North-west groups, Zamfara Progressive Coalition (ZAC), has condemned the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State branding it a “monumental failure.”
In a statement released Tuesday and signed by ZAC President, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Azumi, the group accused the governor of mismanaging the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds without delivering meaningful development or addressing the state’s mounting challenges.
“It is heartbreaking that two years after the election of Dauda Lawal, Zamfara remains a state defined by hunger, fear, and neglect,” the group stated. “Billions have come in, but not one major road, hospital, or school has been built or rehabilitated. The people have been abandoned.”
The coalition lamented that despite the enormous resources received over the past two years, the state remains in crisis—grappling with insecurity, displacement, collapsed infrastructure, and poverty. They accused Governor Lawal of spending more time in Abuja than in Zamfara, describing him as a “part-time governor.”
“We expected a leader who would tackle insecurity with urgency, invest in agriculture, create jobs, and rebuild our broken systems. What we got instead is a part-time governor who prefers the comfort of Abuja to the cries of his people,” Dan-Azumi said.
Rising Insecurity and Neglect
Citing worsening bandit attacks in LGAs such as Tsafe, Bungudu, and Maru, ZAC said rural dwellers now live in fear, with bandits collecting taxes from farmers while the state government “sits idle.”
“Our people are being kidnapped weekly, yet the governor keeps attending ceremonies in Abuja,” Dan-Azumi added.
He also decried the deterioration of healthcare and education in the state, alleging that hospitals lack basic medical supplies, maternal deaths are on the rise, and public schools are in disrepair—with no chairs, no roofs, and no teachers.
Demand for Transparency
He called for a full audit of FAAC allocations to Zamfara since 2023, alleging a complete lack of transparency in how public funds are being utilised.
“Where has the money gone?” Dan-Azumi asked. “The poverty level in Zamfara is among the highest in the country. Young people roam the streets with nothing to do. There are no empowerment schemes, no vocational training centres, and no industrial plans. This is governance by negligence.”
He urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch a formal investigation into the state’s finances, and vowed to begin publishing monthly performance scorecards on the governor’s activities to promote accountability.
Despite being endowed with natural resources like gold, vast agricultural land, and a youthful population, Dan-Azumi said the Lawal administration has failed to harness any of these to transform the state.