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ZULUM: 238 Projects in 365 Days; Another Year of Remarkable Progress in Borno’s Project Landscape

ZULUM: 238 Projects in 365 Days; Another Year of Remarkable Progress in Borno’s Project Landscape
By Abdul Kareem
There is no doubt that Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has set a new standard for leadership and progress in Nigeria. In just the past year, Governor Zulum has overseen a remarkable transformation in Borno, personally spearheading 238 projects across 13 sectors. These projects have left a lasting impact on the state, demonstrating a vision of lasting, sustainable, and community-focused development.
Building upon the success of 957 projects completed during his first term in office, Zulum, a Professor of Irrigation Engineering, has been able to lay a solid foundation for the fast and remarkable progress being witnessed in his second term.

From enhancing security measures to revolutionizing the education sector, Governor Zulum’s commitment to service delivery and good governance shines through in every initiative undertaken even as he continues to raise the bar of good governance in Nigeria.
Governor Zulum’s unwavering dedication to restoring normalcy in Borno State after years of insurgency has been commendable. Through strategic partnerships with security outfits and the provision of essential resources such as patrol vehicles and motorcycles, the administration has boosted the morale of troops and taken significant strides towards ending the insurgency that has plagued the state.

It is worth noting that under Governor Zulum’s leadership in the last one year, the Borno State Government has acquired an additional 94 new Hilux Patrol Vehicles and 62 Toyota Land Cruiser Samsara, supplementing the existing fleet of 1400 Patrol Vehicles earlier procured for the security in the state. This strategic procurement aims to bolster surveillance efforts and address the security challenges effectively. Additionally, the administration has also purchased 300 new motorcycles to support security patrol operations, particularly in hard-to-reach terrains.

In the education sector, Governor Zulum’s administration has embarked on a comprehensive revival plan, focusing on reconstructing schools destroyed by terrorists, establishing new mega-size schools, and recruiting thousands of teachers to ensure quality education for all. By introducing incentives to attract school-age enrolment and reducing the number of out-of-school children, Governor Zulum is paving the way for a brighter future for the youth of Borno State.

According to the commissioner of education, Abba Wakilbe, “Under the visionary leadership of Professor Babagana Zulum, the government has revolutionized the education sector by constructing 30 state-of-the-art mega schools with 60, 40, 30, and 20 classrooms each, equipped with laboratories, staff rooms, ICT centers, water and sports facilities, and solar power supply. Additionally, 16 new senior secondary schools have been established in Bulumkutu, 777, 1000 Housing Estates, Goidamgari, Soye in Bama, Gasi in Shani, Ngoshe in Gwoza, Malakaleri in Mafa, and Kwayabura in Hawul local government areas. Furthermore, five High Islamic colleges are under construction in Gajiram, Gajiganna, Baga, Gubio, and Damasak, while new junior and secondary schools have been founded in Malamkureri in MMC, Dikwa Gubio, Yerimari in Jere, and Girjan in Damboa. The establishment of two-story mega schools in Dala Lawanti, Bulakutiki, Dusuman Kaleri, Miringa, Uba, and Asking signifies a remarkable transformation in our education landscape.”

The education commissioner also added that “During the first year of Governor Zulum’s second term, 88 science laboratories were constructed and equipped in 22 secondary schools, and 4,000 additional teachers were hired for public secondary and primary schools across the state. In addition, the Zulum-led government in Borno State recruited education secretaries for the 27 local government education authorities (LGEAs), provided 13 Toyota vehicles and golf wagons to each education secretary for monitoring and supervision, increased salaries, and allocated monthly running costs.

To address the impact of the long-standing Boko Haram insurgency on school enrollment, the Borno State government implemented various incentives to attract displaced school-age children, including free uniforms, instructional materials, bicycles, and a daily meal. This initiative significantly reduced the number of out-of-school children from over 2 million to less than 700,000, with ongoing efforts to further decrease this number.

