Ex-Sokoto deputy governor praises Ahmed Aliyu over state transformation

Former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, has commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for what he described as the administration’s remarkable transformation of the state.

Shagari, in a statement signed by his media aide, Musa Ubandawaki, urged residents to support the government’s development programmes, saying the progress of Sokoto required a collective effort.

He commended the administration’s interventions in education, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, religious affairs, social welfare and environmental sanitation.

According to him, the rehabilitation and upgrading of schools, alongside the provision of learning facilities, represented an investment in the future of the state.

He also praised the government’s agricultural interventions, particularly the distribution of free fertiliser and pesticides to farmers, saying the measures would boost food production, reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of rural communities.

Shagari said the administration’s efforts in the health sector, including investments in healthcare infrastructure and access to essential medical services, were critical to improving the wellbeing of residents.

He similarly commended the government for its social welfare and religious interventions, which he said had demonstrated concern for orphans, vulnerable citizens and disadvantaged families.

On infrastructure, the former deputy governor said investments in roads, water supply, housing, markets, electricity and other critical facilities were gradually transforming the state’s physical and economic landscape.

He said sustained investment in infrastructure would stimulate economic activity, facilitate the movement of people and goods, attract investment and create opportunities for young people.

Shagari also applauded the administration’s environmental sanitation efforts, noting that Sokoto metropolis had witnessed visible improvements in cleanliness and its general appearance.

He, however, urged residents to complement government efforts by properly disposing of waste, maintaining environmental cleanliness and protecting public infrastructure.

The former deputy governor called on the people of the state to set aside political, ethnic and other differences and support initiatives aimed at advancing Sokoto.

“The development of Sokoto State is a collective responsibility. Government can initiate projects and programmes, but their sustainability depends largely on the cooperation and support of the people,” he said.

Shagari added, “Sokoto belongs to all of us. Its progress must therefore be a shared mission. Let us put aside unnecessary divisions and work together to build a state that future generations will be proud to inherit.”

He expressed optimism that sustained commitment by the government, coupled with active citizen participation, would enable the state to achieve greater development and strengthen its position as a centre of economic, educational, social and infrastructural progress in Nigeria.