Gov Buni Swears in New Commissioners, Special Advisers, Tasks Them onHigh Performance, Transparency , Integrity, Commitment, Loyalty

By Sadiq Abubakar, The Nigerian Voice, Damaturu

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State on Friday sworn -in New State Commissioners and Special Advisers to the at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Damaturu.

He said that, "This means that we are not here just to maintain what we have achieved in the past. We are here to renew our promise and to expand opportunities for our people. We are here to build our state further. We are here to take Yobe firmly to the next level.

“I do not need to tell you”, I said to them, “that our entire state is looking forward to that and anxiously waiting to see what you can do to help in improving the lives of our people. It is a hope anchored on the belief that with just a little more effort, transforming our state and making life more meaningful for our people is within our reach.

"It is within our reach to ensure that our children have the best possible opportunities for a good education, that our farmers have the support they need to make Yobe State the food basket of the nation", Buni said.

The governor added that," It is within our reach to turn our solid mineral potentials into actual prospects so that over time, we could replace poverty with prosperity and want with abundance. I believe it is truly within our reach to do that."

" I believe we could do all this if we roll up our sleeves and work harder on behalf of the people who brought us here – the people whose votes gave us the mandate to lead our state.

"With the state executive council fully in place, Governor Mai Maka said the task of empowering our people and taking our state to the Next Level now moves on. So, congratulations to all the new appointees.

"I want to be clear: I have personal confidence that the men and women who are now members of the state executive council and the special advisers whose counsel I will rely on have the integrity, commitment and sense of purpose to prove every single day that our mantra of continuity, consolidation and innovation is fully on track. I have no doubt about that, Mai Mala said.

"But I have to say that as a system of government, our democracy does not depend on the goodwill or good assumptions or the good intentions of those in power alone.

"It depends on the law. And it depends on the hard work and patience and dedication of those in power to deliver. I will, therefore, hold your feet to the fire – those of you who were sworn into office today.

"I will expect nothing from you other than stellar performance. I will expect that you will use your experience, your creativity and your drive to help our administration achieve its purpose", Buni added

The governor further emphasized that at all times, commissioners loyalty, honesty, commitment and the delivery of your mandate practically and measurably are the gold standards with which they will be measured, cautioning them to always remember also that the public watch them.

"Members of the public on whose behalf we are here as leaders will follow your activities with keen interest. And in the age of social media and instantaneous communication, public opinion and the mass media will always seek answers if we fail to deliver.

"Llet me say that by the order of magnitude, education, agriculture, healthcare and empowerment shall remain our key focus. We will also ensure that our people have access to clean water, and our civil service, the resources it needs to support our developmental drive.

New State Commissioner for Information , Damaturu, Yobe State, Malqm Abdullahi Bego in hand shake with Gov Buni Mai Mala after signing his oath of office and allegiance Friday at the Banquet Hall Government House Damaturu

"We will pursue infrastructural development, including the construction of more roads and drainage lines, and we will ensure that our people have access to affordable housing.

"We will continue to maintain close contact with our development partners. We will meet all counterpart funding obligations and, together with our development partners, we will achieve the goal of a peaceful and prosperous Yobe State," Buni said.

The governor also reminded them that," In everything we do, we will try to have our people by our side. We will keep them regularly informed of all government activities. Through the media and our information agencies, which we will turn around and reinvigorate.

"We will have a feedback loop that ensures that the people and the government are regularly in touch.

We will maintain an open door so that the people can remain confident of the wisdom of their electoral choices", Buni added.

Governor Mai Mala also explained that, in the implementation of his policies and programmes, he has noted that the new appointees have great roles to play, saying, " The success of our administration will predicate on the way they handle the affairs of their ministries and the parastatals under them. All hands must, therefore, be on deck".

"We should also note that honourable commissioners are the chief executive officers and political heads of the ministries they are assigned to. In discharging their duties, they should set examples of good personal conduct, adherence to due diligence and due process", Buni said.

He also appealed to them to work closely with their permanent secretaries, who are the accounting officers of the respective ministries, and with other staff across the board, advising the new appointees to uphold and abide by the oath of office and oath of allegiance they have just been administered to.

The following are the portfolios to which the commissioners are assigned:

Ministry of Justice - Barrister Sale Samanja
Min. of Agriculture and National Resources - Dr. Mrs Mairo Amshi

Ministry of Higher Education - Prof. Muhd Munkaila
Min. of Basic and Secondary Education - Dr. Sani Muhd Idriss

Min. of Health and Human Resources - Dr. Muhd Lawan Gana

Ministry of Works -Engr. Umaru Wakil
Min. of Finance and Economic Development – Hon. Musa Mustapha

Ministry of Water Resources - Sen. Alkali Jajere
Ministry of Environment -Hon. Sidi Yakubu Karasuwa
Min. of Commerce, Trade and Industries - Hon. Barma Shettima

Ministry of Women Affairs -Hajiya Hauwa Bah Abubakar

Min. of Information, Home Affairs and Culture – Hon. Abdullahi Bego

Ministry of Religious Affairs - Hon. Malah Musti
Ministry of Land and Solid Minerals - Hon. Mohammed Lamin

Ministry of Budget and Planning - Muhd Garba Gagiyo

Min. of Youths, Sports and Social Dev. - Hon. Goni Bukar Lawan

Ministry of Transport and Energy - Hon. Abdullahi Usman Kukuwa

Min. for Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs – Hon. Yerima Lawan Mahmoud

Min. of Housing and Urban Development - Hon. Bukar Alhaji Dauda

Min. of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management – Dr. Abubakar Garba Iliya

Governor Mai Mala added that as the state emerges from its security challenges and make progress on its journey towards post-insurgency reconstruction, he said they have a “fierce urgency of now” to re-dedicate themselves to the task of building a more peaceful and prosperous Yobe State.

"To the new commissioners and special advisers and to all government officials with obligation to improve our people’s living conditions, let it be said – by future generations – that when we were called upon to serve, when the moment was hard and the resources at our disposal so limited, we rose to the occasion, and did our part, and made Yobe a much bettwr state", the governor said