By Abdulrahman Abdullahi
Organizers of BusinessDay’s State Competiveness and Good Governance Award for Year 2020 had awarded Governor Isiaka Adeboyega Oyetola of State of Osun, his counterparts in Adamawa and Cross River states, Ahmadu Fintiri and Benedict Ayade, respectively, for exceptional service and quality governance during the year 2020.
The event which was held on Thursday at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, became the eighth edition of the award created to ensure leaders at the sub-national levels of governance imbibe the culture of hard work and deliver the dividends of democracy to its citizens.
This is as the Special Guest of Honour and former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, drummed support for state security structures to combat insecurity in the states.
The governors of the 36 states of the federation competed in various categories in which an Award Committee, made up of eminent personalities, gathered primary data through on-the-spot assessments, interactions with the locals and the analysis of secondary data provided on different socio-economic parameters as published by the nation’s data agency, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
At the end of the intense data gathering exercise, 18 governors emerged winners at the awards. They include Isiaka Adeboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, Benedict Ayade of Cross River State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State, David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Adedapo Abiodun of Ogun State, and Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.
Others are Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Oluwaseyi Makinde of Oyo State, Mohammed Yahaya of Gombe State, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Abubakar Bello of Niger State, and Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
The governors distinguished themselves in different award categories:
Including Excellence in Governance, Fastest Growing State Economy, Transparency in Governance, Best Governor in Urban and Rural Infrastructure Development, Best Governor in Education Development, Best Governor in Healthcare Development, Best State in ICT, Best State in Manpower Development, Best State in the Provision of Security and the Best Governor in Agriculture Development.
Others are the Best Governor in Tourism Development, Best Governor in Housing Development, the state with the Best Ease of Doing Business, Youth & Sports Development and the State with the Most Improved Security.