Edozie Udeojo,Abuja
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Niger State Governor, Mrs. Mary Noel Berje has said that the government of Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has set precedence and demonstrated exemplary leadership traits by delivering service and good governance according to the people’s need.
Speaking to Journalists in Minna, the CPS said the administration, now in it’s fifth year, has carved a niche for itself for instituting sanity and financial discipline by remaining focused in its anti-corruption crusade, blocking wastages and creating more avenues for enhanced revenue generation in the state.
She stated that the government has remained consistent in developing those prioritized areas considered as pedestal in the economic transformation of the state as contained in it’s blueprint for the strategic planning and development of the state.
Mrs. Mary Noel Berje explained that the administration of Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has achieved what no other government has achieved so much in the areas of education, health, agriculture and infrastructure.
Outlining some of the Governor’s achievements, the Press Chief said ;
“The Governor Sani Bello-led administration has constructed and renovated more than 2,500 schools across the state and completely overhauled 22 under the Whole Schools Development Approach. It established the Teacher Professional Development Institute and also recruited 2,600 Teachers”.
According to the CPS, the administration is also consolidating its effort in agriculture by ensuring that the potentials in this area of comparative economic advantage are fully developed and maximized for overall prosperity of the state.
“Government is developing the massive 31,000 hectares, multimillion naira Bobi Grazing Reserve to boost Meat and Dairy production. This milestone is expected to provide employment, generate revenue for the state and prevent incessant clashes between Farmers and Herdsmen”.
The Chief Press Secretary disclosed that the administration of Governor Sani Bello has not paid lip service to the health sector because its conscious and apparently aware that without a healthy people, governance is arguably meaningless.
“We have made lots of progress also in the health sector constructing over 50 Primary Healthcare Centers across the state and reconstructing the General Hospitals in Minna, Kontagora, Bida, Suleja, Kutigi and Nasko”.
She said the emergence and spread of the scourge of Coronavirus may have slowed down government’s progress in some sectors but that the pandemic actually brought out the administration’s dexterity and governability.
The CPS recalled that, even before the global pandemic (Covid-19) arrived the state, the state government had established Isolation Centers, procured Ventilators and now testing equipment and provided proactive leadership in the fight against the virus and other epidemiological diseases.
“Government of Abubakar Sani Bello has upgraded the IBB Specialist Hospital, equipped the Neonatal Wing of the Minna General Hospital, employed over 250 medical personnel and health workers and increased their salaries by upto 40 per cent”
Mrs. Noel Berje disclosed that remarkable success has been attained with the resuscitation of the, hitherto, moribund Fire Service across the state and restoration of enhanced water supply Minna, Kontagora, Bida Suleja, New Bussa and Lapai.
She said Governor Sani Bello-led administration has, in collaboration with security agencies, also sustained the war against armed banditry, kidnappings and Cattle rustling and is doing everything within its powers to secure the lives and property of the citizens.
“The Governor has also prioritized the welfare of the workers and pensioners by remaining consistently regular in the payment of their salaries, pension and gratuities. He implemented the 2019 new National Minimum Wage and salary structure for health workers and Federal Paramilitary salary structure for the state Fire Service among numerous others”.
“There are other very remarkable milestones, particularly in the provision of infrastructure. We have witnessed massive and unprecedented construction of over 500 kilometers of rural roads as well as several roads in Minna, Kontagora, Bida, Agaie, Suleja, Tegina, Zungeru etc.”
The Chief Press Secretary noted that these potent milestones and successes recorded by the administration of Governor Sani Bello are not by any means the end stressing that ‘the road to success is still under construction’.