For several years, the three Northern eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, referred to as the BAY states, were severely devastated by the protracted Boko Haram security challenge. Thousands of people lost their lives, millions of others were displaced, losing their means of livelihood and living in undignified conditions.
…Improved security/reconstruction
The last few years have, however, recorded tremendous increase in improved security with most of the displaced persons returning to their communities to rebuild their homes and reclaim their socio-economic lives lost to the insurgency.
The three most affected states begin the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery exercise with specific priorities in accordance with their peculiarities and the immediate needs of their people.
In Yobe state, the Governor Mai Mala Buni administration gave priority to the reconstruction of critical infrastructures including schools, roads, healthcare, water and electricity among others to facilitate a speedy recovery programme. Similarly, the state government introduced various skill acquisition programmes, direct financial support, provision of commercial vehicles and tricycles, and of course, the Multi Billion Naira ambitious Agricultural Empowerment programme have greatly supported the recovery process providing the beneficiaries and their families with a sustainable means of livelihoods.
…Education
As a deliberate and strategic investment for the future of the State, Governor Buni declared a state of emergency on education, and reconstructed over 250 schools, established 14 new Mega and Model schools, recruited teachers and stocked libraries and laboratories with books and equipment. A deliberate policy on scholarship was also launched to enhance advanced studies. In the last five years, over 38,000 Yobe State students were offered scholarships to pursue their first degrees, Masters and Doctorate degrees in tertiary institutions across Nigeria..
Within the same period, over 400 international scholarships were offered to students to study in Egypt, the United Kingdom, China, the United States, Jordan, Turkey, Malaysia, Russia, and other Countries. Government also provided support for professional courses to law graduates in Law school, ICAN, and ANAN professional certificates for accountants, and a monthly stipend paid to students studying medicine in Universities, Nursing and Midwifery.
…Boosting the health sector
The health sector witnessed impressive transformation through the one functional Primary Healthcare Center in each of the 178 political wards programme. So far, 142 have been completed, commissioned and now serving the people. Again, four General Hospitals were upgraded to Specialist hospitals with eight primary health centres upgraded to General Hospitals, customised tricycle and vehicle ambulances were procured and distributed to health facilities across the state.
The Yobe State University Teaching Hospital was re-equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to provide healthcare services and facilitate medical research at the newly established Biomedical Research Center which is now receiving international attention from famous international research centers like the Crick Research Institute, York University and London University College all in the United Kingdom. The establishment of Nigeria’s largest Maternal and Child Care health complex, and the massive training and automatic employment of healthcare personnel, was the icing on the cake in the state’s healthcare development programme.
The results were enormous as testified by the massive influx of patients seeking healthcare services in Damaturu, the state capital. Today, kidney patients in the state are saved from travelling far distances to seek medical treatment including dialysis as the Buni administration provides free dialysis and all other treatment to kidney patients in the state.
…On roads/housing
The construction of inter town and township roads across the state has eased means of transportation of people, goods and services. The newly constructed five modern markets in Nguru, Gashua, Damaturu, Potiskum and Geidam, have enhanced economic growth in the communities.
The construction of over 2,300 housing units, remains the single largest housing programme in the state. Buni’s magnanimity of disposing the houses to well- deserved beneficiaries on owner/occupier basis with a fifty subsidy makes him an exceptional humanitarian leader.
…Empowerment/employment in droves
As part of empowerment programme of the state government, hundreds of youth from across the 17 local government areas received training in paint making, carpentry, welding, electrical and electronics repairs, block making, Plaster of Paris and interlocking, automobile repairs, Computer, and POS operation among others for self employment and reliance. Widows were supported with livestock including sheep, goats, cows and chicken for poultry.
In 2021, the Buni administration established the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Empowerment and Employment Generation to broaden the intervention programmes. The ministry commenced with the empowerment of 68,000 small and medium scale business persons, distribution of 100 Avensis cars to commercial drivers, irrigation pumps, grinding machines, Keke NAPEP and JEGA tricycles worth over N1.3 billion to youth, widows, people with special needs and other vulnerable persons.
The employment of 15 graduates per each of the 178 political wards totalling 26,700 into the state service provided many families with sustainable means of livelihood with dignity. The new employees became bread winners of their families, and this mopped up many displaced and vulnerable persons who were hitherto forced into street begging, and loitering the streets in undignified conditions.
…Agriculture
The 2024 agricultural and financial incentives provided by the Yobe state government to improve food sufficiency and security, generate employment and to create wealth remains historic. The Buni administration launched 100 Zoom Lion Tractors, 300 sets of Ox-drawn ploughs, 5,349 small ruminants (goats), 1,349 hand push planters, 889 hand-push plough machines, 590 hand-push tiller machines, 4,202 solar-powered irrigation water pumps, over 1,000 harvester, improved assorted seeds and 72,000 bags of fertilizer, 1,000 threshers, 10 IMC Double Cabin 4 wheel drive vehicles for supervision of extension service workers, 200 motor cycles to extension service workers to boost agricultural extension services across the state. Thirty (30) farmers from each of the 178 electoral wards benefited from the programme.
…Incentives for SMEs entrepreneurs
The State government in November 2024 provided N2.93 billion economic stimulus to support 40,000 small and medium-scale entrepreneurs, flood victims and vulnerable persons. The breakdown shows that 25,500 flood victims and vulnerable persons received N50,000 each, while 15,000 small and medium scale entrepreneurs received N100,000 each, to boost their trades and drive economic growth.
According to Governor Buni, “these initiatives reflect the guiding principles of our administration to protect the vulnerable, empower our citizens, and create pathways for self-reliance and prosperity. By investing in the flood victims, vulnerable groups and small business owners, we are addressing immediate recovery needs and laying the foundation for long-term economic resilience”.
“The Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) programme we proposed aligns with the global best practices and to address the diverse needs of our citizens. We deliberately adopted direct funds transfer to empower the beneficiaries to prioritize their most urgent needs, promote dignity, accountability, and economic recovery” Governor Buni added.
It is evidently clear that the combination of Governor Buni’s political will to adopt daring but workable measures, and the support by the people who have shown great resilience embracing the resettlement, rehabilitation and recovery process of the state government with a monumental success.
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