Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has been identified by social media activists as an indispensable fan since the inception of his regime. This is supported with pictures of the various structures put in place by his government. The social media has for a long while recognised and declared Ganduje, who is also known as ‘Working Machine,’ as the best performing state governor in the North-West, even beyond.
Social Media platforms have been promoting the activities of the governor ever since he introduced a skills acquisition project that has benefitted thousands of youths in the state.
Ganduje did not only provide training for thousands of automobile mechanics, but also empowered them with the necessary tools and created an enabling environment for their work. This became a major subject of discussion on social media. As a matter of fact, for the first time in the history of Kano State, women were among the beneficiaries of the training scheme.
The governor recently disclosed that his administration was planning in the long term to transform the capital city into a mega city. The blueprint for this includes the provision of much-needed social amenities and infrastructure in terms of road networks, rail transport, housing and a host of others. In this regard, the primary objective of the state government is to meet the needs of the people and to fulfill their expectations.
One of the major goals of the government is to attract investors to Kano through sufficient power supply to all parts of the state. Based on the ongoing system of transmission and distribution of electricity, Kano only receives eight percent of the entire power generated in Nigeria, even as it is being shortchanged.
To meet its target of transforming Kano into a mega city, government requires an increase in power supply. To achieve this, it has invested in the generation of hydro electricity at places like Tiga Dam.
The governor has since divided the Kano Emirate into five as a way of expanding development and reaching out to the grassroots. The new emirates created out of the old one include Rano, Karaye, Bichi, Gaya and the Kano Emirate. This will serve as a way of balancing development at the grassroots level.
Following the increase in population and in the number of children in the state, Ganduje introduced free education for all in the state from primary to secondary school and up to tertiary level for those who are physically challenged. This has attracted the attention of many Nigerians on social media.
The governor has placed Kano on the path of becoming a mega city through the construction of underpasses, surface roads and flyovers in strategically populated parts of the state.
The social media has also hailed Ganduje’s efforts aimed at improving the health sector in the state. One of his successfully completed projects, the Muhammadu Buhari Cancer Centre, is considered to be the biggest of its kind in Nigeria. It was built and equipped to provide the necessary treatment for cancer patients.
In the eyes of the social media, the governor’s positive actions in Kano State are overwhelming and so remarkable that they have cancelled out negative propaganda against his government on one hand and other hand, rendered the efforts of his critics to undermine his achievements ineffective.
One other important factor that has shaped the way in which the social media views Ganduje’s performance is security. Kano has literally turned out to be the most secure state in the North so far. The social media attributes this to the governor’s commitment to ensuring the right thing is done at the right time.
Indeed, the social media will for a long time continue to regard Ganduje as the best performing governor ever in northern Nigeria and the most popular among social media activists. It will certainly take a long time before another state governor can attract as much attention from the social media.
Abubakar is the Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Ganduje.
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