Bauchi State Within The Week Under Review
By Bilyaminu Gambo Kong-kol
AREWA AGENDA – Reports on Monday, 7th – September, 2020 indicated that the two newly upgraded primary health care centres by the Governor Bala led administration in collaboration with EU-UNICEF intervention initiative were handed over to the beneficiaries.
The upgraded PHCs have been officially handed over to the beneficiaries at Tudun Wada and Ganji villages in Warji local government area of the state.
So far, among the 107 that are to be upgraded, 80 had been completed and handed over to the communities for use.
The primary health centres were equipped with facilities and can receive referral from other health posts located in each local government.
Lawal Muazu Bauchi, Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor, said that the administration of Governor Bala would continue to work towards upgrading and strengthening of Healthcare centres to ensure effective healthcare delivery.
On the same day, the palace of the District Head of Bula in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi state has conferred on Governor Bala the traditional title of Sadaukin Bula.
The palace also extended the honour to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state with the traditional title of Uban Garin Bula.
Presenting the letters of the appointment to Governor Bala at the Government House Bauchi, the District Head of Bula, Malam Garba Musa Saleh congratulated the two Governors for the well-deserved appointment.
The District Head said the palace, on behalf of the communities of Bununu, conferred them with the traditional title to appreciate the just concluded flag-off of the construction of road in the area by Governor Bala led administration.
Governor Bala who spoke on behalf of his colleague of Rivers state, described the honour as a challenge to them to do more for the society.
Governor Bala appreciated the District for finding them worthy of the honour assuring them of his administration’s desire to renovate all the District palaces in the state and provide them with the basic social amenities.
On Tuesday, 8th September comes a report that the Administrative Committee on Inquiry into land disputes between Herders and Farmers caused by land-use abuse and illegal allocation in all the twenty Local Government Area of the state submitted its report to Governor Bala.
Presenting the report at the Council Chamber, Government House Bauchi, the Chairman of the Committee, Surveyor Yahaya Baba said that the committee had discovered a lot of illegal allocation of lands especially in forests and grazing reserves in Local Government Areas of Alkaleri, Itas Gadau, Toro and Misau and other areas with more than 1000 petitions.
The Chairman said Governor Bala was the first governor in the state to come up with such initiative describing it as move to address the issue.
Surveyor Baba hoped that the recommendations of the committee would be useful to the government to find lasting solutions to the clashes.
He thanked Governor Bala and other stakeholders for their support towards the success of the assignment.
Receiving the report, Governor Bala had promised to come up with a white paper and implementation of the committee’s recommendations.
The Governor said Bauchi is alive with the memoranda and petitions received from members of the public in line with the terms of reference of the committee’s responsibilities.
He said the state government will use the recommendations to resolve the lingering problems between the two bodies and reacquire all lands illegally allocated to individuals.
Also on Tuesday, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed interacted with the members of the Bauchi State Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
At the session held at the Banquet Hall, Government House Bauchi, the Governor commended the first lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed for coming up with the initiative.
Governor Bala who listened with keen interest, the welcome address of the first lady, said gender-based violence has become a scourge in Nigeria.
He said his administration will not pardon offenders of gender-based violence to address the menace in the society.
Governor Bala directed the Secretary to the State Government to make the committee a standing under his office for government’s support.
The State First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed who is the patron of the committee said the visit was to brief the Governor on the activities of the committee with a view to seek for his support to achieve the set objectives.
Lawal Muazu Bauchi, Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor reported that those who accompanied the Governor included: his Deputy, Senator Baba Tela, Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff among others.
In his determination to ensure that women are fully represented in his administration, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Kauran Bauchi had on Wednesday, September, 9th presided over the swearing ceremony of five new appointees.
Honourable Maryam Garba Bagel was sworn in as Honourable Commissioner for Commerce and Industry while Asma’u Giade was sworn in as Honorable Commissioner of Culture and Tourism.
The remaining three appointees are Adamu Zakari, Abdulmalik Wakili and Dauda Gayus who were sworn in as Permanent Commissioners for the State Independent Electoral Commission.
In his message, Governor Bala called on them to justify the confidence reposed in them by discharging their duties accordingly.
He assured them of his support for effective service delivery and for the success of his administration.
The Governor said the appointment of the Permanent Commissioners in the State Independent Electoral Commission is coming at a time when the state government has concluded all the necessary arrangements towards the conduct of Local Governments’ elections.
Governor Bala at the ceremony moved Honourable Modibbo Ahmed from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Still, on Wednesday, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had hosted United Nations officials in Nigeria for a crucial discussion led by His Excellency, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon at the Banquet Hall, Government House Bauchi.
At the session, Governor Bala signed a work plan on delivery as one, initiated by the United States Agencies worth 5.8 billion naira.
The Governor said his administration believes in inclusive governance and Bauchi under his leadership is donor and investment-friendly.
He said the work plan is a product of a collective efforts of people from various Ministries, Developments and Agencies and the officials of the United Nations Agencies in Nigeria.
