Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to laying out principles of good governance in the operations of public offices in Zamfara State.
Recently, the governor inaugurated six committees to implement Zamfara’s improvement policies and projects at the old council chamber of the government house in Gusau.
In a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, he revealed that the committees inaugurated are the Human Capital Development Council, the Committee to Combat Drug Abuse, the Land Use and Allocation Committee, and the Development Plan Committee.
The statement added that other committees inaugurated are the Committee for Nigeria’s Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity in Governance and the Committee for the World Bank’s Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities.
At the inauguration, Governor Lawal emphasized that members were carefully chosen from different sectors to make up the committees, including the State Executive Council, Permanent Secretaries, technocrats, academics, seasoned administrators, and individuals.
“The Human Capital Development Council will be led by His Excellency, the Deputy Governor, Mani Mallam Mummini Masamar Mudi, with the Honourable Senior Special Assistant on Human Capital Development as the Secretary.
“The mandate of this committee is to guarantee a legitimate structure for community engagement that enhances the maintainability of government projects and programs on human development. It will likewise coordinate the mandates of human capital development-related MDAs and take out bottlenecks in service delivery.
“Through this committee, the government will ensure the optimal ideal use of the knowledge and skills acquired by our people, especially the youth and women, to enable them to realize their full potential as productive members of society.
“The second committee is entrusted with resolving the pressing issue of drug abuse in the state. This committee will conduct a thorough evaluation of drug abuse in our communities, examining the types of drugs being abused, the demographics of users, and the rate of prevalence.
“Moreover, it will investigate the underlying drivers of drug abuse and recommend prevention and intervention strategies. The First Lady, Her Excellency Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, will chair this committee, and the Secretary will be the Director of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health.
“The following committee is finalizing the Zamfara State Ten-Year Development Plan, 2024–2033. Its mandate is to ensure that the content of the draft development plan, presented two months prior, is very much organized and aligns with the national standards and our transformation agenda.
“The committee will likewise provide insights into governance and institutional processes targeted by reforms. It ought to likewise work closely with UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office for the plan’s actualization, approval, and launch. Mallam Wadatau Madawaki, the Honourable Education, Science, and Technology Commissioner, will chair this committee.
“The State Land Use and Allocation Committee, a strategic body, will provide land administration and management policy direction. It will deal with applications for land designation, prescribe reasonable possibility to the Governor, and proposition exhortation on the revocation of land rights in cases of overriding public interest.
“Moreover, the committee will decide pay for land use. The committee is led by Alhaji Ali Bako, a veteran land surveyor and retired Permanent Secretary.
“The Steering Committee for the World Bank Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons and Host Communities, or Solid Project, will be led by Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, Honourable Commissioner of Budget and Planning. This committee is responsible for domesticating the World Bank’s Durable Solutions for IDPs and Host Communities Project, which the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning coordinates.
“The project aims to i further develop access to essential services and economic opportunities for IDPs and host communities in displacement-affected local government areas of Northern Nigeria, including Zamfara State.
“The final committee being inaugurated is the Steering Committee for Nigeria Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity in Governance.
“This is part of a national program Zamfara State intends to enter. This program involves three interdependent operations intended to address different difficulties and support resource allocation and expenditure improvements for basic education and primary healthcare services. The committee will zero in on expanding the accessibility and effectiveness of financing for primary education and healthcare, improving transparency and accountability, and enhancing recruitment and performance management for teachers and healthcare workers.”
