By Rilwan Muhammad
As a passer-by to Gwaram, one of the luckiest local government areas of Jigawa state that got a leader of unmatchable standing, you would not resist the lust of feasting your inquisitive eyes on an edifice that stood a few kilometers from the emerging town of Gwaram.
If you are a regular user of the road that links Darazo/Gwaram-Kano, you may be wavering in astonishment as to whether the Gwaram Local Government Secretariat which hitherto was in some condition no one would love describing is still the building. Refurbished now by the Council Chairman, Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar, the sight of the building of the Secretariat is enough an evidence to force you conclude that there is now a serious government in place; the one that values its people, understands its mandate, knows its purview and navigates its way with all sincerity.
This is the reason the name Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar is pervading the fabrics of the state and beyond; for, barely six months after his assumption of office, the sectors of Gwaram Local Government are receiving an unprecedented boost. Little wonder his steps and coordinated approach towards actualising his dreams of making Gwaram a better place are being emulated by others.
When he came in, on July 1, 2021 and saw the task that lay ahead of him, he didn’t falter as others would do – instead, he vowed to imbue himself with the requisite and needed energy, courage, resilience and determination to overcome the challenges. The six eventful and fruitful months of Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar have witnessed the evolution of Gwaram as more and more projects were executed in a prudential manner that defines a serious government.
Were you to be told that strict but necessary policies and laws on checking moral decadence and upholding moral values in the society would be implemented and enacted, you might have a cause to suggest lack of modicum in the assertion. Commercial sex workers would come from different places and shelter themselves in Gwaram, some of them with scarcely perceptible identities. A stop has been put to it.
The coming of Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar has flipped a new chapter in the book of Politics and Governance in Gwaram, making the town the envy of many.
People from different places would, until now, come and obtain Gwaram Local Government indigene certificate just so because there were – if you’d permit the use of the word – lax guidelines for obtaining the certificate. The issuance of the certificate was suspended and checking the irregularities and rolling out new modality for obtaining it was spelt to be the purview of a committee instituted by the Chairman. With all the necessary sense knocking into the process, the suspension was called off.
Water, they say, is life; for, it’s the very necessity upon which survival hinges. Give people water, make its access available, improve its quality; and you will be amazed at how this can improve the quality of their lives. On this sector, Mr. Chairman has done remarkably well. He toured round the local government and identified communities with challenge of water, due to malfunctioning facilities or other reasons. He gave directive that all dysfunctional water facilities be fixed in no time and distillate fuel oil be supplied on a monthly basis to water booster stations across the local government to improve access to potable drinking water to the good people of Gwaram.
“Perhaps, the most amazing and life-changing innovation made by humans is electricity. Survival without electricity is unimaginable now.” – Space Coast Daily.
This is very true. Imagine how miserable life would be without electricity! Until the coming of Hon. Zahraddeen, some power facilities in Gwaram had been dysfunctional for some time, and so the people were in blackout. Upon the directive by the Chairman, 12 transformers that were out of service have been repaired. Other equipment necessary for the restoration of power in the local government area was also procured.
He was at the capital city to seek ministerial intervention in the area of electrification of rural communities in Gwaram. He was also at the Rural Electrification Agency with a similar request.
On security, his commitment towards ensuring adequate security for the people must be adjudged best. And why this is said is simple: he frequently convenes and presides over security meetings to review with security operatives the security situation of the local government area. At such meetings, proactive and pragmatic solutions are proffered to ward off looming security threats with a view to fostering lasting peace in the area. To make smooth the operation of the police in fighting criminal activities, he repaired their patrol vehicle. Land disputes have reduced to their barest minimum, courtesy of the intervention of the Executive Chairman. The establishment of Police Training, Vocational and Technical Schools in Gwaram is also underway, following a request put forth by the Chairman to the Inspector General of Police.
The health sector is also receiving the attention it deserves under the leadership of Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar. His drive for quality health service delivery has led to the actualisation of upgrade of Primary Healthcare Facilities in Gwaram. He sought intervention from National Primary Healthcare Development Agency in Abuja to renovate and equip healthcare facilities across Gwaram local government area. He has also sought the intervention of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in establishing Children and Women Hospital, the establishment of which will help address the prevalence of maternal and child mortality and other health related challenges.
More than 20 committees were constituted, each with its terms of reference. Some of these committees have since swung into full action. For example, the committee on education has thus far visited many schools across the local government as part of its mandate. Committees on the Elimination of Drug Abuse, Land, Ulama, Farmers and Pastoralists and others have all commenced action.
Government properties that were acquired illegally are now reclaimed. Gwaram liaison house which until now was in shabby condition has lately been renovated. The renovation of Duplex House at Gwaram is also underway. A lot, we can say, has been achieved in just six months. We are keeping fingers crossed that more and more developmental projects are in the offing. It’s just a matter of time.
With all these, the altruistic leader’s generosity knows no bounds. He sponsored the education of some students indigenous to Gwaram and helped many a number with registration and accommodation fees. There are other people whose medical bills he has settled. For example, he settled medical bills of some people suffering eye diseases at Ecwa Eye Hospital Kano.
The next fiscal year, as seen in the synopsis of the budget, is a sea of hope as it captured key projects that will improve the quality of life of the people of Gwaram Local Government Area.
Hon. Zahraddeen Abubakar, who is the recipient of numerous awards within the span of his six months in office, is committed to the task of making Gwaram Local Government Area a better place.
© December 31, 2021
