DAILY TRUST
After successfully completing his second tenure as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and handing over power to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 29, 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari returned to his hometown, Daura in Katsina State the same day.
He was received by a mammoth crowd of supporters, friends and well-wishers. The following day, he was hosted to a special durbar by the Emir of Daura. Different dignitaries, including former ministers and aides who served under the former president, graced the occasion.
Also, Daura Emirate has a long history that dates back to 9th and 10th centuries during the Bayajidda (Abuyazidu) time.
Despite the history of the town and the number of prominent personalities it produced, the town lacked the required amenities for prominent people to stay. In terms of health care, education and infrastructural development, it had little or nothing to boast of, a situation that exposed residents to serious challenges.
It was gathered that before Buhari became the president of the country, there was no university in Daura and their only hospital was at a lower level. Daura also lacked a federal medical centre; hence they had to refer patients to Katsina State general hospitals or and other places.
The town also lacked adequate road network and good schools, such that residents migrated to either Katsina town or Kano, some even to Niger Republic for better living, especially those that are rich.
“Before Buhari became president we lacked a lot in the town. We didn’t have roads or other things significant to development. Although the town is big, it looked very scanty as many people, especially the rich, could not stay,” one of the residents, Sani Shayi Daura said.
But Daily Trust Saturday reports that the Buhari administration brought a lot of development to the town in terms of human and infrastructural development and residents can now move everywhere on good roads.
Among the developmental projects brought to Daura by the Buhari administration are the Muhammadu Buhari University of Transportation, Federal Polytechnic, Daura, Air Force Reference Hospital, Women and Children Hospital, Kano-Maradi rail line that passes through Daura, School for People with Special Needs, Nigerian Air Force Response Air Wing, and the Nigerian Army 171 Battalion Base.
A 50-bed maternity centre at the Daura General Hospital, as well as the upgrade of the hospital to a federal medical center, several works of rehabilitation, expansion, reactivation and completion of abandoned and existing projects, including roads, schools, drainages, water projects, among many others, were brought by the former president.
When Daily Trust Saturday went round the town after the durbar that welcomed the former president back home, it was gathered that majority of the projects were completed while others are ongoing. Residents are expressing hope that the remaining uncompleted projects would be continued.
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