100 DAYS IN OFFICE… How Have the States Fared in 100 Days? via thisdaylive
How time flies! Elected on March 9 and sworn in on May 29, governors across the 29 states, where elections held are already ticking the 100 days box in their respective states, not forgetting though that elections were rescheduled in a few states for different reasons including but not limited to the inconclusive bug. However, in just 100 days, it’s been different strokes for different states.
But on the whole, excuses may not suffice as examiners are marking the scripts only on the basis of evidenced performances. This is why the 100 days report cards as filed from some of the states below cannot be either overemphasised or underemphasised at this stage.The first 100 days is always epochal in the political annals of Lagos state, because it is within the period that a governor of the state earns the moniker: Action Governor.
In terms of empowerment, the State government has set aside a sum of N4 billion as a grant under the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund W-Initiative to empower more Lagosians with ingenious business ideas. 600 people have already benefited from this initiative, which is in collaboration with Access Bank Plc.
But beyond the security challenge, the Governor has in the last 100 Days of his second coming tried to consolidate on his array of achievements in the first term, a situation which earned him the most outstanding governor from the eastern part of the country. This is based on the fact that the Governor Abdulrasak Abdulrahman government has not been able to embark on any programmes that could change the condition of the people. With increasing poverty and unemployment as major concerns, cases of social vices among the teeming youths have continued to dominate public domain in the state.
There was no indication to that effect when he addressed Abians on the day of his inauguration. He did said “The primary focus of our administration for the next four years will be consolidating on the achievements of our first tenure, completing all our ongoing projects . . .
And in his determination to confront the problems facing the state,the government has hastened the completion of the Shagari waterproject to alleviate the suffering often encountered by the people of thearea.The water problem in the area is perennial, but with thecompletion of the project, the Shagari residents could now heave a sigh of relief.
About 50 students were sent to Ukraine to study medicine and other 200 to India, also studying medicine and other science courses. One of the significant achievements in the rice production is the N3billion facility for the supply of seedlings to rice farmers in the South-south region from the rice seedlings factory in Calabar.
Unlike his first term, when there were no issues with the payment of workers’ salaries, the NFIU propelled financial autonomy for the local government areas seemed to have altered the prompt, and unhindered payment of monthly wages to sections of workers in the state judiciary, and the local government system.Tobe State Governor, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni’s campaign mantra was “continuity and consolidation.” He promised to sustain and build on the legacy of his predecessor, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam.
The governor, in many of the other equally important sectors did not want to leap before he looked and so, he has dedicated a large part of his first 100 days in office to planning, strategising and soliciting counsel on crucial policies. Governor Buni is also exploring a partnership with the Sukuk Fund to build the very first modern market in Damaturu, with the ambition of replicating this in Potiskum, Gashu’a, Nguru, Gaidam, and Buni-Yadi towns.
Fintiri has begun to settle salaries arrears of the civil servants inherited from the previous administration. He has also paid leave allowances, pension and gratuity from 2012 to date and has approved the building of two thousand housing units for civil servants in the state. And with the passage of the Security Trust Fund Bill, the governor has inaugurated the Fund’s Board under the leadership of Mr. Bolaji Balogun. This was in addition to his intervention to source for helicopter from the Presidency for aerial surveillance to enable the state fight insecurity.
The governor has also given attention to infrastructure, approving road reconstruction projects in all senatorial districts. He has also established the Ogun State Public Works Agency and the Ogun State Waste Management Agency. Other areas the governor has devoted attention include employment opportunities and youth empowerment programme like launch of Job Portal; Tech Hubs; Agric Anchor Borrowers Programme; and the Digital Training. Others are social welfare programmes like 1000 widows empowered by the First Lady, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun and the launch of ‘Okowo Dapo’ loan Scheme for Market Women.
Wike has also embarked on a mission to return Port Harcourt to its Garden City status. This has pitted many residents against the government as a task force has been set up to rid the state capital of illegal trading, unauthorised motor parks and also enforce sanitation laws. Suffice it to say however that the state did well in the last four years and in key sectors like health, infrastructure, education and economic development.
On Sunday, September 1, 2019 the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, after inspecting facilities at the Asaba International Airport, commended Okowa for the quality of facilities at the airport, saying they are of international standards, and that it would serve as an economic tonic. In the area of education, particularly the need to promote vocational education, Okowa announced the establishment of 19 new technical colleges, such that there is at least one technical college in each of the 25 local government areas of the state. The government has recently employed 1,000 new teachers, and declared war on Illegal fees collection in state public schools.
The situation is the same at the state legislature and the local government executive councils. The hushed-up manner the state government and police treated the reported kidnap in Asaba about a week ago of the younger sister of the governor’s wife also pointed to recalcitrant insecurity in the state, even though this is a national concern.
So far, states that have not set up their cabinets since inaugurated on May 29, include Enugu, Abia, Kwara, Cross River, Ogun, Rivers , Gombe, Nasarawa, Kano, Taraba and Jigawa Oyetola came into office a year before the 2015 general election and is still struggling with his choice of who picks what cabinet position. How more unfortunate can a state be gifted! His Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi cannot even recall when he put his team together. The difference between their elections was just two months. Sad!
Although this assumption cannot be totally sweeping as a few of the returnee-governors had shown capacity during their first terms, many other, who fall into this category are simply clueless and therefore could not navigate the complexity around exemplary governance especially, at the state level.
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