Let me start by stating the obvious, the post Covid 19 Nigeria will not have oil revenue to fall back on for economic recovery but Agriculture and state like Zamfara that is known for its agriculture potentials will play a key role.
It is going to be a tortuous road to recovery as forecasted by experts but leadership will be key in navigating the ship of nationhood during the storm.
For a state that had been in the news for every bad reasons in the past, Zamfara is fast moving away from the inglorious past to a new dawn, since assumption of office, Governor Bello Muhammed Matawalle has changed the narratives about Zamfara in the media.
From taking frontal governmental actions against insecurity which we all believed was going to wipe off the State from the map of Nigeria, to constant monitoring of projects and policies implementation in the state.
This was a state when Abdulaziz Yari was the governor, and the wave of Type C Meningitis hit the country with Zamfara being the worst hit, Nigerians will not forget how Yari claimed the outbreak of Meningitis in the state was a punishment from God for the sin of fornication. In his exact words while addressing State House journalists in Abuja, he said and I quote; “What we used to know as far as Meningitis is concerned is the type A virus. The World Health Organization, WHO, has carried out vaccinations against this type A virus not just in Zamfara, but many other states.
“However, because people refused to stop their nefarious activities, God now decided to send Type C virus, which has no vaccination.
“People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you see anyhow’ that is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concerned.
“There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured.”
When the index case of Coronavirus(COVID-19) in Nigeria was recorded in Lagos, Governor Matawalle swung into action by procuring hand sanitizer and distributed it across all public institutions across the state. He went on an assessment tour of medical facilities across the State to evaluate their readiness and gave assurances to the health workers that their welfare will be given premium priority by his administration. Zamfara State government under his leadership procured Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)while effort is in place to build a molecular laboratory as well as placement of orders for Molecular Test Kits which are quantitative.
Gov. Matawalle did not wait for the Federal Government or Nigeria Centre for Disease Control for funds or expertise. Unlike his predecessor whose response to Type C menegitis was a religious hypocrisy as implied by his statement “The most important thing is for our people to know that their relationship with God is not smooth. All they need to do is repent and everything will be all right”.
Also, unlike the Kano State Governor who sat like a lame duck and did not act, never enforced strict compliance to social distancing, but rather demanding for funds from Federal Government, Gov. Matawalle was prepared ahead of time.
As the state recorded its first case of COVID-19, all the frontline personnel are ready to combat the spread of the disease and protect the citizen.
I am aware of massive sensitisation and orientation on personal hygiene and social distancing in the State. In furtherance of this and a demonstration of preparedness, the Governor went on an assessment visit to the State’s foremost isolation centre and he is confident Zamfara will defeat COVID-19.
This is another move of his which emboldened tge assertion in me that “Farming is no more the pride of the people of Zamfara but Governor Bello Matawalle.
Deyemi Saka