Matawalle Milked Zamfara State Dry – Gov Lawal

• Says predecessor left empty treasury
• Promises better days ahead

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration inherited an empty treasury on taking over the reins of power in the North West state on May 29, 2023.

According to him; “The Zamfara State we inherited is in a bad state. At the time we took over, Zamfara was bankrupt with nothing left. It is a state where we inherited so many bad things,”

Governor Lawal, who spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during an interactive session with Zamfara professionals, said the immediate past Governor Bello Matawale unfortunately milked the State dry before leaving office.

However, the banker turned politician assured the professionals that the situation would change for better, and solicited their support to rebuild the state for the overall good of the people.

Governor Lawal, who specifically claimed inheriting a bankrupt State with three-month salary backlog for civil servants, said things were so terrible when he took over that due to huge debt overhang, students from the State could not sit for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) that had concluded its examinations.

He said; “Fortunately for us, NECO (National Examinations Council) is about to start and if we did not do anything, the children may not write the exam”, adding that existing records indicated that the state was owing WAEC about N1.6 billion and NECO about N1.4 billion.

While explaining that this unfortunate situation made it impossible for the students to sit for past examinations the governor said the new administration recently paid off the outstanding NECO’s debt in order to start on a clean slate.

“This is something that is verifiable. Outside security, education is key because without education, we are going no where,” he said, adding that the State Government has already commenced reconstruction of primary schools and building the capacity of the teachers to boost their productivity going forward.

On steps so far taken to address the State’s precarious financial situation, Governor Lawal said from the existing 28 ministries, the number has been reduced to 16 ministries as part of efforts at reducing the cost of governance.

Also expressing unhappiness over the poor condition of hospitals across the state, he said the new administration is committed to change all the negative narratives, and appealed to all well-meaning individuals and organisations within and outside the state to robustly partner with his government to give the health sector a new lease of life.

He said as part of measures to tackle in security across the state, the State government has already engaged with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the way forward.

Further informing the gathering of his engagements with European Union (EU) and the World Bank officials on issues of insecurity, education, health and infrastructural development among other issues, Governor Lawal hinted of their positive responses in terms of readiness to provide the required support.

He however maintained that all hands must be on deck to drive Zamfara State to the next level of development, saying; “I appeal to you all to be our ambassadors, that in everything you do, Zamfara comes first.

“We can’t do it alone. We need the support of all to change the fortune of Zamfara State. I want to appeal to all to keep praying for peace and prosperity for our dear state. I am open for discussion, I am open for advice and collectively, we shall build a better Zamfara.”

Speaking on behalf of the Stakeholders, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, saluted the governor on his electoral victory and assumption of office as the Chief Executive of Zamfara State.

He conveyed the Stakeholders’ readiness to assist the administration deliver democracy dividends to the people, adding; “When we call on you, try and listen to us.”

Shinkafi also assured the Governor that the federal civil servants from the State would remain apolitical and continue to positively contribute towards developing the State.

In his intervention at the session, the Grand Khadi of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Ibrahim Rufai-Imam, challenged the people of Zamfara to love themselves irrespective of their local government of origin.

According to him; “Let us unite and see how we can move the state forward. We need to continue praying for the state to come out of the present predicament.”

On a general note, some of the professionals at the forum, described as the first of its kind in terms of political engagement and engineering between the State Government and the Zamfara people, tasked the new administration on urgent measures to tackle insecurity, education, agriculture and youth empowerment among others.

Born on 2nd September 1965, Lawal was elected on the PDP platform in the March 18, 2023 gubernatorial polls by defeating the then incumbent Governor Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC).