Why Shettima is in a hurry to develop Borno – Bwala

BY NDAHI MARAMA

Former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, under the immediate past administration of governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno state, Hon. Inuwa Bwala, in this interview said the formation of committees less than one week was in line with Gov. Kashim Shettima’s vision for Borno State.
He also spoke on politics of Borno and how Shettima will weather the storms. Excerpts:

Recently Governor Kashim Shettima approved committees to reform the education sector,  rehabilitation and  equipping of Hospitals and drilling of 100  and rehabilitation  of 200 boreholes within 100 days. Having served in the  immediate past administration and a strong member of the ANPP in the state, do you see the government meeting these targets in 100 days?

The formation of these committees barely one week after the governor  assumed duty is in line with the pace he promised to move  and the vision he told the people of Borno State during  his inauguration. The committees comprise of tested hands and  professionals in most of these fields and I have no doubt that they will deliver. What is heartwarming about the formation of these committees is that the governor does not want to disappoint the people of Borno State by the time he will be 100 days in office. From all indications, he is working towards meeting some of  the pledges he made to the people of Borno State during his inaugural speech. One of them is his  plan to drill 100 boreholes across the state by the time he will be 100 days in office.

With the committee on Water in place, it tells you that he is working in that direction. There were some rigs that were purchased by the state government for this purpose. Those that are down, he  will rehabilitate them and those that are functional, he will put them to full use. From the way things are going in that  sector, I am hopeful  that, he will deliver on that promise.

On  education, you know it is a broad-based subject, given the state of education in the state. Already the machinery for renovations of schools in the state has been put in place. Procurement of  learning  materials and equipments for laboratory is part of  the recommendation,  which the committee may have to work out, and I am sure it may not be possible  for us to bring a revolutionary change in the educational sector in 100 days, but I can assure you that, change would be seen by the time  the governor is 100  days in office, because by then there would be a focused,  calculated and a  deliberate policy for the educational improvement in the  state.

As for the  health sector, most of the hospitals are being renovated,  some have been  renovated and new ones have been built. What he is going to do in some of them  is to put finishing touches, equip them and then  purchase sufficient drugs. He is particularly passionate  about the issue of  health, having been a health commissioner, who initiated  most of these things that are happening today.

Why is  the governor focusing  on just  these sectors?
The resources available to government at any given times are limited in the face of numerous and competing demands. The government has do define its priorities in the areas that it wants to develop because pursuing everything at the same time sometimes causes distraction. So, the government in its wisdom chose to concentrate on the three sector and put them on the right track. After these, I  am sure he will pick up another three issues and  develop them. So, it is going on in phases.

Don’t you think that something like Agriculture is left out as this is the farming season and most of  the electorate in  Borno State are peasant farmers ?

The governor also served as a commissioner in the Ministry of Agriculture and knows what it means for the people of Borno State at this time.  I believe the governor is not silent about the agricultural  sector. It is just that he has not mentioned it.

There are plans for the farming season and His Excellency has  promised to provide in addition to the 600 tractors procured for distribution to all local government in the state more tractors such that, by the time we attend one year in office or may  be second year in office he would have provided at least 50 tractors for each  local  government area in the state, which will be sufficient for the farming needs of the farmers. Secondly, he is in the process procuring  fertilizers. There are also arrangements to bring chemicals. So, it is not as if he has ignored farming, why he is not emphasizing  on farming for now is because already the machinery is on  ground.