"For Times Like These They Were Elected --By David Jesse

As we sojourn through life, tough times are indeed inevitable. You may be dealing with health challenges or faced with financial crisis. It’s during these tough times that your mental strength will be tested. Without adequate mental strength, life’s inevitable challenges will likely fill you with self-doubt and anxiety. Interestingly, no one is immune from tough times in life; both the rulers and the ruled are sometimes thrown into dicey situations of life. The corona virus crisis is unlike any we have seen in recent memory. Its impacts on our collective existence has given us a bloody-blow in all spheres of our life’s; the economy, trade, education, tourism, banking, agriculture, tech world and governance are all affected. Leading a state, an organization or an entity during a crisis, like corona virus, that persists over months requires thorough planning, clear communication, and empathy. 

Kaduna state government, have beyond all reasonable doubts, proven to all, that leadership remains cardinal in steering the state out of the storms posed to it by the dreaded corona virus. Reminisce the controversy and contention, that boiled-up our already heated polity, when Malam. Nasir Ahmed El-rufai announced that he will be aspiring for a second term in office with a female, as his running-mate. Dr, Hadiza Balarabe Sabuwa who was nominated amidst Babel of voices, took a bow from the field of medicine and human health, bid farewell to the stethoscope and welcomed public service as the elected deputy-governor of Kaduna state. Close to a year now, Dr. Hadiza is swiftly learning the ropes, attending squarely to state matters as they arise and have represented the governor, holding brief for him in his absence, she led the state Covid19 Task Force, tirelessly going round the clock to ensure the spread, contact and cases of Covid19 within the state are well managed, her leardehip as the Task Force head, birthed out the two molecular laboratory we have in Kaduna state for testing Covid19, which was duly approved by the NCDC, with the third one coming on board within this week. This will help step up the state testing capacity.   

When Governor El-rufai made known his covid-19 result which was confirmed to be positive, he then proceeded to self-isolation for over four weeks. Within this period, we saw how the officials of the Kaduna State Government, have continue to pilot the affairs of the state diligently, within this period this officials have demonstrated admirable commitment and willingness to provide governance even in challenging times as such. With the daily rise of the number of new cases of the dreaded covid-19, Kaduna state has been able to significantly manage the spread of the virus. Announcing a state lockdown by the governor at an early stage came with knocks on the government, but today the curves are favorable and the cases of covid-19 in the state are not overwhelming, because of the proactive decisions of the state government.

El-Rufai is leading the state professionally even in crisis time and permeating the populace with humanity. Kaduna state came first in doling out palliatives worth N500mil to its very vulnerable citizens, with the assurances to do more in the coming days. Communication between government-citizen has been strengthened, through state broadcasts and daily updates from the state ministry of health. The phrase, “Government is a continuum”, is practicable in Kaduna State, despite the epidemic, governance has been evolving. Projects at various construction sites are ongoing, salaries and pensions are been paid, ministries, departments and agencies are taking advantage of the virtual platforms to hold meetings. The governor and his team have long constitute a think-tank team critically look at Kaduna state post covid19, sustaining the state growth and economy plan after the pandemic.  Kaduna state is certainly doing something right in curtailing the spread of this dreaded virus. Some say crisis brings out the best in leaders, this is true, it is for times like this that Gov, Nasir Ahmed El-rufai was elected.     



David, Jesse
4th May 2020
Chikun LGA Kaduna State.