Senator Uba Sani, the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, campaigned on the rhetoric of continuity and consolidation as evident in his SUSTAIN blueprint. The reality of which must now be practicalized – as his performance will not be measured by just outputs, number of empowerment or infrastructure, but also outcomes, reduction in poverty and unemployment.
The progressive reduction of which should be evident in the State’s poverty rate (Income); which as at 2019 was 84.9%, with outcome targets of 82% in 2021, 80% in 2022, 78% in 2023, 76% in 2024 and 74% in 2025. More so, this is the social contract captured in the State Development Plan (SDP, 2021-2023) as initiated by his predecessor, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-rufai. To compound the challenges, the Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index (NBS, 2022) reported that the State has 8.04 million multi-dimensionally poor residents.
With this reality confronting the Governor, It is time to go beyond development outputs to focusing on outcomes, which is what will be used to measure his administration – based on the social contract articulated in the SDP. When his administration builds or rehabilitate hospitals, schools and roads, the pertinent question that will be asked is – how has it reduced child and maternal mortality rates, improved literacy rate and inclusively boosted the economy respectively?
To answer the above question in context, reference will be made to the SDP – where the outcomes, indicators, baselines and targets to measure and score his performance are provided. For instance, under the overall impact (goal), one of the indicators is the Human Development Index, which has a 2019 baseline of 0.532 and targets of 0.55 in 2021, 0.55 in 2022, 0.56 in 2023, 0.56 in 2024 and 0.57 in 2025.
The expected outcome for the health sector is – improved comprehensive quality sexual, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health and nutrition services. One of the indicators for measuring the above outcome is proportion of delivery taken by Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA) with the targets of 10 in 2021, 20 in 2022, 40 in 2023, 50 in 2024 and 60 in 2025. Another indicator is – infant mortality rate per live birth with targets of 80/1000 in 2021, 60/1000 in 2022, 30/1000 in 2023, 25/1000 and 20/1000.
Under the Education sector, there is an outcome on – improved quality of teaching at all levels with one of the indicators being Primary Qualified Teacher: Pupil Ratio with a 2019 baseline of 1:78 and targets of 1:65 in 2021, 1:60 in 2022, 1:55 in 2023, 1:50 in 2024 and 1:45 in 2025. As for Adult Literacy rate the 2019 baseline is 62% and targets of 63% in 2021, 63% in 2022, 64% in 2023, 64% in 2024 and 65% in 2025.
Similarly, the agriculture sector has an outcome of – increased yield of major crops in metric tons per hectare (maize, soya beans, sorghum, ginger, rice, ground nuts fonio (acha) and millet). Under this, one of the indicators is Maize yield, with a 2019 baseline of 2.5 Mt/ha and targets of 5.5% in 2021, 5.7% in 2022, 6.0% in 2023, 6.2% in 2024 and 6.5% in 2025.
The question remains, how will the Governor translate ongoing reforms and capital projects’ outputs into the outcome results captured in the SDP? This is in the light that there is no evidence to show that sector-MDAs (in line with the Sector Implementation Plans) hold annual performance reviews with stakeholders as well as the publicly making available the reports in line with the State’s Result-based Monitoring and Evaluation Policy.
All eyes are now on the Governor, as he has inherited both the assets and liabilities of his predecessor.
Lets engage, ask the right questions and hold the government accountable.
Yusuf Ishaku Goje
Active Citizen and a member of the civil society in Kaduna State.
