Governor Dauda Lawal: Goal-getter

When Governor Dauda Lawal turned 60 last September, many well wishers praised him for his dedication to the development of Zamfara State and his steadfast pursuit of peace and security.

In two and half years of being a governor, he has shown what vision, commitment and prudent use of state resources can do.

On assumption of office, he embarked on a transformative journey with his vast experience as an economist and banker, laying a foundation for socio-economic progress.

With a six-point rescue agenda, anchored on Security, Agriculture and Food Security, Education, Healthcare, Economy and Empowerment, his mission was to change the narrative and make Zamfara State a shining star in the country.

To curb insecurity, Governor Dauda Lawal established the Zamfara Community Protection Guards, called Askarawan Zamfara, and invested significant resources to support security agencies, including donation of 140 operational vehicles to help in their mobility and enhancement of response time.

Through a well-established intelligence gathering system, his government, in collaboration with security operatives, has been identifying and successfully neutralising key bandit kingpins terrorising Zamfara State.

In the education sector, his declaration of a state of emergency has yielded positive results, lifting Zamfara State from consistently ranking at the bottom of national educational chart to a position of strength.

He has constructed, renovated, and equipped over 500 schools across the 14 Local Government Areas of Zamfara State and provided two-seater desks for over 9,542 pupils and students across schools.  Teachers have also benefitted from the transformation as quality of education has improved.

Tertiary schools have equally been renovated and equipped, including Zamfara College of Arts and Science; College of Health Technology, Tsafe; Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara; and Abdu Gusau Polytechnic.

Under Governor Dauda Lawal, school feeding has been revived with 10 senior boarding schools benefiting from across the state. In collaboration with the World Bank, his administration moved to empower young girls in and out of primary and junior secondary schools with the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment programme.

In the health sector, the governor has renovated and equipped General Hospitals in Maradun, Maru, Kauran Namoda, Gusau, and Anka, among others. Primary Healthcare Centres also received similar treatment. Another milestone is the remodelling, upgrading, and equipping of the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau.

From 2023, when he flagged off road construction programmes, Governor Lawal has embarked on massive urban renewal project in Gusau, the Zamfara State Capital.

One of his signature projects is the Gusau International Airport.

For his brilliant performance in office in less than three years, The Sun Board of Editors chose him as winner of The Sun Governor of the Year Award 2025.