I Inherited A Bankrupt Zamfara – Lawal

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has said that the State was bankrupt when he took over power.
At an interactive session with Zamfara professionals in Abuja on Wednesday evening, Mr Lawal said the State was in a bad shape when he assumed office.
“The Zamfara State we inherited is in a bad state. At the time we took over, Zamfara was bankrupt with nothing left.
“It is a State where we inherited so many bad things,” Mr Lawal said while responding to questions and comments from the professionals.
The governor, however, gave assurance that things were going to change for the better.
Lawal said that he inherited a three-month salary backlog with no money to pay civil servants, and that as at the time he took over, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) exam was already over and the children were unable to sit for it.
“Fortunately for us, NECO (National Examinations Council) was about to start and if we did not do anything, the children may not write the exams,” he said.
He said that though the State was owing WAEC about N1.6 billion and NECO about N1.4 billion, which had made the students unable to sit for the exams in the past, his government had recently paid off NECO’s debt.
“This is something that is verifiable. Outside security, education is key because without education, we are going nowhere,” he said.
He said his government had commenced reconstruction of primary schools and building the capacity of the teachers to boost their productivity.
He added that when he came in, Zamfara had 28 Ministries which had now been reduced to 16.
The governor, who lamented over the condition of the healthcare sector in the State, said he was committed to changing the narrative.
He, therefore, solicited the support of the professionals in order to build the State in the interest of the people.
Lawal said as part of the efforts to tackle the security challenge in the State, he met with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Chief of Army Staff and the National Security Adviser (NSA) on different occasions on Wednesday.
He said he also met with officials of the European Union and the World Bank on issues of insecurity, education, health and infrastructural development, and that they were ever ready to provide support.
“I appeal to you to be our ambassadors, that in everything you do, Zamfara comes first.
“We can’t do it alone. We need the support of all to change the fortune of Zamfara State.
“I want to appeal to all to keep praying for peace and prosperity for our dear state.
“I am open for discussion, I am open for advice and collectively, we shall build a better Zamfara,” he said.