Danladi Ndayebo
12 November 2009
analysis
When philosophers defined success as the enduring product of drive, determination and consistency at positive actions and endeavours, they had no inkling it would fit neatly into the life and times of the Chief Servant and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu.
On the Nigerian scene, however, there are not many people who aptly personify that philosophers' description of a successful man than Dr. Aliyu, the powerful helmsman of the power state. From a fierce trade unionist background in the late 70s, through a stint in partisan politics as member representing Chanchaga federal constituency in the House of Representatives in the year 1983, to a distinguished career in the federal civil service spanning almost two decades, Aliyu comes well groomed for the job of turning around the fortunes of the people of Niger State.
In a country where the tribe of those who play politics without principle is indisputably in the majority, the Chief Servant of Niger State stands tall among equals as a reliable and dependable Servant of his people. Aliyu lives true to the tenets of Servant Leadership, a leadership principle first coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in a 1970 essay that extolled the virtues of the Servant as Leader. The effusive outpouring of joy and kind words for Aliyu by cabinet members, party faithful and close watchers of political developments in the state when he turned 54 November 12, are clear indications of the worth of the erstwhile federal permanent secretary. To borrow the words of Yusuf Maitama Sule, Governor Aliyu is courageous, vibrant, intelligent and one of the few politicians that can be trusted to provide leadership for the country.
Aliyu was elected governor at a time the state was in a dire need of a credible leader that will galvanise resources for developing its potentials. To his credit, he has taken every opportunity given to him by the electorate who reposed their confidence in him on April 14, 2007 through the ballot. Soon after he assumed duties, Governor Aliyu embarked on a campaign of participatory democracy as he fulfilled his campaign promises. The state has enjoyed political stability and sustained development in the last thirty months of the Talba Administration.
The result has been a big leap forward in the fortunes of the state. Niger State under Mu'azu's watch has recorded impressive gains in all areas of human endeavours. The first major problem he had to tackle was the non-payment of gratuity and pension which had accumulated for almost a decade.
Governor Aliyu immediately paid up arrears of gratuity and pension to all retirees and continued to promptly pay as at when due monthly pension of these old folk. At a meeting with Directors-General last month, he informed for the umpteenth time that personnel emolument also had to be tackled to get the best out of workers. It is the Governor's belief that you cannot expect discipline out of a staff you owe.
Aliyu has moved in to reduce maternal mortality through the introduction of free anti-natal care for pregnant women and also free medical care for the aged and children from the age of 0-5years.
A lot of work has been done in the educational sector with the introduction of free education for females up to Senior Secondary School as well as payment of WAEC and NECO fees to all students regardless of students' state of origin in Niger schools. Aliyu has also embarked on rapid reconstruction of township roads in Minna,just as he is providing access roads in all the local government areas through the construction of 10km roads by each local government council.
He has also created conducive atmosphere for participatory democracy through Jama'a Forum, a popular meet the people programme and a well constituted poverty eradication programme through Small & Medium Scale Enterprises/Micro Finance Banks, NAPEP, and CCT etc. Conscious effort has also been made to ease housing problems faced by Nigerlites. This is done through the provision of housing units in all the major towns of the state. Other areas of intervention by Governor Aliyu include the establishment of graduate employment scheme and distribution of agro input to farmers at ward level.
Perhaps the most popular dividend of democracy in the state is the introduction of Ward Development Projects initiative, which recognizes the Ward level as the smallest political unit and the target of development programmes. Through a State Legislation, each of the state's 274 Wards receive monthly grants for the execution of capital projects that are considered relevant to the socio-economic life of the Wards. This initiative of government has been well accepted and appreciated by the people. Many States have been visiting Niger State to understand the concept and its modus operandi; many have indeed applied and replicated the concept.
It is significant to mention that Governor Aliyu is doing very well even in the face of distractions occasioned by litigations initiated by opposition elements both within and outside the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). When the disqualified Governorship candidate of the PDP, Jibrin Bala Alhassan Guna and the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Barr. David Umaru challenged Gov Aliyu's election before the courts, the latter maintained calm composure in the face of all the propaganda that followed.
Aliyu deliberately refused to make a political capital out of his triumph at both the Abuja and Kaduna divisions of the Appeal Court.
Ndayebo is the Director General (Media Relations & Strategy), Government House, Minna.
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