Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government on Tuesday said that the achievements recorded by its Governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, since the inception of administration will continue to unsettle the opposition in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information, Hon. Isah Bajini Galandachi, stated this in Sokoto while dismissing calms of maladministration levelled against the Governor by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The party had on Monday chided Governor Tambuwal over what it described as the poor implementation of the last year’s budget, non-execution of capital projects, among other complaints.
Related: 2020 budget, chain of broken promises, says Sokoto APC
But Galandachi dismissed the claims of the opposition as baseless and that a party yet to recover from the defeat its suffered in the last governorship elections in the state.
“Perhaps the APC in Sokoto has lost its memory following the heavy knockdown it suffered from Mutawalle at the polls,” the Commissioner said.
“This could be why they cannot see any project worth N500 million executed by our administration.
“Gentlemen, please find out from Tukur Alkali who was the immediate past Commissioner for Animal Health and Husbandry how much was spent by this administration on the cattle breeding project abandoned by Wamakko’s administration.
“You may also wish to find out how much was the cost of reconstruction of the Deputy Governor’s residence in Sokoto and who was the contractor?,” Galandachi maintained.
The Commissioner also disagreed with the position on the implementation of the 2019 budget, adding that the budget is a projection of what a government intends to do.
He said “the APC in Sokoto is not only disturbed by how Governor Tambuwal dislodged them, but also for the recognition of his achievements nationally and internationally.
“With the following commitments and achievements in the educational sector, who on earth can fault the Nigerian Tribune for recognising Governor Tambuwal as the torch-bearer of educational development in the country?
“Reduction in the rate of out-of-school children by 15% (as recognised and certified by UNICEF), 50 blocks of six classrooms in schools across the state under SDG (100 & funded by the state), an additional 500 blocks of 6 classrooms, administrative blocks, and libraries in schools all over the state via SUBEB/UBEC counter-part funding.”
The Commissioner listed other projects to include completion of College of Midwifery Sciences, Tambuwal, College of Legal Studies, Wamakko, College of Agriculture, Wurno, Construction of Ultra-modern Library at the state university, Sokoto.
“Construction of 60 office complexes in the state university, payment of accreditation fees of colleges and courses in various institutions, payment of WAEC/NECO examination fees, payment of conditional cash transfer to mother of girls enrolled in Primary 1 in order to boost girl-child education.
“Purchase of 15,000 JAMB UMTE/DE forms for the less privileged in the states, sponsorship of Sokoto State students to Ukraine, India, China, Ghana, Sudan and Uganda to study medicine and other paramedical courses as well as other professional courses.”
He commended the position of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Muhammad Achida, during the singing of 2020 budget, where he commended the Governor on his performance in the areas of education, health and rural development among others.
He argued that the Governor’s policy is that of continuity in government and not to award new projects in competing with previous governments.