Adamawa

Governor – Murtala Nyako
Party – PDP
Sworn-in – April 28 2008
LGA - 21
Population – 2.8 million
Internally Generated Revenue N5,003,223,211,09
Federal Allocation: N31.7b

By the time the history of this political dispensation is written, Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State would go down as one of the governors who took oath of office twice in one year. This was consequent upon the nullification of his election by the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in Jos last February. Even with this ironic fortune, the people of Adamawa re-elected him in a re-run election last month. This happened, not because the people liked his face, but because right from when he was first sworn in on May 29, 2007 the Nyako administration was able to show the people what governance should be.
Perhaps, what drives the governor to perform in his first year in office was because, he happened into a very buoyant economy. While other governors were busy complaining of empty treasuries, the in Adamawa was different.
Six months to the end of his predecessor, Boni Haruna, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the account of the state government. This denied the former governor access to state funds until he left on May 29, 2007. It was these allocations that the incoming administration of Nyako met to complete and execute his projects.
But perhaps, far more than any issue, is the attempt by the administration to reposition the state in terms of achieving the millennium development goals especially in the areas of health, education and social infrastructure. Nyako’s 2008 budget of over 43 billion naira, tagged "Budget of Definitive Hope", is essentially geared towards laying a solid foundation for the socio-economic take-off of the state. To ensure that this budget is fully implemented, and poverty wiped away, the governor has appointed 10,000 special assistants to monitor progress in their respective domains.

Potable Drinking Water
The criticism of the governor’s initial extra budgetry expenditures of N540 million to restore water supply to the Yola metropolis, Numan, Mubi, the commercial nerve centres of the state and Ganye, the ancestral home of Atiku, faded out as water begins to gush out of pipes after almost seven years. Before the new governor mounted the saddle, taps had stopped running in the state for more six years.

Roads Construction
For most people who have not visited Yola, the state capital, a pleasant surprise awaits them following the sudden and significant changes recorded in terms of township roads, especially with the return of two construction giants, Julius Berger and PW and their equipment of the long-neglected roads. In no time, the state started wearing a new look making people to know that the Boni Haruna government had actually failed them.
However, works have reached appreciable levels on the Mubi road-Gimba road, PZ Roundabout-Yola City Gate-Sangere Jimeta By-pass and GMMC road. Other road projects awarded include Kiri-Shelleng road, Maiha_fulbere-Zhedinyi-Pela road and Mubi-Digil-Mayobani road, all valued at over N7billion.

Health
Another important intervention came in the health sector. The situation inherited by the Nyako administration as far as the health is concerned was deplorable. Statistics made available to THISDAY show that out of every 100,000 live births, 1,500 casualties were recorded, making Adamawa State the worst in the North East in terms of maternal mortality. Drugs were more expensive in the public health system than outside while manpower required by the sector was grossly inadequate as a result of brain-drain resulting from poor remuneration. The Murtala Nyako administration promptly went into action toward turning things around for responsive and responsible health care delivery. Already pregnant women from day one to delivery as well as children under the age of five are enjoying free health care services. About 50,400 patients have so far benefited with over 1000 of this figure being surgical cases.
Similarly, the pandemic of polio which broke out in parts of Song local government which the government met upon assumption of office was promptly addressed and a mop-up campaign was effected. This was followed by a state-wide preventive campaign, so also was the third round of the immunization plus days covering the months of September to November. This campaign boosted the immune status of children under five. The coverage has jumped from 34% at the inception of this administration to 63 per cent in less than a year.
On the problem of inadequate medical equipment in the health sector, the current administration has signed a MoU with the World Medical Relief, Africa Partners- a non-governmental organisation for the supply of equipment worth N20.2billion.

