By Sani Adamu
When Gov. Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State declared his intention to seek re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011; some people were sceptical about his chances of winning the election.
The cynics, however, recall that their pessimism at that time was not because of Shema’s unpopularity or lack of requisite qualifications for the contest.
They note that their cynicism then was because it appeared somewhat difficult for the PDP to tackle the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State, believed to be the stronghold of the party led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Seven years down the line, perceptive observers have been acknowledging the remarkable achievements of the Shema-administration in the state.
Available records indicate that Katsina State, which was carved out from the old Kaduna State in 1987, has undergone a remarkable transformation, as the state now has good road networks, modern schools and hospitals, as well as steady water supply in its urban and rural centres.
The administration’s determination to improve the state’s infrastructure via the construction of 35km six-lane ring road in Katsina, the state capital, is also seen by many observers as quite pragmatic.
Corroborating such viewpoint, Shema explained that the ring road project specifically aimed at laying a solid foundation for the economic advancement of the state.
The governor disclosed this, while speaking at the opening session of the All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) which recently took place in Katsina.
He said that his administration had also reconstructed other existing roads into dual carriage roads, as part of its efforts to execute its urban renewal agenda.
He also said that the state government had built more schools and hospitals, while executing several water projects and setting up the Katsina Craft Village for the training of unemployed youths in vocational skills.
Besides, Shema said that his administration had also constructed a new Government House complex at the cost of N8 billion sourced from the profit of investments made by the state.
To bring healthcare closer to the people at the grassroots, the state government has constructed 361 clinics in the last seven years.
The governor said that the clinics were being utilised to address primary health issues like immunisation and other basic health challenges facing residents of the rural areas, in particular.
In addition, Shema said that the state government had introduced an ambulance service in all local government areas to attend to the immediate health needs of the rural dwellers.
He also said that people suffering from malaria and kidney problems now received free treatment in government health facilities.
He said that the state government had also constructed a 250-bed orthopaedic hospital to cater for accident victims and spinal cord patients in the state.
Available records further show that the Shema-administration is assiduously working toward the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly those relating to the reduction of child and maternal mortality by 2015.
Shema said that his government had initiated several intervention programmes to provide quality primary health care services for the people.
He said that some of the programmes involved the construction of the Turai Yar’Adua Maternity and Children Hospital; the quarterly allocation of N100 million for the purchase of drugs to feed the state’s Free Drugs Revolving Scheme, as well as the continuous training of the medical personnel.
The governor said that more than 34 girls-only primary schools had been constructed, as part of measures to enhance girl-child education in the state, while 100 Almajiri schools were built to reduce street begging and improve education in the state.
According to him, each of the Almajiri schools has a population of over 100 pupils.
“Education at primary and secondary levels is also free in the state. The state government is also paying WAEC and NECO examination fees for all students in the state,’’ he said.
On the development of the solid minerals sector, Shema said that the state House of Assembly had enacted a law to facilitate potential investments in the sector.#
He said that the administration had also procured 120 vehicles to boost intra-state and inter-state transportation in Katsina State.
In recognition of the significance of education, the governor said that his administration had made education at the primary and secondary school levels free.