Zarah Mohammed, a young caregiver who coordinates out of school IDP children in Bama for evening lessons for basic alphabetical and numeric knowledge, hails Governor Zulum’s free education initiative.
“May God bless our Governor, Professor Zulum, for taking the burden off my neck – now all my little boys and girls, about 32 of them, are now enrolled in conventional schools and they are doing well, ” she said with excitement. “Their poor parent never worry about the cost of their education because it is free. I am going to sustain advocacy in supply of the government to ensure that parents enroll their kids in schools.”

““Furthermore, the Borno State government awarded scholarships totaling 5,580,441,012 naira to 29,325 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Borno State studying both locally and abroad. Additionally, the government covered tuition fees and provided monthly allowances amounting to 1,561,527,600 naira to 997 students at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Dr Wakilbe said.”
The health sector has also seen significant improvements under Governor Zulum’s leadership, with the construction of primary healthcare centers, procurement of medical equipment, and provision of essential drugs across the state. The administration’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable healthcare services underscores its dedication to the well-being of all citizens.

“In Mafa, 20 primary health centers have been equipped with solar power systems to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services with a steady supply of drugs and consumables,” the Commissioner for Health, Professor Baba M Ghana.
“The Brigadier Abba Kyari Hospital in Ngaranam is currently undergoing renovations to enhance healthcare services. The government has procured medical equipment worth billions of naira and distributed them to health facilities across the state. Solar power systems have been installed in primary health centers in Ngurosoye, Andari, and Gwoza as part of the administration’s commitment to fulfilling campaign promises.
“The government is constructing a College of Nursing in Gwoza and Monguno, along with Eye and Dental Hospitals in Monguno and Biu. General Hospital Biu is being upgraded to a specialist hospital, while General Hospitals in Damboa and Gajiram are undergoing complete reconstruction. The administration aims to establish at least one primary health center in each of the 312 electoral wards in Borno State as part of its post-insurgency recovery agenda,” the commissioner added
Governor Zulum’s visionary approach extends beyond infrastructure development to include initiatives aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, creating job opportunities, and building resilience within the community. Through the establishment of vocational and entrepreneurial institutes and ICT centers, the administration is equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Four vocational entrepreneurial institutes have been established with the aim of training youth in entrepreneurship and apprenticeship. The goal is to equip them with skills and trades that will improve their socio-economic well-being, make them productive in the future, and steer them away from political unrest and other forms of idleness. These institutes offer training in 14 different trades and apprenticeships, including welding, carpentry, solar light fabrication, cosmetology, tailoring, knitting, computer application and repairs, and automobile maintenance, among others.
Additionally, the Zulum-led government has constructed, equipped, furnished, and commissioned four new ICT centers in Gubio Town, each with 100 computer units. These centers aim to train youth in literacy and numeracy as part of the government’s digital initiative. Furthermore, four other ICT centers located in Mafa, Damboa, and Bayo I have been completed and are awaiting commissioning.
During the first year of governance in the second term, the Vocational Enterprise Institute in Muna graduated 832 orphans. The institute provided them with starter packs and cash to help them start a new self-reliant life. Moreover, 64 of the best graduates were offered automatic employment.
Governor Zulum’s achievements over the last year are not just a collection of projects and programs; they are a testament to his unwavering dedication to the people of Borno State and a shining example of what can be accomplished through visionary leadership and relentless determination. In the face of adversity, Governor Zulum continues to inspire and uplift, leading the way towards a future of prosperity and opportunity for all in Borno State.
To end this article, one must acknowledge that Governor Zulum’s standout quality, evident in his first four years and continuing into his second term, is his exceptional loyalty, dedication to vision, focus, and goals. Over the past five years, he has completed a total of 1195 projects, averaging 239 projects per year. Remarkably, in his fifth year, he precisely delivered 238 projects, showcasing his deliberate and strategic planning skills. This consistent achievement is a signature of Governor Zulum’s intentional and effective governance approach.
ZULUM: 238 Projects in 365 Days; Another Year of Remarkable Progress in Borno’s Project Landscape
News
Zulum Appoints Ali Mamman Shuwa as BRTV General Manager