Education
In its resolve to address the rot in the education sector and make it the pivot around which genuine development is realised, a total of seven science and technical colleagues in the state are to gulp N8.4 billion. Already tenders for construction of the schools have been advertised. This is because of the indispensability of science and technical education in the growth and development of a people and a nation.
Government has also released funds for the rehabilitation of senior secondary schools in the state to make them conducive for teaching and learning. The General Murtala Muhammad College (GMMC) and the Government Girls Secondary School Yola have been designed as premier colleges and money has been made available for their total overhaul. N2.5 billion has also been approved for the establishment of skills acquisition centres in each of the three senatorial districts of the state. The centres to be sited in Mubi, Yola and Mayo-Belwa will train teeming unemployed youths in various trades with a view to empowering them for self reliance. This is in addition to vocational training centres to be established in all local government areas for comprehensive skills acquisition in technology oriented fields. Added to all, the government has in the past few months released about N300 million for the purchase of science kits, textbooks as well as exercise book.

Agriculture
In the area of agriculture which the Nyako administration identified as a veritable weapon to fight poverty and jobs, strategies have been evolved toward ensuring food security. Already 22 new tractors have been acquired to address the shortage of agricultural implements in Adamawa while demonstration farms and agricultural consultancy units have been established in all local government areas to train farmers and provide consultancy services. N40.6 million was paid as counterpart contribution for community-based poverty eradication projects tagged Fadama II programme. Also, a new Ministry of Livestock and Nomadic Settlement was established to further underscore the importance attached to agricultural.

Scorecard: Average

Bauch
Governor - Mallam Isa Yuguda
Sworn-in April 29 2007
Party – ANPP
LGA – 20
Population:
Federal Allocation from May 2007 to April 2008--N35.1b
Internally Generated Revenue from May 2008 to April 2007-N1,560,636,938.69
Excess Crude from May 2007 to April 2008--N127,230,378,308.88
VAT from May 2007 to April 2008---N3,829,172,555.20

Bauchi State, created in 1976, is an agricultural state with 20 local government areas. The state is home to the popular Yankari national park, a choice destination for holidays, animals and nature lovers.
When Mallam Isa Yuguda, became Governor of Bauchi, he came with the lofty dream of pursuing a five point agenda, which at swearing in he promised his administration will tackle. They include human development, water supply, health, agriculture and rural electrification.

Human Development
This is perhaps the most visible area of Mallam Isa Yuguda’s achievement in the last twelve months. He is said to have met a high unemployment rate in the state. About 60% of the population is unemployed youths and he is said to have largely concentrated his efforts in giving them a means of livelihood. His predecessor, Alhaji Muazu is credited with transforming the aesthetic looks of the state, like the wide modern roads and beautiful structures that dot the metropolis.
This is indeed a legacy that Mallam Yuguda is building upon as he works on the human side that his predecessor is alleged to have neglected. The government is planning to secure a N1 billion loan facility to construct 1,000 housing units for civil servants. He has also bought 1,000 cars for workers. This is to be accessed via a loan of N1million naira each. The administration has also increased the salaries of 20,000 workers in the state and paid N600 million pension arrears. It has approved the recruitment of 50,000 youths as cleaners in the state.

Agriculture
Agriculture is the main stay of Bauchi’s economy and the Yuguda administration has mechanised farming in the state by giving the farmers agricultural subsidies. The government acquired 150 new tractors for the farmers and renovated 45 others. It purchased and distributed 35,000 metric tones of fertilizer for sale at 50 percent subsidy. It released N150 million for the Sassakawa project to train 5,000 farmers on modern techniques and 2000 youths for the Sassakawa global project.
Government partnered in a joint venture with the Federal Government to irrigate 120,000 hectares of land to produce one million tons of sugar annually and ethanol for fuel in the bid to provide one million jobs annually. It made available 400million for purchase of more tractors to improve farming in the state. The administration has purchased grains and 1000 units of irrigation pumps for farmers. It released N1 billion for purchase of excess grains to beef-up strategic grains reserves in the state.
.
Roads
Yuguda’s predecessor, Alhaji Muazu left a very good legacy in the area of roads. Bauchi has beautiful roads with interlocked pavements and walkways that give it its cosmopolitan look, all put in place by the preceding government. The Yuguda administration is adding to this legacy by constructing three major roads that will link rural areas that successive governments had ignored because of its treacherous terrain at 1.85 billion for the construction of the Azare –isawa Giade road, at 5.388 billion and the Ningi Burra road at 3.072 billion for the Alkaleri Fiuilk road.

