Daura, Katsina State, the hometown of the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari(retd), has witnessed noticeable transformation since Buhari assumed office in 2015 with the dividends of democratic rule dotting strategic parts of the town.
People in the area will always remember Buhari who was an ex-military head of state before switching from khaki (military attire) to agbada (voluminous garment).
Daura has undoubtedly enjoyed the dividends of democracy in the last seven years courtesy of one of its sons who is at the helm of affairs in the country. The otherwise mainly agrarian community with few businesses has metamorphosed into a commercial town that now boasts of the presence of projects from both the federal and state governments including the presence of privately-owned commercial ventures cutting across various sectors such as oil and gas, wholesale and retail trading, communication, transport, entertainment, banking, hospitality among others.
The transformation in the town started to manifest shortly after Buhari assumed office in 2015.
Visitors, especially those who do not frequent the state, need to make inquiries from residents to locate their destinations in the town.
Daura town has transformed from a sleepy and peaceful town whose major occupations of the majority of residents are farming, trading, and livestock husbandry, to another commercial hub in Katsina State.
Presently, traders from across Nigeria visit Daura daily where they carry out various commercial activities as witnessed in other commercial cities in Nigeria.
Inside the present-day Daura are buildings and structures which boast modern-day architectural designs. The town also has a good road network and drainage system which makes the town attractive.
The infrastructural developments and increase in the commercial activities in Daura have, by extension, led to developments and increase in commercial activities on its surrounding towns and communities such as Zanngo, Baure, Babamutumu , Dabueram,Ganga and Tsargalle, among others.
Two major highways lead to the town; through Katsina and Kano states. There are other smaller routes to the town but are only known to residents and frequent visitors.
No matter the route a visitor or dweller takes to enter Daura, the person will observe that it is a big town. If you enter through Kano highway, establishments such as the Nigeria Air force Reference Hospital, Nigeria Air force Quick Response Unit, Federal University of Transportation, Daura Township Stadium and branches of commercial banks will welcome you to the town. The establishments, apart from boasting of modern architectural designs, also arguably contribute to the economy of the town.
The eyes feast on similar structures such as the 171 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Federal Polytechnic, Daura, including federal and state establishments when one approaches Daura through Katsina highway.
The establishments and institutions are complemented by a good road network and drainage system which makes the town attractive. Diverse business enthusiasts and entrepreneurs also engage in commercial activities to grow the town’s economic life.
Some observers believe that the town enjoys more attention from the Federal Government to the detriment of other towns and cities. It’s a popular belief that projects are concentrated in the town simply because it is the President’s hometown.
The projects town which appears to validate their claim include the Federal Polytechnic, Daura, the Nigeria Air force Reference Hospital, Daura, the Women and Children Hospital, Daura, the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, the proposed dualisation of Kano/ Kongolam highway designed to pass through Daura and the School for People with Special Needs, Daura.
Other projects are the Nigerian Airforce Response Air Wing (Quick Response Unit), Daura, the Nigerian Army 171 Battalion Base, Daura, the Forwarding Operating Base of the Nigerian Army along Kongolam road, Daura, the National Directorate of Employment Centre, Ganga, Daura, upgrade and expansion of Daura Mini Stadium, the Sustainable Development Goals Skills Acquisition Centre, Zango Road, Daura, completion of the Sabke Dam, Daura which supplies one million litres of water to Daura and neighbouring communities and the 73km 132KVA line from Katsina to Daura and two 30 and 40 MVA transformers to boost power supply.
There are also the 50-bed Maternity Centre at the Daura General Hospital built under the name of the First Lady, Sir Emeka Offor E-Library, Daura, the 400,000 litres capacity solar-powered water system by the NNPC and Belema oil in a joint venture with Jack-Rich Tein Foundation, several SDG school projects in Daura, rehabilitation, expansion, reactivation and completion of several abandoned and existing projects including roads, schools, drainages, water projects etc, the National Directorate of Employment Cosmetology training and distribution of Cosmetology packs to 1000 women in Daura, among others.
Commenting on the development, Chairman, Daura Emirate Coalition of Association, Alhaji Muhammad Daura, stated that the President had been fair to all parts of the country including Daura town.
He said that Daura would always be proud of the President for the development he brought to Nigeria generally.
Daura noted that the projects executed in Daura during the President’s tenure included the Police Children and Basic School, Government Secondary School, Dumurkol, projects intervention at Dr Yusuf Bala Usman College, Daura, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Dumurkol, renovation of Rjiyar Dadi Comprehensive Health Centre, Construction of Primary Health Centre, Maiadua, NALDA Integrated Farm, renovation of cottage industry and construction of Nigeria Immigration Service forward operation base.
He appealed for the completion of the Sabke irrigation project, Muhammadu Buhari E-Library of the Federal Medical Centre, construction of 330KV substation, police secondary school, and construction of five-kilometre roads in each of the four Local Government Areas of Daura Emirate. He also called for the conversion of NALDA Integrated Farm to National Demonstration Farm.
