Yobe State At 30: So Far, Not So Good! -By Kasim Isa Muhammad

It has been thirty years since Yobe State was created by the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida on 27th August, 1991. The state has seen grace and glory; it has also witnessed downturns and menaces.There have been achievements recorded so far, but still, there is a need to call the attention of the current administration to work around the clock to improve the socio-economic development of the state.

Yobe state, for its democratic running of the education sector for thirty years, could be deemed as being unsatisfactory at all levels according to the views on how things are run. Cases such as dropping out of school, come from the poor attention being paid to schools by the state government. Even though in some areas, like Damaturu, Potiskum, Nguru, and Geidam, that are considered as the eyes of the state, the state government renovated only a few schools without supporting them with technical and financial aid to run their academic and administrative sojourns.
However, around the local governments, numerous public schools have been built for more than sixty years. The schools need renovation, academic materials provided, and the welfare of both teachers and their students should be greatly considered. The efforts on education shown by the state government seem believable, but getting things done at the right times is where it all fails. 

Apart from the local buildings, the issue of teachers’ treatment by the state government is something to focus on. Those teachers sacrifice their time and energy to teach thousands of children all the time in an effort to support the  better education of Yobe state. Devastatigly, policies on promotions, salaries, daily welfare, and academic support are run aground and buried. Since the state is getting older, towing the path of its golden jubilee, such a system of running education by the state government needs to change. The state government should cherish teachers, thereby paying attention to their basic needs, or in a few years to come, they may hardly go for a vacancy to work with the Yobe state government.

For the health issues, it is very important to look thoroughly at how the Yobe state government, from its independence to date, has handled the health management of the state. Yobe was ruled under democracy by (Dr.). Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Late. Sen. Mamman B. Ali, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam, and currently Governor Mai Mala Buni. The aforementioned dignitaries governed the state with their style of government, building, renovating, and restructuring hospitals and health care management. But one thing to focus on under the present government is that health workers are going beyond their levels for a reason that the government and the health ministry have least focused on. It would be good for the government to initiate a committee that will observe how health management is being run and take drastic and adequate actions to change things for the betterment of society.

For thirty years of democratic practice and state independence, Yobe has begun with a stable economy having internal revenue, hard-working staff, productive state industries, and foreign business services. But gradually, as things go on, the economy seems to change because of how the state government keeps on introducing various programs and adding a massive number of employees. The current economy of Yobe state after thirty years can be predicted to be unstable because the state government is under debt siege, lower internal revenue from all sources, and a surge in workers’ recruitment that brings no economic development to the state. For Yobe state to recover from all these circumstances, the state government must change its system of recruitment thereby bringing well-educated analysts to contribute to boosting the economy of the state. 

Sadly, the nepotism being shown during job vacancies could drown the state and enable inflation. It should also build up standard industries that may help the state with an income, tie strong relationships with foreign companies to establish and register their presence in the state.

Admonishingly, if we want to move forward, we must shun away all sorts of tribal differences which result in this country’s current havoc. Some of the crises being observed, if not all, in this country, could be attributed to sectarianism or chauvinism. This can be achieved by striving to ensure equal allocation and distribution of our abundant resources.

Nonetheless, any thoughtful politician who believes in democratic principles should not accommodate and pave the way for sectionalism to evolve in his administration. This is because sectionalism, beyond doubt, yields nothing good for both the rulers and the ruled.

Notwithstanding, the good people of Yobe State should contribute their quota to throw away this mindlessness of tribal inclinations by coming together in fighting their common enemy.

Kasim Isa Muhammad wrote his piece from Maiduguri.