Health
In the past one year, the new state government is said to have constructed four new general hospitals. They were said to have been closed down because of grave concerns. One of the hospitals, Tafawa Balewa hospital, a 144 bed state of the art hospital was built at a cost of 586 million. Three others were built at between 489 million to 577 million. The Governor also plans to build a new General Hospital in each local government area before the end of his tenure. The administration has also bought generating sets and erected boreholes in the hospitals it found aground. An indication of his human development drive is making healthcare delivery free for pregnant women and children from one to five years. The infant mortality rate was said to be in the region of 140/1000, child mortality 260/1000 and maternal mortality 1549/100.000 in the state. In a bid to ensure optimum healthcare in the state, the Yuguda administration has created four new agencies to ensure efficient healthcare delivery in the state. The administration has signed a malaria booster agreement worth $9.75 million dollars.

Water Supply
Government purchased 2MB electrical transformers for 80million naira to boost water supply in the state. It also bought 1500KVA generators to boost water supply at Gubi Dam to aid steady water supply. The Yuguda administration is reactivating the GRA Yelwa water system for 70 million and has secured approval for the construction of an Earth Dam that will ensure uninterrupted water supply.

Rural Electrification
The Yuguda administration has commissioned one rural electrification project that will connect nine local government areas in the northern part of the state at a cost of N250 million. The administration is also said to have bought transformers to electrify the rural areas across the 20 local government areas at an undisclosed amount.

Education
Budgetary allocation from the state government is said to have increased from N2.6 billion to N6.5 billion to tackle the decay in education. The Government is also said to have released 180 million naira quarterly as feeding money to boarding schools in the state. It renovated several schools - primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across all the 20 local government areas of the state at the cost of N3 billion. Government awarded scholarship to 20 students to study engineering in the United states and 45 other in different institutions across Asia and Europe. Yuguda has also sunk boreholes with overhead tanks in all the schools in the state.

Security
The Yuguda administration has been able to combat the menace of youth-like cult groups in the state known as the sara suka. They were a feared bunch of youths who used to attack people at will and forment trouble in the state. Yuguda is said to have created a Spider web security outfit to run them out of the state and curtail their menace. The state administration also procured 25 new Toyota Hillux cabin pick up vans. Now incidences of violence on innocent citizens, going about their legitimate businesses has been curtailed.

Challenges
The most pressing issue faced by the state was said to be the inherited debt profile of 22 billion. 6-7 billion were bank debts from the previous administration that needed immediate payment. The state reached an agreement with the banks to give it a favorable repayment schedule.
The other problem was a problem of water, which the state government is tackling through the installation of transformers, generators etc
The demand for water in the state is high because of its agricultural activity. Present efforts have led to the activation of the old pumping facility which is now said to pump about 2.4 million gallons.

Scorecard: Average

Imo

Governor: Ikedi Ohakim
Sworn-in: May 29th 2007
LGAs: NA
Population: NA
IGR from May 2007- April 2008 : N3.5bn
Value Added Tax (VAT): N4,261,564,098 4.9
Excess Crude 7,214,523,285,4.3
Federal Allocation: N39.7b
TOTAL : N52.8billion

