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Only few leaders in Nigeria’s contemporary political history have generated vertical and horizontal discourse in the art of governance like the Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu. This is not far from his conviction and premise that any meaningful development must first be documented for present and future references. As one who believes in the supremacy of a knowledge and human resource based economy, the Talban Minna does not hide his bias for brainstorming on developmental issues. A precursor of his government was the Advisory Committee he mandated to fashion a path for his government after winning elections. It is based on this thought that the National Association of Niger State Students ABU Chapter led by its President Bashir K. Tanko initiated the publication of the Challenges and Prospects of A greater Niger.

This insightful and provoking advisory for any one aspiring for political office in Nigeria, opens with M.N Maiturare Ph.D submission on the implementation of the new pension scheme: A case for states and local governments. The latter is one of the reforms of the Chief Servant since assuming office, having seen first hand the hurdles retirees go through in his sojourn in public service, he has embraced and is propagating a new pension scheme. Dr. Maiturare writes that this new scheme is contributory, fully funded, based on individual accounts that are privately managed by pension fund administrators, the assets by the PFAs would be strictly regulated. He concludes that it is important for a social framework to be created for the non-working elderly and disabled persons in the society, this safety net no doubt would cushion the appalling conditions of retirees. Dr Ahmed Doko Ibrahim’s concern is on the urgent need to involve private sector funds and initiative in provision of infrastructure as a way out of the quagmire of underdevelopment, he espouses terms and PPP mechanisms like Joint Venture JV, Build Operate and Transfer BOT, Build Operate and Own BOO, Design Build Finance Operate DBFO, Build Operate Own and Transfer BOOT. Some of the advantages of the PPP model he said were the removal of funding from the investments of the government’s balance sheet and also to introduce competition and thereby ensuring that the public sector receives best value for money. However, he also warns that there could be bottlenecks in the implementation of the PPP model; these include inadequate domestic capital market, lack of mechanisms to attract long term finances, and the inconsistency of government policies. The other article in this section is by Abdulkadir Danlami Sani (ACII) of the Department of Business Administration IBBU Lapai titled Value for Money as a strategic tool for achieving Niger State Government’s Vision 2020 Objectives.

One of the reformist agenda of the Chief Servant is in the introduction of accountability mechanism as a core area in the contractual process of Niger State. The Special Adviser Economics and Head of Due Process, U.T Mohammad writes in his delivery titled Perception of service delivery and the service delivery initiative in Niger State, that it is important for governments to issue regulatory frameworks in micro-macro economic policies to ensure success. He itemised issues affecting service deliveries as corruption, the absence of meritocracy in the civil service, the absence of the application of planning and performance management this he postulates must change for there to be an effective state of service delivery, a process which has begun already in Niger State.

The public service remains the core of governance, the epicentre which holds all together in ensuring the nerve of the system of governance works, Mohammed Abdullahi of the Department of Public Administration Federal Polytechnic Bida argues that for there to be smooth arrival to Vision 2020 there must be a professional and competent civil service. This he said can only be guaranteed within the ambit of the different arms of government working together. The present bias enjoyed by the civil service in Niger State is a step in the right direction.

In section three, Page 103-112, Dr. A. U Imam writes about the strategies to employ in order to achieve quality health care delivery in Niger State, if indeed we must achieve greatness by the target year of 2020, no society can develop or create wealth for its citizenry if its productive class are unhealthy in mind and body. In Section four -the Education segment on Page 113-119 Mohammed Bashir Muazu PhD, argues that for any meaningful development to occur science and technology should be the chosen medium to drive the economy, he quotes the Chief Servant’s inaugural address where he says that education is the catalyst for any meaningful development. Niger State must be ready to sustain its investment in human resources; a knowledge based economy is one sure way of achieving the developed status he concludes. No society can achieve growth or meaningful success without having the requisite rules and regulations to govern it, Abubakar Madaki Esq, believes that to get to the promise land the Niger State government should review and where necessary enact laws to provide a basis for rapid developmental programs. For he writes, law is a veritable tool for sustainable development in any society.

From the Department of Library and Information Science, Faculty of Education ABU Zaria is Hayatu M.M’s missive to the chief servant where he makes a case for Information Technology as ‘one of the basic skills and concepts of ICT as part of the core of education, alongside reading, writing and numeracy. In a society where one is prone to accidents due to negligence and human errors, where its productive class is decimated through accidents on a daily basis, Iliya E. B of the Department of Textile ABU Zaria in his own submission titled Safety and Accident Prevention: The effects of accident on spoilages and wastages. He advocates that only compliance with safety measures and regulations can facilitate the achievement of a safety level. The sports man and consummate writer B.M Dzukogi in his own submission, traced the decline of sports to the phasing out of boarding school institution in Nigeria, this he also surmised occurred as a result of ineptness of the government, and avaricious land grabbers who encroached upon school lands. This led to a pragmatic approach whereby the youths subconsciously arrested the drift by engaging in community youth sports. In proffering solutions which includes community sports facility development plan, he reminds us about past dividends of community sports where at a point Zarumai Quarters in Minna, provided the bulk of national and international players for the sports of hockey in Nigeria just because they grew up alongside a single hockey pitch.

Richard Hagan is more concerned about the state of his contemporaries in Niger State, the Medical student traces the decisive point for youths, he analyses the mitigating issues of unemployment in an emotive almost lyrical style. As a young adult concerned about his environment, he goes the extra mile to get involved in the activities that could help shape the society. The lack of utter opportunities for youth either in gainful employment or education is amongst the malaise facing youth in Niger State and Nigeria. To achieve a future imbued with a vibrant and productive youth he argues that there must be an all inclusive approach to interact with their youths, provide them with quality education, and ensure gender equality. He advocates also for a mentoring process, for leaders to be models to youths amongst others.

The concept of a garden city as espoused by the likes of Ebenezer Howard and Le Corbusier are based on the premise that Cities must be well ordered to achieve optimal functionality. This fluidity in a sense ensures the easy access of the units of production, thereby leading to an overall and even development. Shuaibu Jabiru a 500 level student of Mechanical Engineering A.B.U Zaria borrows a leaf from the great urban thinkers mentioned above to postulate that for Minna to become an epicentre it’s Human Resource, Industrialization, Transportation, Tourism, Recreation and Relaxation facilities etc must be optimally developed and utilised.

The work has been slated for public presentation on the 8th of November in Zaria city. The great city states and civilisations of the past, the post-modernist economies of today, where not the beneficiaries of a magic wand; it is the apt utilisation of their knowledge and resources for functionality that made them into what they are. This book has only reiterated the latter premise. It is the thought that drives this work, a contribution to the search and march towards a better society for all.

By Alkasim Abdulkadir.