SOCIAL WELFARE AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORT: EXTENDING GOVERNANCE TO THE MOST VULNERABLE

SOCIAL WELFARE AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORT: EXTENDING GOVERNANCE TO THE MOST VULNERABLE

By Sani Umar

In the two years since Governor Ahmed Aliyu assumed office, his administration has pursued an ambitious 9 Point Smart Agenda aimed at addressing the deep rooted challenges the state has long faced while laying foundations for sustainable development and inclusive growth.

Grounded in practical interventions across education, health, water, agriculture, security, youth empowerment, local government autonomy, religious harmony, and economic revitalisation, this agenda has moved beyond slogans into measurable impacts that ordinary citizens now feel in their daily lives.

From the outset, Governor Aliyu made clear that his governance philosophy would be transformational and people centred, prioritising visible results over rhetoric. 

The state’s 2025 budget, aptly tagged the “Transformation and Infrastructural Sustainability Budget,” dedicated a significant share of resources to capital projects, signalling a commitment to real, structural change without resorting to external borrowing.

On education, one of the core pillars of the Smart Agenda, the administration has implemented programs with far reaching effects. 

The AGILE project, (Adolescent Girl’s Initiative for Learning and Empowerment) has delivered substantial grants to a large number of schools across the state, funding classroom renovations, boreholes, sanitation and other critical infrastructure, with a focus on enabling safe learning environments and improving educational outcomes for girls and boys alike. 

Complementing this is the recent provision of modern furniture to public schools across the state, an intervention aimed at improving classroom comfort, learning conditions, and overall student performance.

In tandem with these efforts, Sokoto State has seen a notable increase in school enrolments as part of broader strategies to strengthen the sector, including enhanced educational infrastructure and teacher training. 

The First Lady of the State, has also reinforced education as a priority, emphasising safe and inclusive spaces for students and expanded support for school administrators.

 In line with the adage that health is wealth, the Aliyu administration has repositioned healthcare as a central pillar of its SMART agenda, with deliberate focus on maternal and child health. 

Through expanded immunization, improved antenatal services, steady supply of essential drugs and the large scale recruitment and deployment of skilled health workers, particularly midwives. The state is recording a gradual but steady decline in maternal and child mortality.

 General hospitals across the three senatorial zones are undergoing renovation and upgrades, while primary healthcare centres, especially in rural communities, have been strengthened to ensure equitable access to quality care. 

These people centered reforms are restoring confidence in public health facilities and laying the foundation for a healthier and more productive Sokoto State.

In agriculture, a sector critical to the State’s economy and food security, Governor Aliyu has pushed for modernization and investment that enhances productivity and commercial viability. 

Initiatives such as the establishment of modern storage facilities, including the recently launched onion cold-storage project, are designed to curb post-harvest losses and stabilise farmers’ incomes. 

These efforts are complemented by the large scale distribution of subsidised fertilisers and improved seeds, reinforcing the administration’s focus on transforming traditional farming into a more profitable and resilient agribusiness.

Security remains a foundational part of the governor’s agenda, given Sokoto’s history of insecurity and banditry. 

Through strategic partnerships with federal security agencies and the establishment of state driven mechanisms such as the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps, the administration has strengthened the state’s capacity to safeguard lives and property. 

The provision of patrol vehicles and motorcycles, alongside improved allowances for frontline personnel, has enhanced operational effectiveness and boosted community confidence.

Economic empowerment and poverty alleviation have been central to the administration’s social interventions. Over 14,000 residents have benefited from the NG-CARES program, which supports micro and small entrepreneurs with grants that stimulate business growth and economic self-reliance. 

The state has also implemented a Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey to inform policy targeting and drive data, led interventions against poverty.

Complementing these efforts is a deliberate focus on social welfare and inclusion, particularly for vulnerable groups.

The administration has rolled out a comprehensive welfare package for persons with disabilities, including monthly stipends, the provision of hand cycles to enhance mobility, and expanded access to educational opportunities aimed at promoting independence and dignity. 

In the religious sphere, the government has sustained monthly cash allocations and allowances to mosques, imams, and mu’azims, alongside the provision of foodstuffs and other forms of support to Islamic clerics. 

This commitment is further reflected in the expansion of Ramadan feeding centres across the state, where increased outlets and assorted meals have eased the burden on fasting families and reinforced the values of compassion and communal support. 

Mosques and Islamiya schools across the state have been remodeled to befitting standards, enhancing their role in moral and religious development.

 Promoting religious harmony and inclusion forms another pillar of the Smart Agenda, reflecting Sokoto’s cultural ethos. 

The administration has elevated religious affairs in governance, institutionalising support for worship spaces and interfaith coexistence, which has contributed to peaceful relations across communities.

Infrastructure renewal has equally remained a visible hallmark of the administration. 

The reconstruction of the burnt Sokoto Central Market, valued at N8.5 billion, stands as a major economic recovery project, restoring livelihoods, boosting commercial activity, and reaffirming government support for traders affected by the devastating fire. 

In addition, the execution of road projects worth N4.1 billion across strategic locations in the state would improve connectivity, ease movement of goods and people, and enhance access to markets and social services.

Governor Aliyu’s administration has also sought to ensure the welfare of public servants and retirees, implementing structured payments of outstanding gratuities and ensuring the new national minimum wage is paid across all categories of state workers. 

These moves have boosted morale and underscored the government’s commitment to fairness and economic dignity for workers.

Beyond sector specific impacts, Governor Aliyu’s approach has emphasised infrastructure renewal and broad based development. 

Roads, water projects including sustained efforts to tackle chronic water scarcity and other critical public utilities feature prominently in the state’s ongoing projects, ensuring that citizens experience tangible improvements in their living conditions.

Public recognition of these efforts has come in the form of awards and commendations, including being named “Best Governor of the Year” by national media, a tribute to the administration’s visible projects and strategic direction.

Two years into his tenure, Governor Ahmed Aliyu has steered Sokoto State toward a path characterised by pragmatic governance, prioritised resource allocation, and inclusive development. 

By focusing on realistic goals, aligning state interventions with the needs of citizens, and delivering on key components of the Smart Agenda, his administration has begun to change the narrative of governance in the state, building a foundation for sustained progress that resonates with everyday Sokoto residents.