Things appear to be working in Imo State. A visit to many parts of the capital, Owerri, confirms this. So does a chat with most people. No, it is not our run-of-the-mill El Dorado, but it is widely agreed that the Governor Ohakim administration appears to have hit the bull’s eye with its approach to governance.
This seems to have given dynamism a new definition. Critics are wary of being too loud because of the weight of the government’s accomplishments, although there still are some reservations.
As at Wednesday, work was going on at a frenetic pace, though the increased tempo might have been for the celebration of the first anniversary of the government. In keeping with the administration’s slogan, Clean and Green, the roads, many of which are in good condition, are spick and span. There is some reasonable level of order, although critics would say the rampant cases of kidnappings, of recent, appear to rubbish this.
However, with the restriction of commercial motorcyclists from certain roads, the sanitisation of the traffic situation is all but obvious.
Of course, the major attainment of the Ohakim government is in the area of road constructuction and rehabilitation.
In all, over 200km of road-works are ongoing. Among them are the 14.8KM Shoe Industry-Amulu-Mbieri road being constructed by Solid Foundation for N1,099,519,575.00; dualisation of the 4.6KM Owerri-Orlu road by Zerock (Nig.) Ltd. For N920,118,761.10; the 7.4KM Okwelle Ezike-Umuduru road which Amico (Nig.) Ltd. is constructing at a cost of N465,745,156.80. In all, there are 33 of such road projects.
And considering that roads had been the number one problem often complained of by this highly nomadic group of citizens, this is indeed a great feat in just one year.
Indeed, an apparently overwhelmed NLC chairman for Imo State, Comrade Isidore Okpara, told THISDAY: “This is one governor that has made a great difference. This time eight years ago, the governor could not understand governance, but this governor is impacting the citizens positively.”
Pointing specifically at the access roads within the Owerri metropolis, he said: “This is the first time we are seeing a difference in our lives following the positive impact Gov. Ikedia Ohakim has made.” The labour leader disclosed that the “workers-friendly” governor had approved in principle the payment of the 15 per cent salary increment which had been a contentious issue with many state governments and some Federal Government agencies. In addition, he said, Ohakim has approved the contributory pension, which was passed on Tuesday by the legislature. He also said the governor had reduced the backlog of unpaid pension considerably.
Opara also commended the Clean and Green initiative which he said has brought befitting beauty to Owerri, the state capital and other urban centres. For these and more, he scored the government 70 per cent. Asked if other workers would share the same opinion, he said his was a modest score and that the likelihood was that other union leaders would individually score the administration higher. This was not far-fetched as the governor’s footprints were virtually everywhere.

Media
The State Government awarded a N766.325 million contract to acquire new transmitters for the radio and television services of Imo Broadcasting Corporation while it gave a N15 million lifeline to Imo Newspapers to refurbish some printing machines, among others, under the Ministry of Information and Strategy, such as the redesigning of the state website and the creation of a new ICT department.

Transport
In transport, the government launched Imo Transport Services comprising taxis and buses; launched a joint security team equipped with vans and communication gadgets; Installation of solar-powered street lights and repairing existing street lights as well as providing standby generators for these lights.

Education
One hundred model primary schools were built in all local government areas of the state; Owerri Main Market was fumigated; Owerri master plan is being restored along with monthly sanitation exercises; e-government has been initiated while Michael Okpara College of Agriculture has been upgraded to a polytechnic.

Utilities
Water schemes have been revived; police formations in the local government areas have been provided with state-of-the-art communication equipment while outstanding gratuities owed from 1982 – 1996 are being paid by this administration. Another feat of the government is the creation of Imo Job Centres; tractors have been procured for mechanized farming; Okigwe regional water scheme was rehabilitated and commissioned; Imo Wonder Lake Resort and Conference Centre was initiated; and facilities at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport were upgraded with night landing aids while its surroundings have been beautified together with the approach from Aba-Owerri road.

Also upgraded was the protocol lounge of the airport with a conveyor belt provided for the airport, which also got a 500KVA generator. Thirty-three transformers were energised in the 27 LGAs.

