Like every other state, Katsina has its fair share of challenges, and in this interview with AUGUSTINE OKEZIE, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa speaks on a number of these challenges as well as how the Aminu Masari administration is tackling them, including the fact that the state’s civil servants get paid promptly and consistently.
You moved from local government chairman to commissioner for Education, and from chairman of Katsina State All Progressives Congress (APC) to Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Tell us about these transitions.
I started with this administration right from the university as classroom teacher during the administration of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. First I was appointed the General Manager, Katsina State Transport Authority (KSTA) in 2000, soon after the 1999 elections and also doubled as caretaker committee chairman of a local government.
Later, I was appointed the commissioner for Education after the 2003 election and also in 2006 when the then SSG, Saidu Abbah Rumah became a Minister. I took over as the SSG which means I was the SSG towards the end of the tenure of the late Yar’Adua and during the eight years of Shema’s administration, from where I moved into the opposition party then.
We were compelled to move out of PDP [Peoples Democratic Party] and remain in opposition and during the opposition period, I served as sole administrator of CPC [Congress for Progressive Change] in Jigawa State for three months. I conducted the congresses in that state, from the wards to the state levels and after the congresses I stepped down as sole administrator in that state.
When I returned to Katsina State, I served as the interim administrator and the Treasurer of CPC and with the coming of the APC, I served as the chairman of the membership registration committee for Kano State as well as chairman of Kano State congress committee, where we conducted the congresses of Kano State APC elections.
Here in Katsina, I contested for the position of the state chairman which I won.
I also led the transition committee when this present government was to be sworn in, and the governor appointed me the SSG.