“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” ……..Nelson Mandela
I have a reason to be in Kano again lately, like at every other occasion, they are various enchanting and enticing development that can only gladden one’s heart.
The current administration in Kano is performing exceedingly well in all the areas and promises made to the people during the electioneering. Looking back after his swearing for the second tenure few years ago, Governor Kwankwaso has this remarkable remarks to the people when he said: “We as the Government will continue to work with people of this State. I always tell my Commissioners, Advisers, and SSG, the Chief of Staff and everyone else that we are the servants of the people. We must serve their interest, and not ours.”
So far for what everyone has seen on the ground, he will be long remembered in the history of Nigerian politics because of two important events. He is the first leader in the whole of Hausa land to be defeated at the polls and return a conqueror. He is the first governor to bring a radical approach to Educational development in the whole of Northern Nigeria.
He is a Governor who made it clear that his government is not one in which people will come and share the treasury amongst themselves in the name of ‘the people’s Governor’.
He instituted the policy of zero tolerance for corruption in the state civil service ensuring that no one has the temerity to divert public funds for his private use without risking arrest. He gave corruption the red card, abolishing the votes which give Governors the right to spend public funds without the approval of the state executive council. His ideology is simple and built on the basis of trust and integrity.
According to several sources, he is and open minded person who doesn’t believed in deceiving masses through the fraudulent use of religion, culture and tradition in order to manipulate them. He is a very patient man who for 8 years remained silent despite all the fake allegations labelled against him. He is a disciplined man who believes every public servant and staff must be very committed to their work. He acknowledged and executes any initiatives with urgency without delay e.g. feeding primary school students and free maternity services among others.
He is and remains a leader who sacrificed his pensions to pensioners and at one time donated part of his salary to Government account for the people. He refers to security funds, which some state executive corner as ‘corruption’.
He lived up to his campaign promises by not obtaining any loan to the state despite miniature grants received from the federation account during his first 4 year tenure. Even at the end of that tenure, together with former members of his cabinet went to congratulate the man that defeated him in the polls without nursing grudges.
Back to the reality on the ground, all his current accomplishments ad achievements in turning Kano to another Eldorado would have been impossible without his philosophy of financial discipline and patriotic zeal to develop the state to modern reality. And thus, within two years of returning to office, he has returned his home state back to its former glory.
Hawwah Abdullahi Gambo Kano State ummtaheerah@gmail.com
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