Health
Five thousand patients benefited from the free medical services offered by the Ministry of Health. Two thousand, three and seventy four patients were treated for Acute Gastro-enteritis in six Local Governments.
One hundred and eighty Village Health Workers and 156 ward Development Committee members were trained on integrated management of childhood illnesses. More than 80% routine immunization coverage was achieved. The State also treated over 500 tuberculosis and 29 leprosy patients. Sixty million naira micro-credit loans were disbursed to Imo indigenes in collaboration with Oceanic Bank and NAPEP. Finally, the governor has laid the foundation of a new Government House.
All these in a day’s job, as it were, there is little wonder that there is hardly anyone who does not acknowledge these tremendous accomplishments in just one year.
Except manufacturers who, perhaps, see Gov. Ohakim as “anti-industry”. As far as they are concerned, in all of his glory, the governor has done nothing to indicate he has availed his mind to the industrialisation of the State.
According to the State chairman of manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Udemba Jacob, the industrial layout in Owerri has been abandoned for so long that it has been overgrown by weeds, and that the invitation extended to the governor to attend its Annual General Meeting where the industry’s problems in the state were articulated went unheeded.
Essentially, he thinks the governor did not provide enough infrastructure for manufacturers to rev up the industrial sector, a very valid observation. Another shortcoming is that there are still potholes in a number of roads and rubbish is still evident in a number of places such as Relief Market. As at Thursday evening though, workers were still frantically working the clear the drains both manually and mechanically, with most of the drains looking free of impediments so much so that with the heavy rain witnessed on Wednesday morning in Owerri, no flood was recorded.
Imo is relatively clean although not yet completely green. But the administration is certainly on the right track and only needs to pay greater attention to industrial development of the state that will create jobs faster than anything he has done so far. That way, the incidence of kidnapping, which is giving him and the rest of the denizens of the state sleepless nights, will either disappear or reduce drastically. For a short spell of one year, it is not possible to do everything there is to do. Judging by what’s on ground and the mood of the people, Ohakim is certainly on track.

Scorecard: Above Average

Plateau

Governor: Jonah David Jang
Party: PDP
Sworn-in: 29th May 2007
LGA : 17
Population: 3.2million
Federal Allocation: N30.8b

Plateau State faces many challenges. Located in the North-Central zone of Nigeria, it enjoys a few comparative advantages in the areas of agriculture and mineral resources. With a history of ethnic and religious violence, the State strives to adopt best practices in good governance to ensure service delivery to the citizens.
Still reeling from a N1.1bn Ecological Fund diversion corruption scandal which occurred between the previous administration led by Reverend Joshua Dariye and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a regressive State of Emergency period, mountains of filth and huge default in counterpart funding, many would have given Plateau State little hope of survival, let alone deliver the necessary dividends of democracy. But things seem to be far from expectant public innuendo.
However, the story appears to be uplifting given the gradual but effective steps taken by the current administration led by Air Commodore Jonah Jang (rtd), who has declared his own state of emergency on the education and sanitation sectors, and proffered a 10-point agenda to lift a state, rich in tourist spots, out of the doldrums. The State’s ten-point agenda, which is based on laying a solid foundation for sustainable poverty reduction, wealth creation and stable democratic governance structures, include sustainable peace and security; governance and administrative reforms; education and human resource development; improved taxes and finances; agricultural, among others.

Allocations-Budget Outlay
According to statistics from various relevant Ministries in the State, the current administration met a partly-implemented budget of N35.4 billion in May 2007, being N23.7bn for recurrent expenditure and N11.6bn for capital expenditure. Also, for the period between May 2007 - Jan 2008 the revenue breakdown was: Statutory Allocations/VAT/ Excess Crude N19,436,757,560.20 Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) N1,401,990,368.79 Total N20,838,747,928.99 Inherited debt: N72 billion However, for 2008, the overall budget of Plateau State, which has 14 Ministries under the State Government, was N63 billion, comprising N25.6bn as recurrent expenditure (41 per cent of total budget), and N37.3bn as capital expenditure (59 per cent of budget).

