully planned statewide phenomenon. He has constructed over 40 roads across the state to link up communities and uplift the living standards of the people. In the state capital, Damaturu, many roads were either newly constructed or massively redeveloped to ease traffic flow and make city life more livable. Many of these and other projects had been commissioned in the state before now.
Again, these are far from being the only infrastructural footprints of the workaholic Governor Mai Mala Buni. The Governor has executed several uncountable water and electricity projects across the state that contributed in making life a lot more easier for people at the grassroots.
Like him or loathe him, the fact remains that Buni has proved to be a progressive governor, easily one of the most outstanding governor in Nigeria today. Many would readily recall with President Buhari who, in 2019 endorsed Hon. Mai Mala Buni based on his antecedents as successful National Secretary of the APC. Today, the President is vindicated. The good people of Yobe are the living witness. Buni “has done a great job”, and that “Nigerians are appreciative that he is writing his history in letters of gold”. Detractors may argue to the contrary, but any such argument would likely stem from sheer envy, opposition politics, or biased emotion lacking facts or proof.
Gov. Buni’s stellar performance transcends brick and mortar structures. Since he assumed office as the state’s chief executive officer, his administration has taken bold steps to leave indelible footprints in many aspects of the Yobe landscape. Three and half years down the lane, there are positive results on all fronts, including the economy, in education, and in the promotion of democratic ethos.
In the very serious business of transparency and accountability, which is dear to President Buhari’s heart, the Buni administration has entrenched due process and inclusiveness as the state keeps attracting funding from the World Bank and the Federal Government. So far, the state has attracted over N5 Billion. The funds are being channeled to carrying out meaningful development projects in the state.
In addition to winning Awards in transparency and accountability from the World Bank and other reputable organisations, the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni has won several Awards from the Dangote Foundation, UNICEF, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to mention a few for routine immunisation and provisions of other PHC needs.
There’s so much that’s outstanding about Governor Buni’s achievements as Yobe state chief executive. But, is he a saint? Well, nobody is a saint. Nor does anybody need to be a saint to perform well as a governor. An effective governor just needs to identify the basic needs of his people, mobilize resources as much as he can, and apply whatever he gets judiciously, to meet the most pressing needs and improve the lives and livelihood in his domain. From what one sees on the ground, without wearing the dark goggles of hatred and bias, Gov. Buni rates among the most effective governors in the country.
Love or loathe him, this ‘Buni Alherine’ as people called him looms large as a shining comet in the political skies of present-day Nigeria. In a matter of weeks, the good people of Yobe would go to the polls to renew the mandate for another term of four years as the Governor of Yobe State to continue the good work. But then, as the good people of Yobe state welcome the President today, it is very clear that the Buni administration is positively impacting on the lives of the people.
