Governor Bago’s Developmental Footprints in Niger North: Zone C Is Not Left Behind
By Hamza Waziri.
If you are wondering why some Nigerlites are unnecessarily bashing Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, it is because he is visibly doing well across key sectors of Niger State. And as with every effective leader, success attracts higher expectations, stronger pressure, and sharper scrutiny.
Governor Bago has touched nearly every facet of life in the state. From prompt approval and payment of salaries above the national minimum wage, to the regular payment of pensions and gratuities, his administration has shown seriousness in workers’ welfare.
He has also made notable efforts in agriculture, security management, health care delivery, and urban renewal.
For the first time in the history of Niger State, a brain surgery and a total knee replacement surgery were successfully carried out at the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna.
In addition, at least 20 of the 100 earmarked Grade Level Primary Healthcare Centres across the state have been completed and are functional. This is alongside the 556 kilometres of roads being executed across the 25 local government areas to improve connectivity and give each area a facelift.
Governor Bago has also been working hard to rebuild Minna and spread development to other senatorial headquarters.
The idea is simple: whatever is given to Bida should also be reflected in Suleja and Kontagora. It is therefore unfair to claim that Niger North, Zone C, has been neglected.
For the record, Zone C is not left out of the development agenda. The zone has benefited from road construction and rehabilitation across several local government areas, including the Kontagora–Rijau Road and the Wawa–Babanana Road, both of which are under construction.
The Kontagora axis has also seen major road works such as the 90 km Kontagora–Rijau Road, the 19.4 km Kontagora Western Bypass Ring Road, and the 8.7 km Eastern Bypass Ring Road.
In the area of power, Governor Bago’s transformer overhaul programme, which covers 600 transformers across Niger State, has also reached Kontagora. A 15MVA substation was built to address a power problem that had lingered for years before he came on board.
Zone C is also disadvantaged in western education, and the governor has introduced a policy meant to make learning more flexible by de-emphasizing strict school uniforms and school hours.
The goal is to accommodate the children of farmers and herders who may need to go to the farm or grazing grounds in the morning.
Beyond roads and education, the administration has also taken security and economic control measures in Zone C, including the ban on mining activities there because of insecurity concerns.
This shows that the government’s effort in the zone is not only about infrastructure, but also about safety, regulation, and long-term development.