Short-term Achievements
Civil Service reform (in process) N150 million saved monthly from ghost workers Road rehabilitation within Jos metropolis: over 70 km
Over 1,000 women (mainly widows) recruited for sanitation and refuse clearing in Jos. Due Process mechanism instituted with about N6 billion saved15 fully-equipped Hillux vehicles purchased and handed over to security agencies for peace and security.
Medium-term Plans Construction of 2 major roads in each of 17 Local Govt Areas in Plateau State Construction of a 5km road in each LG headquarters Planting of 1 million trees in Jos for beautification and wind breaks 17 borehole drilling machines to be bought and supplied each LGA Specialist Hospital to be sited in each of 3 Senatorial Districts of the State Resolution of labour dispute on per cent increase in worker allowances

Priority Focus Education:
Budget = 2.49 billion
No of Pry Schools = 2,498
No of pupils = 821,027 (Male: 422,530, Female: 398,492)
Post Pry-Schools = 542 public, private 247 (147,737 students overall)
Teachers = 21,743 (male 13,360; female 8,383)
No of classrooms = 10,667
Adult Education Centres = 711 (with 14,360 students)

Environment:
Budget: N843.8 billion
Drainage channels and gutters constructed in Jos to check flooding
Over 70 km of roads rehabilitated within Jos metropolis
N6 million spent on procurement and installation of 1,000 side-walk refuse bins to improve sanitation in Jos
Efforts are on to check illegal open-pit mining practice.
N50 million spent on relief assistance to windstorm and rainstorm victims in Kyarang-Dawang, B/Ladi LGA and rain storm in southern Plateau.
Purchase of water tankers to water township plants and improve environment.

Administration & Security:
Ongoing efforts at resolving labour disputes over allowances increment Prompt payment of salaries (25th of every month)
Purchase of Hillux pick-up vehicles to enhance security of lives
Inclusion of 80 per cent of previously ignored pensioners

Poverty Reduction Efforts
The best effort of the current administration regarding poverty alleviation has been the payment of pensions and gratuity of retired workers, which has helped to lift many families out of poverty and boost their self-esteem. Also the recruitment of the 1,000 women to clean the streets of the State capital has helped to improve the livelihood of several families in Plateau State.

Major Challenge
According to THISDAY findings, the main challenge facing the Plateau State Government is the need for quick resolution of the labour dispute. Although the recent third workers strike over increment in percentage of allowances is currently suspended, there is an uneasy calm. This, concerned observers fear, may disrupt the desired rapid growth of the State’s economy, if the issue is not promptly resolved. There are various versions to the face-off. One version states that the State is prepared to pay the 15 per cent increase in salary on basic wages only, a move the labour union wants extended to other forms of remuneration including allowances. Another version states that the 15 per cent issue has been resolved by both the State officials and labour leaders, with the issue of payment of increment on allowances yet to be resolved.
The source disclosed that while the previous administration agreed to pay 20 per cent increase in allowances to workers, the workers are asking for 40 per cent increase from the current administration. To agree, the State Government is saying it has to streamline its work force, which is the reason for the current stand-off. THISDAY also gathered from official sources that the State Head of Service, Dr. Mamzhi had to be replaced at the negotiation table by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Bukar Bello, to ensure speedy resolution of the negotiation process.
Jang: Governance with Dispatch Air Commodore Jang (rtd.), who was formerly the Governor of Benue and then Gongola States, may appear benign in appearance and curt in his decision-making, but objective stakeholders told THISDAY that the ex-military leader and businessman cannot be faulted on two issues; his dogged commitment to good governance and dislike of official corruption. The 64 year old retired-Airforce officer was also accused of allegedly ignoring the people and sometimes the Legislature in policy formulation processes; and as being autocratic in his stance. But his commitment to developing Plateau was not in doubt; a trait buttressed by his victories at the Plateau State Election Petition Tribunal and the upper Court of Appeal. Given his agenda for rebuilding a previously unpopular State, and his strict adherence to the Rule of Law and implementation of budget provisions, many are of the opinion that he should be allowed to lift Plateau State to a higher level in terms of good governance and service delivery.

Scorecard: Average