If these are not Dividends of Democracy, the Chief Servant has failed? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BY MUSA SULEIMAN Governance is a pact with the people. And it is the responsibility of government to deliver services to the people through various policies and programmes that have direct relevance to their socio-economic aspirations. One important factor about the success of a particular programme or project embarked upon by government is to ensure that such project is completed. It is true that in Nigeria cases of abandoned, White Elephant or simply uncompleted projects abound such that, in some instances, benefitting communities remain pessimistic about projects sited in their areas unless it was completed. Such glaring lack of faith affects even the most transparent, ideational and result-oriented government because of the antecedents of the past. So, for any government to establish confidence in the mindset of the people, it must simply deliver. Since 2007 when the administration of Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu came into existence, unprecedented successes have been attained in the development of infrastructure and provision of basic social amenities to Nigerlites. And in doing so, the government has ensured that no such project that would not be completed is started in the first place. Even in the last lap of the tenure of his administration, the Governor has reassured, during the 2014 budget presentation that all on-going projects embarked upon by him would be completed and commissioned before he leaves office. Although he could easily bask on the fact that government was a continuum, Governor Aliyu does not want to leave anything undone because there is no certainty that such project would be continued by the incoming administration even though he completed several others initiated by the previous government. At a recent Media Briefing, the State Commissioner of Planning and Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, Alhaji Yahaya Dansallau did not only remind Journalists that the central focus of the 2014 budget was completion of on-going projects, he also announced the successful performance of the budget which was put at over 80 per cent within just half year of the annual appropriation. But like the classical arrogance of an unbeliever, some people with fixated mindset still insist that the government has not done much. In line with positivistic developmental journalism, Servant Media went round to see and bring you some of these on-going projects and their levels of completion, all in the true spirit of ‘Seeing is believing’ as well as to justify the claim on the budget performance: THE MINNA GENERAL HOSPITAL EXTENSION- This project was conceived by this administration, first, to expand the hospital and importantly to establish Maternal and Neo-natal or New-born wing at the hospital in its deliberate effort to reduce, to the barest minimum, maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates in the state. Already, work on this project is over 85 per cent completed and the Site Engineer, Mr. Adelani Aderibigbe told Servant Media that the project would be completed by the end November this year. MINNA CITY CENTER: It is a fact that this project remains one so close to the heart of the Chief Servant. And he is aware of the pessimistic attitude or position of some people to the actualization of the project. Surprisingly, and mat be to disconfirm their negative disposition, work on the Minna City Center has been heightened by the rate of activity at the project site. The project is expected to serve as the economic hub and a very high revenue earner for the state government. It is also expected to be completed before the administration hand s over next year. MINNA FIVE STAR HOTEL: Another controversial project that has suffered various criticism especially from political opposition is the Five Star Hotel. A visit to the site was remarkably revealing. For a project Manager for the Fiver Star Hotel, Mr. Ibrahim Aliyu said the project, which is a PPP arrangement, was expected to be completed in March, 2015 and would approximately cost about N19.6Billion. The Hotel is going to be a four wing nine-storey building to be joined at the center, with 305 luxury rooms, eight units of panoramic lift system, swimming pool, parking lot and a host of other facilities that could be found in a five-star hotel. THE 3-ARMS ZONE: Criticism also trailed this project. At conception, even within the government some people were skeptical and considered it as a non-priority project. But the vision behind the idea was to develop the zone and open up the state capital that is exploding without expanding. Now, the most unrepentant of those critics would be amazed with what is happening at the 3-Arms one. A massive road network is in place, the Legislators Quarters has attained 90 per cent completion while the Christian and Muslim Religious Centers are coming up. Seeing is believing. MAITUMBI-MAIKUNKELE BY-PASS ROAD: Servant Media Crew took a jolly drive along this 14.4 kilometer Eastern By-pass road even though it is yet to be completed. Virtually all the major earth works and side drains have been completed and the asphalt works would soon commence. Site Engineer, Mr. Adebayo Festus said the road project would be delivered between November and December, 2014. The road project, which is under the N9Billion bond facility taken by the state government, has created opportunity for the expansion of the state capital to the east and broken the natural barrier imposed by the existence of giant rocks of Paida towards Maitumbi axis. MINNA ULTRA-MODERN STADIUM: At the time of this on-the-spot inspection, only the site of the proposed stadium was been cleared, but representative of the Chinese company handling the projects was on ground. Mr. Lee, the Site Engineer, said work would commence fully as soon as the rains stop assuring that the completion period of next year April was still feasible because when work starts they would compensate for the lost time by working day and night. The Site Engineer, however, said they were faced with the challenge of bringing electricity to the site. Overall, from all the sites visited, it was evidently clear that the on-going projects are indeed going on but the delay in the speedy completion was being hampered by the rains. Except for the stadium, all other projects could be speedily completed as soon as the rains were over. OTHER PROJECTS VISITED: The new Market-Old Airport road is almost completed. At least half-way has been asphalted while the remaining part would be done immediately the rains are over. Similarly, the Guest House within the Legbo Kutigi Conference Center is over 90 per cent completed while the Paida-Eid-Burial Ground and Bahago Junction dual carriage way is ready for commissioning. We are also aware of the completion or near completion of the 4kilometer Lapai-Gwari-FUT Minna road; the 48 kilometer Rijau-Dukku road and the 66 Kilometer Kwakwuti-Kafin Koro- Gwada road. Although these projects are tangible and are available for everyone to see, their economic importance cannot be quantified and its impact would be better felt by the people long after this administration has demised. Suffice to say that this administration has also spent over N7Billion on intangible programmes and policies that has direct impact on the lives of the people which included the Free Education up to Secondary school level; payment of WAEC, NECO and NABTEB Examination fees, Scholarship and Bursary to its students in various Tertiary institutions, provision of agricultural equipment and fertilizer subsidy to farmers. This is the situation report, and if these are not dividends of democracy, even from the perspective of the most unrepentant opposition, then the Chief Servant has failed?
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 20:59:54 +0000
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