Despite COVID -19, Yobe achieved over 94% budget performance for 2020 – Bego

Yobe State Hon. Com. Min for  Information, Home Affairs and Culture Abdullahi Bego @ the Press briefing in Damaturu

 By JOE Hemba, Damaturu 

 Despite the challenges that came with the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020, Yobe state government has finished the year strong by achieving over 94% performance of last year’s budget.

 The Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture, Abdullahi Bego disclosed this yesterday at an end of year press briefing to recap the major activities carried out by the state government in the year under review. 

According to him, the corona pandemic has brought a lot of challenges but did not deterred the doggedness of Gov. Mai Mala Buni to make some progress in delivering democratic dividends to the state.

 “The 2020 is a roller-coaster of a year, a year of the Corona Virus pandemic and global economic recession. It’s a chequered year, one in which Yobe State has made some major progress but was held back by equally major challenges.

 “There is no question, however, that the Yobe State Government under H.E Gov. Mai Mala Buni has implemented its socio-economic agenda for the people robustly well. Our budget performance for the year stands at 94.92 percent,” Bego said. 

 He noted that the state has witnessed unprecedented progress in sectors such as commerce, agriculture, education, health, as well as infrastructural development through massive construction of rural and urban roads.

 In the area of commerce, Mr. Bego explained that the state government was able to resuscitate erring companies like Yobe Investment company, Yobe Aluminium etc and embarked on the construction of ultra-modern markets across the major towns of Damaturu, Potiskum, Gashua, Geidam and Nguru and well as the construction of Potiskum Trailer Transit Park which will provide 5,000 direct job upon completion.

Both agriculture and education enjoyed massive attention according to Bego as the state government organised two submits for the sectors to attract pool of ideas to revitalise agriculture in the state and reverse the negative disadvantage education position of the state on the nation’s educational map. Bego also announced that several road projects have been completed by the administration, just as many ongoing roads are under construction. 

The commissioner gave a list of completed and ongoing roads to include:

 ➢ Township Roads and concrete drainages across Buniyadi, Damagum, Jajimaji, and Babbangida

 ➢ Construction of 16km New Roads from Nguru to Balanguwa, 

 ➢ Continuation Of 25.5km Dual Carriage Damaturu to Kalallawa 

 ➢ Construction of 3.6km Runway for cargo airport 

 ➢ Construction of Link Road to Cargo Airport 

 ➢ 2.4km Concrete Drainage and 1.2km road linking Mallummatari with Gujba road

 ➢ 1.0km road and 2.0km concrete drainage linking Obasanjo estate to Mallumatari 

 ➢ Construction of Damagum-Gubana 12km road

 ➢ Construction Of 40km Gujba-Mutai Road

 ➢ Continuation of 18km road construction of Garin Bingel to Garin Abba and Danchuwa 

 ➢ Completion of construction of 4.5km dual carriage from Abattoir to new bypass potiskum road

 ➢ Construction of 1.6 road and 3.2 km concrete drainage at Damagum 

 ➢ Construction of 1.5km road and 3.0km concrete drainage Babangida 

 ➢ Concrete drainage and laying of interlock in ministry of finance headquarters

 ➢ Reconstruction of damaged areas of Nguru Irrigation Scheme 

 ➢ Award of contracts for flexible pavement and reinforced concrete drainage in Nguru, Potiskum, Gashu’a and Gaidam 

 ➢ Rehabilitation of all township roads in Gashu’a, Potiskum 

➢ Rehabilitation of Katarko – Goniri road 

 ➢ Repairs of damaged areas and potholes along Jajimaji to Karasuwa 

 ➢ Repairs of flooded sections and potholes along Damaturu Ring road 

 ➢ Repairs of flooded sections and potholes along Gari Alkali and Girgir Ring road 

 Mr. Bego among other things noted that the Gov.Mai Mala Buni’s administration in the year 2021 will consolidate on the achievement of the previous year to deliver all on going projects including the Yobe International Cargo Airport and the over 3,000 housing projects under construction across the state.

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