Adamawa State And The Jinx Of Underdevelopment: Governor Bindow To The Rescueby Martins Dickson

By Martins Dickson

The successful creation of states in 1991 under the Ibrahim Babangida administration saw the emergence of Taraba state carved out of the defunct Gongola state, the remaining geographical area was renamed Adamawa State on the 27th of August 1991.

Expectations for the new Adamawa was high owing to the prowes of the defunct Gongola state in many facets of life but these expectations were recurrently dashed like a repeated decimal that has little or no value.

One critical area in which these disappointment keep raising it's ugly head is in the area of infrastructural development. There are many other key sectors that have suffered similar fate but my focus in this piece, shall be the provision of basic infrastructure with emphasis on intra and inter city roads.

The roads in Adamawa state have been associated with pot holes, you rarely have a smooth drive within the state capital even on major roads. Visitors have often mocked residents on the dilapidated nature of roads in the city.

At the onset of the fourth Republic the people of Adamawa state hoped for a rapid development in infrastructure that will place Adamawa State in the lead especially in North-East Nigeria.

> Neighbouring states like Gombe and Taraba which were newly created began to outpace Adamawa in the provision of infrastructure and setting the pace for what deliberate modernisation of cities and towns should be, providing for the people the dividends of democracy making life near comfortable for the people.

> As neighbouring states continue to outpace Adamawa in the provision of infrastructure, the already existing ones in the state began to age and deteriorate and in no time comparisons of developmental strides between Adamawa and it's neighbouring states became unpalatable.

> These trend continued with successive Governments.

> Little wonder then that when the wind of change began to blow across the country Adamawa state unequivocally embraced change in a bid to try something new may be it's population will also sing the song of infrastructural development.

> The mantra of change brought into power Senator Muhammadu Umar Jibrilla as the Executive Governor of Adamawa State under the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC).

> People prayed for this jinx of underdevelopment that has become a monster in the state to be broken. There were mixed feelings when the new Government which took over on May 29th declared a debt profile of about 45 Billion Naira in the state, but Governor Jibrilla quickly comforted the people by saying it is no excuse to not deliver on His campaign promises, he promised to use his connections and business acumen to weather the storm. Not many people believed the Governor will be focused, committed and proactive. Many concluded that the debt profile of the state will be used as an excuse and the state will go through another four years of stagnation. There is an enormous task of repositioning the state for growth, for indeed Adamawa has been left behind and has been playing catch-up for many years.

> But within 30 days in Office, Senator Muhammadu Umar Jibrilla has flagged off Road constructions in the state that previous Governments haven't done in their entire tenures in office.

> Questions began to pop up in every official and unofficial public discuss.

> where is Governor Bindow sourcing money to pay for these constructions?

> A total of over 300 kilometres of rural roads constructions are ongoing within 30 days of the Governor in Office. Another network of inter city roads construction was flagged off and the projects ongoing.

> What magic is Governor Bindow performing?
> How is the Governor managing these debts and at the same time delivering on His campaign promises?

> Questions, questions and many more questions.
> Governor Muhammed Umar Jibrilla has brought to light the fact that, what Adamawa State lacked since the advent of the fourth Republic was leadership. How else can you explain a situation where salaries are paid up to date and at the same time developmental projects are been flagged off almost on a weekly basis in the state?

> The recurrent decimal of stagnation and lack of infrastructure is gradually been eliminated by the Governor and interestingly within 30 days in Office.

> Permit me to say that the jinx of underdevelopment in Adamawa state has been broken and standard set.

> On the 2nd of July 2015. Nigeria's Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbanjo visited the state for an on the spot assessment of the situation of the internally displaced persons, but because of the enormous construction work going on in the state he spared sometime out of his busy schedule, led by the state Governor, he flagged-off a network of urban roads construction at Wauru-jebbe in Jimeta Yola.

> Construction companies have since the advent of this Government continue to troop into the state and many more including foreign investors are showing great interest in contributing to the development of the state in many sectors.

> As I write this piece, the deputy Governor, is leading a team of foreign investors in accessing four major general hospitals in the state to be evaluated for either reconstruction or rehabilitation to meet global standards in health care delivery.

> The long awaited change has finally arrived in Adamawa State, a new dawn has come.

> Governor Bindow has finally come to the rescue and residents have begun to chant the slogan of a new Adamawa under Governor Bindow.

> The Governor seems unrepentantly determined to change the norm and prove that with a sincere, honest and transparent leadership a lot can be achieved in the provision of infrastructure, leadership is the only thing that is required and leadership he is providing.

> With the pace at which the present Government is going, many residents in the state believe that Adamawa is set to compete with states like Kano, Kaduna and other advanced states in the country. If what is been achieved within the first thirty days in Office of the Governor is sustained, it is not yet imagined what Adamawa State will look like at the end of Governor Bindow's four-year tenure.

> The people of Adamawa State are heaving a sigh of relief, hope is been rekindled, trust earned, expectations met, promises kept and leadership provided. Has the jinx of underdevelopment been broken finally? This is the question on the lips of everyone in the state.

Martins Dickson writes from Yola.

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