ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
As Nigeria celebrates its 60th Independence Anniversary, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, has expressed optimism that the country is on its path to greatness.
The governor who was at a Town Hall meeting with youths and women groups to mark the anniversary at an event held at the Command Guest House Bauchi on Thursday, said that the country has a proud history and a proud heritage adding that the country is determined, resilient and strong.
He said: “We are the largest economy on the African continent. As a democratic country we have so far experienced over 21 years of uninterrupted democracy. I join millions of our citizens in celebrating this great day. Democracy is good. It is even excellent when it is backed by visible successes across all the indices of human development.”
He said that in line with the expectations of the people of the state, his administration concentrated its efforts in the provision of infrastructure, health services, agriculture, youth and women empowerment among others.
“Government has recently awarded contracts for 9.71 kilometers of Rural and Urban roads network in the State, amounting to the sum of N1.73 billion to cover four towns in the state.
“We have made giant strides in Education. The sector is undergoing radical transformation especially with the introduction of Biometric capture to monitor staff attendance and punctuality.
“Similarly, food monitors were deployed to supervise feeding in schools from store to kitchen. Other measure taken in the sector include the payment of liabilities and the 2020 West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees, disbursement of N500,000 each to 1,320 School Based Management Committees as grants and the training of 1,200 science teachers on the approved contests of core science subjects.
“Government has awarded contract for the construction of 238 and renovation of 406 primary schoos, while 17,466 units of furniture were purchased. With these interventions, our schools in the State are beginning to wear a new look as work in these schools are at various stages of completion,” he enumerated.
Mohammed said that the big challenge in the sector is the issue of the ghost workers explaining that in the Ministry of Education, there are six 6,000 reflected on the payroll, while the office of the Head of Civil Service has a record of only 5,000 staff.
In the Agriculture sector, he said that already, the government’s policy in agriculture is attracting private investment disclosing that Tiamin Rice with the capacity for producing 600 metric tonnes of parboiled rice per day will be in production in the first quarter of 2021 Insha Allah.
“In addition, Government has completed arrangement for the training of more than 2,000 youths who will soon be sent to a specialized mechanized farming establishment near Abuja where they will be trained on various aspects of mechanized agriculture and farming.
“Upon their return will be empowered, revolutionaries agriculture in their various communities. They will Insha Allah, be the future of wealth creation through agriculture in Bauchi State,” he stated.
The governor said that his administration’s interventions in the health sector include the release of the sum of N337,000,000 as State counterpart funds to the PHC, Donor Basket Fund.
He added that the sum of N1,158,606,507 performance subsidy and investment grant was also released to 204 health facilities across the State for first and second quarters, renovation of 190 primary health care centers and 12 General Hospitals, pointing out that, “we have equally renovated and equipped a maternity complex in 150 facilities and trained over 500 health workers in waste management.”
Mohammed said that it is a fact that Nigeria has grown and assumed a position of a regional superpower in the African continent and is respected in the comity of Nations and on the global stage.
He said: “We have gone through trails and travails, civil war, military interventions and other daunting challenges in the evolution of our economy. We have survived the odds and we have triumphed in many respects.
“We remain a strong, united country under one God. However, we still have a lot to do, and a lot of ground to cover. The youths must begin to take the driving seat in our affairs. But you must first eschew delinquency and all acts that are capable of ambushing your future. I am optimistic as a people and as a nation, we will rise and shine.”
He stated that all arrangements have been completed for Local Government Council Elections in the State adding that this is one aspect of leadership recruitment especially at the grassroots.
“I am happy more than 70 percent of our candidates for Chairmen and Councilors are youths. We have concluded all arrangements to make Local Government Elections credible, free and fair. The security services will be on ground to maintain law and order,” he declared.
He added that: “Let me at this point challenge you to join the Government crusade to eliminate ghost workers in our public service and expose all known culprits and we will bring them to book, eschew all forms of delinquency and criminal behavour and improve on your education. Ensure that your brothers and sisters of school aged are enrolled.
“You must also take advantage of various Government empowerment projects and build your future, get involved in in politics not as a tools in the hands of politicians who will use you for selfish ends, but be in politics to ensure good governance and a better future for yourselves.
“You must also assist the law enforcement agents in the fight against kidnapping, armed robbery and all forms of misdemeanors and criminality and finally ensure respect for constituted authority.”
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