The Acting Governor of Borno State, His Excellency, Alhaji (Dr) Umar Usman Kadafur, today commissioned six major development projects in Nganzai Local Government Area, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to healthcare delivery, education, and post-insurgency recovery.
The projects commissioned include a 48-classroom with administrative block Higher Islamic College, Gajiram, fully equipped with furniture, computers, solar power, digital examination devices, free meals, and learning materials. Ten blocks of classrooms under the AGILE project at Government Day Secondary School, Ngajiram.The official residence of the Executive Chairman of Nganzai LGA. Solar-powered streetlights. A mega solar-powered borehole; and a shopping complex and master chalets at the District Head’s Palace.
A major highlight of the visit was the official commissioning of the General Hospital, Gajiram, a newly constructed secondary healthcare facility designed to serve Gajiram town and surrounding communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Acting Governor Kadafur described healthcare as the most direct measure of governance, noting that leadership is tested not by promises but by lives saved.
“This General Hospital stands as evidence of our deliberate efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access to quality medical services, and safeguard the wellbeing of our citizens,” he said.
“No community in Borno State is too remote or too small to deserve quality healthcare.”
The Acting Governor noted that the project aligns with the administration’s 25-Year Borno State Development Plan, emphasizing that the state is steadily transitioning from recovery to stability and sustainable development.
He explained that the hospital was established to correct long-standing imbalances in access to healthcare, where rural communities were underserved and forced to rely on overstretched primary health centres.
Acting Governor Kadafur stated that the Gajiram General Hospital provides emergency care, surgical services, maternal and child healthcare, diagnostic and laboratory services, inpatient care, and pharmaceutical services under a coordinated system.
The facility is supported by a hybrid power supply, combining grid electricity, generators, and solar energy to ensure uninterrupted services.
He also stressed the importance of human resources, assuring that doctors, nurses, midwives, and other health professionals are being recruited and deployed across local government areas, with attention to staff welfare and continuous training.
Earlier, the Honourable Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Professor Baba Mallam Gana, described the hospital as a functional solution to identified healthcare gaps in Nganzai LGA.
He explained that the facility was carefully planned to operate as a full secondary healthcare centre, reducing avoidable referrals, emergency delays, and preventable deaths.
He added that the Ministry has intensified the recruitment and deployment of healthcare workers, particularly to underserved areas.
Professor Gana commended the support of development partners, including WHO, UNICEF, and LAFIYA-UK, for their contributions to strengthening Borno’s health system.
The Member of the House of Representatives representing Marte, Monguno, and Nganzai Federal Constituency, Hon. Bukar Talba, commended the state government for the projects delivered in his constituency.
He disclosed that the solar streetlights and solar-powered borehole were facilitated through the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
He appealed for the provision of additional staff quarters to accommodate personnel to be posted to the hospital and schools, and called for the resettlement of internally displaced persons back to their communities.
He also pledged to plant trees and protect the newly commissioned projects.
In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of Nganzai Local Government Area, Hon. Engr. Malam Gana Badu, thanked the Acting Governor for his unwavering commitment to education, healthcare, security, and infrastructure development.
“This occasion is not just a commissioning, but a celebration of resilience, commitment, and hope for a better future for the people of Nganzai,” he said, assuring that the facilities would be properly managed and sustainably utilized.
On his return journey, Acting Governor Kadafur stopped at Gajiganna town in Magumeri Local Government Area to inspect 500 housing units currently under construction, complete with boreholes, schools, and shopping facilities.
The Chairman of Magumeri LGA, Dr. Ali Yaumi, informed the Governor that the project is expected to resettle four displaced communities and would be completed within three months.
Governor Kadafur commended the quality of work and assured the council of adequate funding to ensure timely completion.
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