Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has noted that one key area that the House of Representatives Speaker, Rt Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, has excelled beyond measure is constituency service.
The governor pointed out that the Speaker not only represents his people well, but also ‘’attracts major interventions to his constituency and expends his personal resources to put smiles on the faces of the people.’’
Ibraheem Musa, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said in a press release that Uba Sani made the commendations in his closing remarks at an event organised to celebrate the Speaker’s two years of remarkable representation, held at Federal University of Education, Zaria, on Saturday.
He said: ‘’In consultation and close collaboration with me, Mr. Speaker has extended development interventions beyond his constituency.
“He has intervened to support the government in providing vehicles to traditional rulers, and is bringing development projects to all the 23 Local Governments Areas in the state.”
The governor maintained that his administration has ramped up its Rural Transformation Programme, adding, “We are extending infrastructure to all parts of Kaduna State. No part of Kaduna State will be left behind.”
According to him, ‘’We have recorded massive achievements in our health, educational and agricultural revitalisation programmes. We have stabilised the security situation in many communities.
‘’Our ongoing social investment programmes have lifted many of our citizens out of poverty. We shall continue to create, innovate and effectively execute policies and programmes to make Kaduna State a model of development in Nigeria.”
Sani noted that Abbas has remained a stabilising force in the House with his inclusive and participatory approach to leadership.
According to him, members are focused on people-centred bills to address Nigeria’s economic and developmental challenges ‘’instead of the proverbial banana peels.’’
Before giving his remarks, the governor had asked the gathering to observe a one-minute silence in honour of the Kano tycoon and philanthropist Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who died in the early hours of Saturday at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at 94 years.
Presenting his scorecard, Speaker Abbas said that in the last 14 years he has sponsored more bills than any other legislator in Nigeria’s history.
“In the 9th Assembly, I sponsored 74 bills, 21 of which received the president’s assent. This is the highest number recorded for any legislator since Nigeria’s independence,’’ he said.
He added that as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he has done everything within his power to justify the trust placed in him by his peers in the last two years.
He said: ‘’Here in Zaria, we have established new institutions for agriculture, veterinary science, technical education, and disability inclusion.
“We have expanded secondary two education, launched a N5 billion scholarship scheme for over ten thousand students, and commenced construction of an N80 billion Education Village hosting university, nursing, teaching, and legal studies campuses.
‘’We have improved teacher welfare in rural areas, renovated schools, empowered women and youth through vocational centres, upgraded tertiary infrastructure, delivered vital community projects such as boreholes, solar lighting, and maternity care, and honoured our traditional institutions with vehicles to support their unifying role.”
To mark his two years anniversary, the Speaker flagged off the distribution of fertiliser and motorcycles, as well as commissioned the Barewa Junction to Agoro Underpass along with Governor Uba Sani.
Other projects that were commissioned included the road from Ƙofar Doka to Agoro and the breaking ground for a Technology Incubation Centre at BATC, Nagoyi, as well as the commencement of the construction of primary and secondary schools for Children With Special Needs at the ABUTH Child Hospital.
