Dr Tanko Sununu, representing Shanga/ Yauri/ Ngaski Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Wednesday inaugurated 16 developmental projects in the areas of health, education and provision of potable water in the three Local Government Areas of Kebbi.
Sununu, who is Chairman, Committee on Healthcare Services, inaugurated the projects on Wednesday in Ngaski Local Government of Kebbi
The lawmaker said that the projects were part of the dividends of his representation of his people at the National Assembly.
“We still have a number of projects that we have not inaugurated today and people will benefit tremendously from the medical equipment, blocks of classrooms, primary healthcare structures, bridge and water works, among others in my constituency.
“There are two things in life: either you are educated or you are not educated.
“Health will facilitate you to get better education while education will make you to be healthier.
“As the saying goes, educating a woman is like you are educating a society; these are the premises upon which I have paid more attention to education and health in my constituency, “he said.
Sununu urged the people in the areas to maintain the projects and utilise them judiciously in order to lessen the burden of health, water and education challenges in their areas.
The lawmaker also distributed snake bite anti- venom vaccines to the primary healthcare centres in the areas.
“Owing to the torrential water waves that accompanied the floods last year, we experienced influx of snakes in our areas.
“One has to spend as much as N80,000 to N100,000 for one vaccine and I took it upon the mandate my people have given me to secure the vaccines from Gombe State and distributed to the centres to help save the lives of our people.
“On pregnant women, we have taken the responsibilities of every pregnant woman who is undergoing labour; we have taken care of the medical, drug and surgical bills of over 186 women so far in the areas.
“We have so far treated 296 out of our target number of 500 and we are hoping to review the targeted number as soon as we reach the 500 before the end of my tenure,” he said.
In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Sulaiman Khalid, commended the lawmaker for giving education its rightful place.
“In addition to the intervention in critical areas of health and water, Dr Sununu also did well in critical education.
“We have so many dilapidated school buildings in the state, and the government is investing a lot of resources to restore the structures and provide quality education.
“That is why the state government is actually putting education highest in the budget.
“No matter the amount of resources you put into the budget at the moment, it may not be enough to support education, hence we thank the member of the House of Representatives for his intervention,” the chairman said.
Also, the Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Abubakar Ka’oje, expressed his appreciation to the lawmaker for supplying large consignment of medical equipment to healthcare centres in the areas.
“We also have to thank him for renovating and constructing healthcare centres as well as staff quarters.
“We are calling on other lawmakers to emulate him, including those at the state House of Assembly, “ Ka’oje said.
In his remarks, the Emir of Yauri, Dr Zayyanu Muhammad, who was represented by Alhaji Dangaladima Gungu, expressed joy of the people for voting the member to represent the area in the National Assembly.
“We will always give opportunities to those that will bring sustainable development to our area and we are happy that we made the right choice when we voted for Dr Sununu to represent us,” he said.
Muhammad also urged the security agencies to monitor the possible diversion of equipment to neighboring states from the area.
The projects inaugurated are: construction of block of classrooms at primary school, Jijima, in Yauri, renovation of pediatric ward at the General Hospital, Yauri and provision of equipment at PHC Yar besse, solar powered street lights in Shanga Township.
Others projects include provision of equipment to PHC, Saminaka and construction of an overhead water reservoir in Shanga and construction of bridge at Sakace ward in Shanga.
Also inaugurated was the renovated PHC, Zamare and supply of medical equipment, construction of staff quarters for health workers in Dugu ward in Shanga, renovation of PHC in Gebbe and construction of block of classrooms at Jijima primary school among others.