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Governor Bala was glad to state that, the Work Plan has captured most of what his administration is doing in the state particularly investment in the various social sectors.
He, therefore, commended the development partners for their support to this administration and assured of providing all the necessary requirements for accessing interventions.
On his part, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator to Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon said the United Nations is truly interested in this engagement especially now and beyond.
In another development, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had on Thursday, 10th September, 2020 hosted a media parley with stakeholders on the challenges associated with the payroll and nominal roll as well as pension administration in the state.
During the parley held at Command Guest, Bauchi, Governor Bala said the session has exposed very many issues that will assist in tackling the challenges associated with the payroll administration in the state.
The governor lamented that Bauchi State Civil Service has suffered from systematic attrition bastardized by fraudulent practices and outright corruption.
According to the governor, his predecessors who attempted to sanitize the system, either lacked courage, political will, were frustrated by cartel or beneficiaries of this organized financial criminality.
He said in 2015, the salary bill for Bauchi state was less than 4.5 billion naira, but raised an alarm that has increased with some amount.
Governor Bala said Bauchi as a civil service state, labour must have integrity and fraudulent activities must be totally eliminated.
On his part, the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honorable Abubakar Y Suleiman, represented by his Deputy, Dallami Ahmed Kawule said the Assembly is ready to support the governor to sanitize the payroll.
Stakeholders who spoke at the parley commended Governor Bala for coming up with the initiative describing it as first of its kind, in Bauchi state.
Suggestions, observations and inquiries were made by the participants geared towards tackling all the issues identified.
In other news, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had on Thursday participated at Tele Conference of the 2020 Mid-Year Review Meeting with Development Partners on Primary Healthcare Program.
Speaking at the meeting, the governor said his administration is committed to providing the required funds for effective healthcare delivery.
He said his administration will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to address the challenges identified by the stakeholders at the teleconference.
Governor Bala thanked the Federal Government for providing for the state government access to various interventions.
Stakeholders who spoke at the conference are USAID, UNICEF, Aliko Dangote, Mr Bill Gates, Minister of Health, Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Emir of Dass, Honorable Commissioner for Health among others.
They commended the State Government for the number of achievements it has recorded in the state health sector and called for more synergy to sustain.
On Friday, the 11th of September, 2020, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed received in audience the officials of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission RMAFC at Council Chamber, Government House Bauchi.
Governor Bala who was highly delighted to receive the committee because of its importance to the nation’s economy, said his administration will work with them to advance the integrity of its database for the benefit of all.
However, the Governor appealed to the commission to consider the population capacity of the state by increasing its allocation.
The Governor commended the commission for doing so much in ensuring justice to all in line with its mandate.
The Team leader, who is the Chairman, Indices and Disbursement Committee of the Committee, Dr Chris Akomas said the visit was to seek for a continued working relationship especially now that the commission is working on enhancing the integrity and credibility of database systems in the country.
He commended the Governor for supporting the commission to discharge its statutory obligations in the state.
Away from revenue allocation to religious matters, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had on Friday presided over the official commissioning of the new Jumaat Mosque at Ibrahim Bako Quarters in Bauchi metropolis.
Governor Bala who appreciated the communities of the areas and others who contributed immensely towards the completion of the mosque, called on other communities to emulate it by embarking on rehabilitation and construction of worship centres.
The Governor used the medium to express gratitude to the entire people of Bauchi state for their outstanding support to his administration.
Governor Bala was accompanied for the commissioning of the Juma’at Mosque by his Deputy, Senator Baba Tela, Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt. Honorable Abubakar Y Suleiman, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mohammed Sabiu Baba, Chief of Staff, Government House Bauchi, Dr Ladan Salihu, Honorable Commissioners among others.
The first two jumaat raka’at prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Gwallaga Jummaat Mosque, Imam Ibrahim Idris.
Also on Friday, the number one citizen of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed had received in audience the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson for a crucial discussion on advancement of mining activities in the state.
During the session, Governor Bala said his administration has established Ministry of
Natural Resources and will partner with the Federal Government on an institutional basis to be able to implement its policies in the sector.
Governor Bala advocated for community engagement to address areas of conflict in mining operations and to enable Bauchi State benefit through revenue generation.
He lamented that Bauchi State is not benefiting from the abundant natural resources as a result of the activities of illegal miners.
The governor called on the Federal Government to support miners with equipments and capital to enable them to carry out their activities effectively.
He said if well harnessed and supported by the federal government, the abundant natural resources of the state could sustain Nigeria as a whole.
On his part, the Honorable Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson said the visit was to seek for a stronger collaboration with Bauchi State Government in proper sensitisation on mining activities, improve bilateral relationship between stakeholders for advancement of the sector.
The Minister said the mineral resources of the country is expected to lay a sustainable foundation for industrialisation of the country.
Bilyaminu Gambo Kong-kol
[email protected]
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through Positive Narratives.