Zulum Appoints Ali Mamman Shuwa as BRTV General Manager
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the appointment of Ali Mamman Shuwa as the substantive General Manager of Borno Radio Television (BRTV).
Until his elevation, Shuwa served as Director of Current Affairs at the station. A seasoned broadcaster with over three decades of experience, he has held several key editorial and managerial positions at BRTV.
Born in 1970 in Maiduguri, Shuwa began his education at Abbaganaram Primary School before proceeding to the Arabic Teachers’ College, Maiduguri, where he obtained a Grade II Certificate in 1988. He later acquired a Diploma in Civil Law from BOCOLIS, an Advanced Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Maiduguri.
Shuwa began his career with BRTV in 1992 as a News Editor and Translator. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, serving as Current Affairs Officer, Controller of News and Current Affairs, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, and most recently Director of Current Affairs.
The Secretary to the State Government, Bukar Tijjani, announced that the appointment takes immediate effect. The outgoing Acting General Manager, Umar Gazali, will return to his previous position at the station.
Governor Zulum congratulated Shuwa on his appointment and commended Gazali for his stewardship while wishing him success in his future endeavours.
Shuwa, an ethnic of Shuwa Arab from Dongo village in Mafa Local Government Area, is widely travelled and has represented BRTV at numerous workshops and seminars.
Zulum Appoints Ali Mamman Shuwa as BRTV General Manager
News
VP SHETTIMA AT NES ANNUAL CONFERENCE: President Tinubu’s Bold Reforms, Proof Of Political Will In Economic Policy

VP SHETTIMA AT NES ANNUAL CONFERENCE: President Tinubu’s Bold Reforms, Proof Of Political Will In Economic Policy
*Says, Africa can turn supply chain disruptions, trade protectionism, into opportunities for economic transformation
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the courageous and unavoidable reforms being undertaken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which are currently fixing Nigeria’s structural weaknesses, are a proof of the power of political will in economic policy.
Accordingly, he called on African nations to embrace the knowledge economy, saying it is a bridge to transform the continent’s economic growth and development through productivity beyond outdated explanations.
The Vice President who stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during the opening session of the 66th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) noted that while Nigeria is not immune to the economic morass Africa had long been enmeshed in, the nation’s comforting prospect is that it currently has a President with a listening ear.
“Nigeria is, of course, not exempt from Africa’s economic tragedies. But our silver lining is the listening ear of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Under his leadership, this administration has embarked on bold and inevitable reforms to address structural weaknesses that others before us only paid lip service to.

“These reforms testify to the power of political will in economic policy. Their painful but necessary consequences remind us that a malignant disease can only be cured by painful surgery. The wounds are temporary, but the recovery is permanent,” he stated.
VP Shettima stressed the need for African nations to get rid of the old-fashioned approach to their economy and embrace structural transformation if they must revive human capital challenges and reverse unemployment on the continent.
He said, “We live in a world where a random citizen in Daura can outsource his services to a corporation in Dallas without seeing the inside of a plane or leaving his bedroom. But to catch up with this changing world, Africa must embrace structural transformation that reinvents its human capital and reverses unemployment.

“Poverty must be confronted head-on for the promise of this continent to be realised in the lives of our people. There is no justification for the low per capita income that afflicts our nations amidst the resources at our disposal.”
Senator Shettima observed that though “geopolitical conflicts, trade protectionism, supply chain disruptions, the energy transition, and the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence” may all seem like a threat to the continent’s economy, they are opportunities in disguise.
“They all paint a gloomy outlook. But each threat is also an opportunity in disguise. This is why a society such as yours exists: to light the path of a continent even in the darkest night,” he explained, just as he pointed out it is the mandate that the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Economic Society has been given “to find new pathways to solutions,” while the nation awaits the recommendations.

The Vice President noted while the Tinubu administration did not claim the ongoing reforms would be easy, it has always acknowledged the inflationary impact of the reforms as well as the “spillovers from global crises into our economy,” which explains why President Tinubu “has remained committed to investment-friendly measures and social protection programmes to cushion the vulnerable.
“Policies in transportation, healthcare, and education have been deliberately targeted at reducing inequality because these are the sectors that affect the weakest among us,” he added.
The VP commended the President of the Nigerian Economic Society, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju and his team for challenging the nation “to reflect on what decades of policy failures and vulnerabilities to global risks have created for Africa.

