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The Governor of the State of Zamfara, Dauda Lawal, has explained the frightening situation he inherited assuming the position in May 2023.
In an honest interview on Arise television on Monday, Lawal said Zamfara at the time of his inauguration was in “chaos in every aspect” – a firm portrait of the country that wrestled with extreme insecurity, an institution that collapsed, and a staggered financial debt.
“When I took over as governor, the state of Zamfara was a mess at the highest level, education and health care at the bottom, and human development was almost non-existent,” Lawal said, his voice was colored by the weight of responsibility.
“That’s why I must immediately state an emergency in education and health care.”
The Lawal Governor revealed that the country’s treasury only had ₦ 4 million when he took power over his predecessor, Bello Matawalle while the obligation to reach billions.
“I inherited the debt which included four and a half months of unpaid salary, ₦ 1.6 billion owed to the court, ₦ 1.6 billion to WAEC, and ₦ 1.4 billion to Neco,” he said.
He said his first task was to remove salary deposits and ensure students could write national examinations. “I negotiate with WAEC and Neco to allow our children to take their exams. Some students have not received certificates for the previous exams because they do not pay-this is unacceptable.”
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Lawal also described the terrible conditions of civil servants: “Civil Servants produced ₦ 7,000 a month, state and local government workers. I raised it with a national minimum wage ₦ 30,000, and now, we have moved to ₦ 70,000.”
The governor also revealed that retirement arrears that stretched to 2011, with a total of 16.5 billion, have now been cleaned. “Until last month, every retirement has been paid. We have closed the painful chapter.”
Education, Lawal stressed, is one of the most ignored sectors in the state, encouraging him to take decisive action.
“When we declare an emergency in education, it is not symbolic – it is comprehensive. More than 400 schools have been renovated and complemented in all 40 regional government areas,” he said.
He also quoted scholarship debt resolution and sustainable efforts to support Zamfara students abroad. “We have resolved extraordinary problems with students in Sudan and India, and we resolve the settings for those who are in Cyprus.”
In a anecdote that highlighted the severity of the crisis and government’s response, Lawal said, “There is no single drop of water in Zamfara for five months. That is an unimaginable situation. We resolved the problem within three days after serving.”
Lawal recognizes that security remains a challenge, but records a real improvement. “Previously, we heard about 100 to 200 people killed every day, it was headlines. Today, such stories have been significantly reduced. We have not been in the place we want, but we are not yet in our place.”
Apart from many obstacles, Lawal hit an optimistic tone, emphasizing that leadership must be about finding a solution, not a reason.
“The obligations that I inherit can not be trusted, but I have to find a way to deal with them. That is what is meant by leadership,” he said.
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