A total of 29 state governors were sworn in on Wednesday for a four-year term, with many of them promising to improve the economies of their states and lift their citizens out of poverty.
The newly inaugurated governors emerged victorious in the March 9, 2019 governorship elections in their various states.
In Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the new governor, said his administration would anchor the pursuit of the realisation of the goal of ‘a greater Lagos’ on six pillars of Traffic Management and Transport, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st century economy, Entertainment and Tourism, and Security and Governance, which are encapsulated in the acronym ‘THEMES’.
Sanwo-Olu, who was sworn in as the 15th governor of Lagos at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), promised to devote a lot of energy to tackling the hydra-headed congestions around Apapa and its environs by building a 5,000-capacity trailer park and ancillary service centre as a measure to rid the roads and bridges of articulated vehicles and their devastating impact on the Lagos economy.
In his inaugural speech, the governor said his administration would also strive to provide the enabling environment for optimal economic growth and business development.
“We will do this by focusing on those areas of infrastructure that will help businesses to flourish but which only government can ably provide,” he said.
In addition to transportation infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu said his government would also pay attention to the provision of power by encouraging private sector initiatives to boost generation, transmission and distribution.
The new government also plans to address the bottlenecks associated with land transactions in Lagos, and would further strive towards making affordable housing accessible to the people.
Sanwo-Olu also assured of plans to partner telecom sites for the deployment of additional 2,000 stand-alone and integrated CCTV cameras to cover strategic areas in the state within the next four years.
In Rivers, Governor Nyesom Wike, who was sworn in for a second term, unveiled a Marshal Plan, green revolution, and set new economic agenda for the state.
Speaking in a long inauguration speech that showed experience and touched on almost every aspect of governance, Governor Wike said his last term would focus on various aspects of the economy including agriculture, job creation, more road constructions, flyovers, and loans to entrepreneurs.
“We will therefore adopt a holistic approach to development by partnering with relevant national and international agencies and expertise to initiate and implement a 25-year ‘Marshall Plan’ for economic transformation and development to guide and accelerate the future development of our state,” Wike said.
“We are already doing great to close the existing deficit in infrastructure but the need to deliver more roads, bridges and modern jetties to connect our cities and communities, improve our economy, accelerate our development and improve the general wellbeing of our people. This we will do with greater vigour and commitment,” he said.
In Cross River State, Ben Ayade, who is returning for another four-year tenure, promised to deliver on his signature projects which include the Bakassi deep seaport, 275km superhighway, the garment and Calabar pharmaceutical factories. He said he would achieve these by making himself project manager of the state.
Ayade said before the end of his second tenure, the state would move from a third-world to first-world state.
In Kaduna, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who got another term, urged the residents to imbibe the spirit of living peaceably with one another for the benefit of the state.
“Let us cherish our diversity while embracing equal citizenship, the rule of law, and respect for the lives and livelihoods of all who call Kaduna State home,” he said.
In Ogun, Dapo Abiodun, who was sworn in as fifth governor of the state, pledged to deliver accountable governance.
In his inaugural speech, Abiodun offered himself as a tool to bring the greatest good to the people of Ogun regardless of creed, gender and political affiliation.
“You will always find in me conduct of Omoluwabi (hood character) expected of a teacher’s child who I am. I will govern with character, make your interests the core of governance, serve you diligently. I will neither personalise nor abuse your mandate and I will not betray your trust,” he said.
In Kano, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje declared free and compulsory education at the basic and post-basic levels for all school age children residing in the state, including the physically challenged persons.
In Imo, Governor Emeka Ihedioha promised to run an all-inclusive government, review former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s free education programme as well as land allocation.
In a speech entitled “Together we will rebuild Imo”, Ihedioha extended his olive branch to all those who ran the governorship election with him even as he castigated the departed APC administration in the state for degradation and destruction of some institutions in the state, including the state judiciary and House of Assembly which he said were all rendered redundant.
“I will be governor for all, rebuild and transform Imo with human capital development science and technology and quality of life for our people. We are on a rebuild mission and the engine of good governance must be lubricated, Civil Service reformed for efficiency and productivity,” he said.
In Akwa Ibom, Governor Udom Emmanuel promised to make the state an industrial hub and “aggressively industrialise the state and ensure the environment is attractive to investors”.
“We hope to make Akwa Ibom the industrial hub of Nigeria. The Ibom Industrial City and the Ibom Deep-Sea Port will remain the signature projects in our second term industrialisation plans,” he said.
In Adamawa, the newly sworn-in governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, said his government would restore the long lost hope in democracy in the state, set the pace for good governance in Nigeria and become the standard by which governance is measured in the country.
“My aspiration for Adamawa State is to be listed among the comity of best states not just in Nigeria but the world. My dream is to restore it to its original name and glory as the state of Beauty and Hospitality,” Fintiri said.
“The central message is, think progress, think development, put Adamawa first. Hopefully, we will set the pace and become the standard by which others measure themselves. Payment of salaries, pension and gratuity on time shall be routine as will be yearly increment and promotions. We shall strive to build a robust harmonious government-labour relationship based on the trust and experiences accumulated over the years,” he said.
JOSHUA BASSEY, Lagos, IGNATIUS CHUKWU, Port Harcourt, NEDO HABILA, Yola, ADEOLA AJAKAIYE, Kano, SABY ELEMBA, Owerri, ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo, PATRICK ABANG, Calabar & NATHANIEL GBAORON, Jalingo