“I urge all participants to take their role in this conference not as a scholarly exercise but as a continental and national assignment—one expected to salvage Africa’s economies from their fragile status,” he further stated.
Earlier, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, applauded VP Shettima’s significant contributions in the realization of the economic reforms of administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Bagudu assured the NES that it will be fully integrated in all of the ministry’s programmes, especially the preparation and implementation of the development plan and the recently approved Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme.
Also, the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, presented potentials in Nigeria’s livestock sector, estimated at several billions of dollars, offering opportunities for economic diversification.
The Minister expressed readiness to partner with the NES to brainstorm on the “brilliant ideas” needed to implement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the livestock sector, which he described as “the next crude oil.”
For his part, the President of the NES, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju reiterated the society’s commitment to collaborating with the Tinubu administration to actualise the goal of genuine economic transformation and national development.
He said the NES under his leadership has undertaken reforms aimed at repositioning the body to act as “a bridge between research and policy, a centre for mentoring the next generation of economists, and a trusted partner in Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable development and Africa’s transformation.”
Highlighting the milestones of his administration, Prof. Adenikinju said under his watch, the NES “established chapters in the across 36 states, FCT and the Diaspora, to ensure national reach and grassroots engagement; Created the NES Women’s Wing and Students’ Wing, to broaden inclusivity and representation,” among others.
He added that the reforms have transformed the society into a modern, inclusive, and globally connected professional body while preserving its core identity as Nigeria’s foremost economic think-tank.
On his part, the Director of the African Development Institute, Dr. Eric Kehinde Ogunleye said the African Development Bank remains committed to the development of Africa and Nigeria, even as he stated that “Nigeria occupies a strategic position in moving the African continent forward.”
Ogunleye commended the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms aimed at achieving structural and economic transformation as well as inclusive growth.
Charging the audience regarding investing in people, he advised: “Let us rethink how we invest in people because these are the people who represent the greatest assets of the continent.”
Other dignitaries who graced the event include the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua; Chairman of the Ministry of the Board of Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr Shamsudeen Usman, Nigeria’s first Professor of Capital Market Studies, Uche Uwaleke; representatives of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Yemi Cardoso.
VP SHETTIMA AT NES ANNUAL CONFERENCE: President Tinubu’s Bold Reforms, Proof Of Political Will In Economic Policy
News
NSCDC Launches Manhunt for Killers of 8 Operatives

NSCDC Launches Manhunt for Killers of 8 Operatives
By: Michael Mike
The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Professor Ahmed Audi has launched a Special Intelligence Squad operations to comb the entire Edo Forest and arrest killers of eight of his men, and rescue the kidnapped Chinese expatriate.
The NSCDC Operatives were ambushed last Friday night at Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State while on duty to ensure the safeguarding of Critical Infrastructure and protection of lives and property at the BUA Cement Company in Edo State.
It was reported that the gallant Operatives fought vehemently in a three hour gun duel where eight men were lost with four expatriates working at the quarry session of the Company rescued.
The Commandant General had earlier commended the resilience, diligence and dedication of the NSCDC men who paid the supreme price and lost their lives in the unexpected ambush attack.
However, a joint guard operation with other security agencies and deployment of the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad,Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT), Special Protection Units, amongst others, to be headed by the Commandant, CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, CC Dandaura Appollos,have been deployed to the area with an express order to effect possible arrest, rescue the kidnapped expatriate, and consequently bring the perpetrators to book.
The CG also appealed to the public to kindly aid the Corps with any useful information that will assist in tracking down the perpetrators.
He also assured that the security of the BUA Company environment has been upscaled to ensure adequate protection of all Indigenous workers, the Expatriates and the critical assets and infrastructures.
He said: “The Corps will not succumb to any form of threats or be deterred by the activities of subversive elements and evil perpetrators who carried out the heinous attack but rather be focused and re-strategize in discharging its statutory mandates.”
He further noted that the Corps will continue to engage the community in civil relations as a non kinetic approach to tackling the overwhelming security challenges and any other form of crisis in the area.
NSCDC Launches Manhunt for Killers of 8 Operatives
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