By Abu Shekara
Development is the process of improvement in the condition of the state in all facets. It is a process of change that is positive, when it impacts desirably on the lives of the people.
Development is deemed to occur to the extent it is obvious to the majority of citizens, by the noticeable transformation of the socioeconomic life of the state. In real terms, development ought not to only be but it should also, seem to be.
Even though more easily quantifiable by physical structures and tangible socioeconomic conditions, development can only be sustained if it is situated on the foundation of a strong institution of government. And while projects are an evidence of progress, an effective system is the prerequisite for their utilization to benefit society. The failure of the massive projects and programs being carried out in Nigeria to impact on development is therefore, mainly due to the weakness of governments as institutions.
Under the Tambuwal administration Sokoto State has joined the global trend in development planning, which upholds institutional strengthening as the bedrock of all policies. His transformation of the state is being executed by a governmental system that is being improved in capacity, thus increasing its effeciency to utilize the ongoing massive projects to deliver service to the people.
This paradigm shift began with the inception of the current government in the state. In the first two years of his first term, Tambuwal lay the foundation of his administration on the sound guidance of blueprints that were produced by committees of reputable experts in various sectors.
His transformational agenda for education is pursued through a State of Emergency declared from the resolution of a retreat for state executive and experts. Agricultural policies under Tambuwal’s administration are inspired by the counsel of an Agricultural Transformation Committee of practitioners, while the state’s healthcare program is guided by the Strategic Health Development Plan, which is a product of global partners and all stakeholders in the sector.
Development in Sokoto under Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is being executed from a definable workplan that is inspired by the needs and priorities of the state, as ascertained by experts and stakeholders in the various sectors. It is a process that is open and transparent and implimented according to global best practices, as testified to by the measurement of relevant agencies in the aspect of development.
One of the evaluation models in subscription in the country is the State of States report, which employs certain indices to assess the performance of governments in the implimentation of financial and fiscal policies.The State of States reporting model is a system that ranks state governments in Nigera on their performance in finance, budget and expenditure. It particularly affords states a comparative view of their effeciency in relation to their counterparts in the country.
Sokoto is one of the states in Nigeria that have over the years been reported as one of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged in Nigeria. And even though its assessment by agencies like the NBS remain in contest, the state has not relented in the effort to progress from whatever status it actually occupied in previous years.
The drive to improve the indices for Sokoto is borne out of the conviction by the state’s Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal that development is too critical to the life of the people to be a mere subject of debate or recriminations. And the steady progress being recorded is clearly manifest in the state’s ranking under the State of States assessment regime.
On the viability index, that is the measure of the capacity of states to operate without federally allocated revenue, Sokoto State ranks 17th out 36 states in Nigeria. This achievement is work in progress, as prudence in the management of finances becomes a hallmark of Tambuwal’s administration.
The passing of the Fiscal Responsibility law in the state, supported by the establishment of the relevant Commission is eliminating from the system, drains on needed revenue for development.
Prudent and effecient utilization of finances attract global confidence and support for Sokoto State. The mark of this recognition is the award of an N8 billion World Bank prize to Sokoto, as the Best State in Nigeria in the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SIFTAS) program, thus acquiring extra financing that is injested into the operation of governance.
Sokoto is also one of the few states in the country to migrate to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) a budgetary system that upholds global best practices in fiscal policy implementation as at 2020. It is the tool for the pursuit of realistic and measurable performance budget for the public sector, which Sokoto State has embraced.
Among states with a balance of more public revenue to invest in capital projects after repayment of
obligations to lenders and recurrent expenditure, Sokoto is 7th in Nigeria. This is again, another mark of prudence in the management and allocation of resources.
Sokoto is the second least indebted state with comparative but sparingly exploited latitude to borrow more due to low debt burden. But the status has not held Governor Tambuwal back from carrying out numerous infrastructural projects in all sectors.
Transformational projects in the economic sector in Sokoto State include rural and urban roads, bridges and flyovers and double carriage ways. Others are the ongoing dairy project and support to farmers, with focus on specific cash and food crops that are selected for the ongoing industrialization drive.
Legacy projects in the social sector include the 900 bed capacity State University Teaching Hospital, proposed College of Medical Sciences for the State University and the completed Ultra Modern Diagnostic Center. Other works in the health subsector are the College of Nursing Sciences in Tambuwal and the renovation and upgrade of Primary Health Centers in rural areas across the state.
In the education subsector, Tambuwal is engaged in the construction of infrastructure at the State University, the Polytechnic and Colleges of Nursing and Health Technology. This is in continuation of a transformation drive that began in 2015, with the building of a N2 billion modern secondary school in Balle, in Gudu Local Government and renovation and construction of two storey classroom blocks in secondary schools all over Sokoto State.
The ultra modern sports complex and indoor sports hall in the outskirt area of Kasarawa are nearing completion, while the games courts of the Giginya Memorial Stadium have been expanded and modernized.
Regardless of these developments, civil servants in Sokoto State are not owed salaries, which is the new minimum wage. Pensions have not failed, while the settlement of an inherited backlog of gratituties is being sustained. In addition, the size of the service is expanding, due to the employment of additional workers, especially in the critical areas of education and health.
Tambuwal is pursuing these and other numerous transformational projects in Sokoto State against the background of a very low debt profile and the position of the state as number 18 in FAAC allocation in Nigeria.
The trend is being reenforced by the enactment of the Sokoto Internal Revenue Service law. Now the agency is autonomous and further strengthened for more effecient service, by its relocation to a new complex at the Investment House, employment of additional personnel, provision of logistics and the digitization of its operations. The performance of the agency will be ultimately boosted to its uptimum by the new office complex for the revenue service and state treasury department that is under construction.
Meanwhile, the investment and entrepreneurship climate is being boosted in the state, as the government embraces strategies to implement the Ease of Doing Business initiative, in which it is second in Nigeria and 35th in the State of States Unemployment and Underemployment index. These dividends are realized through such moves as the setting up of the Sokoto One Stop Shop, which has greatly facilitated entreprenuel activities in Sokoto State.
Governor Tambuwal is shifting the paradigm of service delivery in Sokoto State from exclusive dependence on limited local resources through the pursuit of national and global partnerships for development. This approach is securing for Sokoto, available financial and technical support beyond the state and Nigeria.
Dividends are accruing to the state from Tambuwal’s reach out for development strive. Some of these benefits include private sector investments like the OCP Morroco Fertilizer Plant and Dangote Rice Mill which are under construction and the Dundaye Posphate Factory.
Private sector and Development Agencies interventions are a critical part of Tambuwal’s transformation multi-sectoral drive. These include the BUA, Ishiaka Rabiu Foundation’s new College of Medical Sciences, Sokoto State University, which has reached an advance level of completion and the NEWMAP Storm Water Project, which is providing a lasting solution to the decades old perennial flooding in the urban sprawl of Mabera in Sokoto Metropolis.
Development in Sokoto is a matter of fact. It is a trend that is defined by clear indicators and the acknowledgement of national and global authorities, using the best tools of assessment of tangible progress and the intangible but more critical prerequisites for genuine and sustainable development.
• Shekara wrote from Sokoto.