Zamfara Was in Total Disarray — Governor Lawal Slams Matawalle, Reveals He Inherited ₦4 Million and Huge Liabilities
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has accused his predecessor, Bello Matawalle now Minister of State for Defence under President Bola Tinubu of leaving behind a bankrupt state with overwhelming liabilities and collapsed systems.
Speaking in an interview aired by Arise News, Governor Lawal revealed that when he assumed office in May 2023, Zamfara State’s treasury had just ₦4 million and was burdened by enormous debts. He described the state as being in “total disarray” across critical sectors including security, education, healthcare, and human development.
“Zamfara was at its worst when I took over,” Lawal said. “There was no money—only ₦4 million in the account—and a mountain of liabilities. Records show we were dealing with salary arrears of four and a half months, judiciary debts, and outstanding payments of ₦1.6 billion to WAEC and ₦1.4 billion to NECO.”
Governor Lawal immediately declared a state of emergency in education and healthcare. He renegotiated debts with examination bodies to ensure students could sit for their exams and had their withheld certificates released. Additionally, he restored access to clean water within three days of assuming office—resolving a crisis that had persisted for five months.
The governor also addressed salary issues, raising the minimum wage from ₦7,000 to ₦30,000 across state and local governments, and later to ₦70,000. He proudly announced that the ₦16.5 billion in unpaid pensions, dating back to 2011, had been fully settled as of last month.
In the education sector, Lawal’s administration has renovated and equipped over 400 schools in all 40 local government areas. He also cleared outstanding scholarship debts and extended support to students studying abroad, particularly in Sudan and India.
“We are committed to rebuilding this state from the ground up,” Lawal stated, emphasizing that the revival of Zamfara’s social infrastructure remains a top priority for his government.
Leave a Reply