By Abdullah Idris Zuru, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State, created in 1991, has transformed significantly under various administrations.
The administrators have made remarkable efforts in confronting the task of transforming the state, particularly Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, which had hitherto been as a local government headquarters.
However, as a result of the dilapidated nature of the inherited infrastructure for both residential and office accommodation, the take up of the capital city became a herculean task it location at the extreme end of the country apparently put it at a disadvantageous business position.
The military administrators had succeeded in providing an enabling environment with the rehabilitation of the few available structures before the first but one and half years civilian administration of Alhaji Abubakar Musa Garkuwan Yauri started providing standard housing estates.
Subsequent democratically elected administrations had, in addition to the sustained rehabilitation of the decayed structures, also designed, executed and implemented several projects and programmes particularly in the sectors of education, health care delivery, agriculture, housing and both township and inter-township roads.
However, despite the remarkable efforts of the successive administrations comparatively, Birnin Kebbi couldn’t match its contemporaries in the area of infrastructure development.
Comrade Governor Nasir Idris, who took office in 2023, has prioritized infrastructure development, particularly in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Believed to have closely associated with all his predecessors as an active unionist, advocate of continuity and philanthropic activities, developed a comprehensive development blueprint, taking into cognisant the need to ensure the the continuous rehabilitation of the dilapidated structures in all sectors, completion of the numerous uncompleted projects and execution of his administration’s ambitious socio-economic development programmes and projects.
Under the first phase, all the dilapidated township roads in the state capital were completely reconstructed, dualized, and expanded to two and three lanes, as the case may be. Along the roads, solar-powered streetlights were installed, and all the strategically located roundabouts reconstructed and beautified.
Similarly, the dilapidated outdated building structures of the Government House, Presidential Lounge, other government lounges, conference and banquet halls were upgraded and fully equipped with a state of the art facilities.
The completion of the over ten years abandoned ultra modern state Secretariat complex with the capacity of accomodating over twenty seven Ministries, Departments and Agencies was another milestone in the Comrade Governor’s determination to provide a conducive working environment for the civil servants.
In the same vein, the Birnin Kebbi Central motor park was completely demolished and replaced with an ultra-modern structures and facilities that made it a model in the country in view of the significant impact in promoting inter-state and inter-community socio-economic fortunes of the people.
Also worthy of note was the provision of adequate modern airport facilities at the Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Birnin Kebbi, the development that made airline operators increase the number of flight services to the state.
These unprecedented positive transformation of the state capital carried out by Comrade Governor Nasir Idris within two years has undisputably opened the state for viable economic investment, regular conduct of national, regional and international conferences seminars and workshops by government agencies, corporate and Non-govermental organisations.
It is however equally worthy of note that the remarkable development witnessed in the state capital was achieved without compromising the basic needs of the people as many new primary and secondary schools have been constructed, health care delivery centres provided, agricultural inputs and economic empowerment support provided free, backlog of inherited debts in the educational sector, pension and gratuity cleared and payments of salary and other benefits ensured as at when due.
These developments have positioned Birnin Kebbi as a hub for economic investment, conferences, and summits.
So far, Birnin Kebbi has hosted several high-profile events, including the National Qur’anic Recitation Competition, Northern Traditional Rulers Council meeting, National Executive Council meetings of the Nigerian Union of Teachers and journalists, the meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC) controlled states Governors Forum, the Annual summit of the Northern Broadcast Media Practitioners’ Forum, among others.
Therefore, unarguably, Birnin Kebbi has been positioned on its pride of place among its contemporaries in the country.
Comrade Governor Nasir Idris has undoubtedly demonstrated his commitment and capacity to change the narrative of the state socio-economic development and can do much more, whatever it takes, in his second term as insisted by the overwhelming majority of the people of Kebbi State.
Abdullahi Idris Zuru,
Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy
