The Zamfara State Rescue Movement (ZSRM) has commended Governor Dauda Lawal of the state for what it called the his resourceful, pragmatic and progressive leadership.
It attributed this to the Governor`s prompt payment of the backlog of pension to senior citizens to the tune of 13.6 billion naira.
Stressing that the Governor`s action has alleviated the suffering of elderly persons who depended on these pensions for survival having diligently served the state, ZSRM observed that the action has also eliminated any vacancy in the government house in Gusau in 2027.
In a statement on Sunday, ZSRM Coordinator and former Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past governor of the state, Lawal Usman Idris, said “Four months of civil servants’ outstanding salary was promptly paid. ₦1.8bn withheld entitlements to the Ministry of Justice, Justices and Khadis were paid, all benefits to former members of the State House of Assembly were settled, funds to Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state withheld for two years by the Matawalle’s administration were released.
“To ensure human capacity development, Gov Lawal reintroduced seminars, retreats, workshops and paid salaries as and when due.
“The working environment has been upgraded with renovation of the state secretariat. Today, civil servants are highly motivated and projects are executed across the State.
This is what democracy and good governance is all about – improving the well-being of the people and restoring the lost glory of the state.”
The statement further took a swipe at the APC in the state over the recent criticisms of the activities of the government, stating “We do not blame the opposition APC for being envious of a performing governor, the people of Zamfara State have never had it so good since the state was created.
We urge Governor Dauda Lawal to remain focused in delivering the dividends of democracy to citizens of the state. They will reward him with their votes in 2027.”
It went on to dismiss a press statement issued by the factional All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary in the state, Yusuf Idris Gusau, on the implementation of the minimum wage of ₦70,000.00 by Governor Lawal.
The statement said, “Envious of the achievements of Gov Dauda Lawal in barely two years in office which surpassed the four years of the immediate past APC-led government of Dr Bello Matawalle, and still groaning over its defeat in the 2023 governorship election, factional APC spokesman, Yusuf Gusau mischievously stated that the payment of the much awaited ₦70,000.00 minimum wage by Gov Lawal was a deceit to hoodwink civil servants that he is an action governor who has their welfare at heart.
“He maliciously compared the former government of Matawalle, current Minister of State for Defence with the visionary leadership of Dr Dauda Lawal listing projects that exist in the fruitful figment of his imagination.
“We would have ignored this outburst by the opposition party in Zamfara State (APC), which was circulated on social media. As a leading pro-democracy group in Zamfara State, we consider it appropriate to put the record straight in order not to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.
“APC was right to state that Dr Dauda Lawal is an action governor, a compassionate leader who is in a hurry to fulfill his campaign promises to the good people of Zamfara State.
“To however state that the Governor is working hard, particularly in the implementation of the minimum wage to civil servants as a “deceit” to gain their support is a deliberate distortion of Dr Lawal’s blueprint for the transformation of Zamfara State which he met in a deplorable condition, aside rampaging armed bandits attacks, kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling, displacement of indigenes from their ancestral homes and empty treasury.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right, Governor Dauda Lawal’s government welcomes it, but to distort facts and try to incite citizens against the government they overwhelmingly voted into office and still support is unpatriotic and counterproductive.
“Once an election is over, all lovers of democracy and good governance are expected to close ranks, cooperate with the government in meeting the needs of the people, particularly an economic recession as we currently have in Nigeria. Partisan politics should be set aside as the government strives to provide dividends of democracy to citizens.
“This is what APC failed to understand. Politics of bitterness has no place in Zamfara State, which was why the people voted out the party in the 2023 gubernatorial election and why the party also remains factionalized in the state without direction and future.
“It is on record that Dr Dauda Lawal is the first governor in Zamfara State to implement a national minimum wage currently at ₦70,000.00 monthly at a time most state governments opposed it as untenable.
“The government of Bello Matawalle of APC could not pay the minimum wage of ₦30,000.00, instead he paid ₦7000.00 to civil servants for a monthly salary. Civil servants were demoralised and impoverished which grossly affected their potentials and productivity essential in charting economic growth and prosperity.
“Despite this meagre salary, workers and pensioners were equally owed months of their wages and pensions; promotion, human capital development training etc, were suspended due to lack of initiatives and strategic management of scarce resources.
It was this atmosphere of despondency and insecurity that compelled the good people of Zamfara State to vote out a sitting governor, Bello Matawalle of APC. For the people of Zamfara, the dark days of political upheavals, economic stagnation, insecurity and confusion in governance are over.”
