From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
The Yobe State Government has highlighted a series of achievements recorded under the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni over the past seven years, spanning education, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and security.
The Acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Mohammad Goje, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Damaturu on Friday as part of activities marking the seventh anniversary of the administration.
The anniversary celebration is themed “Seven Years of Continuity, Consolidation and Transformational Leadership.”
Speaking on the agricultural sector, Dr. Goje said the administration convened a historic Agricultural Summit in 2019 and adopted Yobe State’s first comprehensive Agricultural Policy.
He noted that the government distributed 7,500 metric tonnes of NPK fertiliser at subsidised rates and an additional 1,500 metric tonnes for irrigation farming.
Other interventions, according to him, include the provision of 40 Massey Ferguson tractors for agricultural mechanisation, the establishment of Ruga settlements, and the construction of an Animal Research Institute along Potiskum Road.
He stressed that agriculture remains the backbone of Yobe’s economy, providing livelihoods for more than 80 per cent of the state’s population.
On education, Dr. Goje described the sector as the most strategic investment for the state’s future.
He said the administration constructed seven Mega Schools and seven Model Schools across Damaturu, Potiskum, Gashua, Nguru, Geidam, Dapchi, and Buni Yadi, all equipped with modern classrooms, laboratories, and ICT facilities.
He added that tertiary education has also witnessed significant improvements through the establishment of the College of Integrated Sciences (temporary site), expansion of facilities at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, and the Clinical Section of the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital.
According to the SSG, the administration also constructed the Biotechnology Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) at Yobe State University, while strengthening technical and vocational education at Mai Idriss Alooma Polytechnic and CAMTECH Potiskum.
On security, Dr. Goje said the government established the Yobe State Security Stakeholders Forum to enhance inter-agency coordination and intelligence sharing.
He noted that the administration has prioritised training for security personnel, particularly in crisis management and non-kinetic operations, to improve responses to emerging security threats.
He stated that these efforts have contributed to the restoration of socio-economic activities in previously affected communities, with markets reopening, schools functioning, and road networks improving across the state.
“In infrastructure, ongoing projects include the iconic Damaturu Flyover, the dualisation of the 26-kilometre Damaturu–Kalallawa Road, and the construction of township roads across the state’s local government areas,” he said.
Dr. Goje further revealed that the administration has transformed the healthcare sector through the construction of 143 new Primary Healthcare Centres, the upgrade of general hospitals to specialist hospitals, and the enrolment of over 350,000 residents under the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA).
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Abdullahi Bego, said Governor Buni’s administration has remained committed to governance and development despite the security and operational challenges faced by the state over the years.
Bego added that the administration has received several recognitions and awards from international organisations, including the World Bank, particularly for its achievements in healthcare delivery and other key human development sectors.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining developmental projects and improving the welfare of the people of Yobe State.