“A good Friday will be the sun from Wednesday”
From the dawn of history, Bauchi was the home of democracy. It produced seasoned politicians, military strategists, bureaucrats of repute and technocrats with a conscience for the general development of Nigeria. It produced the first and only prime minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and its first civilian governor, Abubakar Tatari Ali and of recent, Sen. Bala Muhammed, who carve a niche for himself as a Man of his words.
Tafawa Balewa showed tremendous promise in his political career as he descended on Nigeria’s political turf like a tornado. With a patriotic desire to positively respond to the multi-dimensional challenges of the North in particular and Nigeria at large, Balewa played a pivotal role in the unity of the North, helped in improving its agricultural potentials, laid solid foundation for its economic growth, enhanced its educational background and gave the people self-esteem and sense of pride for merely being Nigerians.
Accordingly, Governor Bala Mohamed opined that, ‘ Local Government’ is undoubtedly the third tier of government that seemingly remain the backward arm of government in Bauchi state due to corruption, lack of commitment and egocentrism in the last unprecedented years of democratic government in Bauchi state, until 2019 when Senator Bala Mohamed took oath of office as the new captain of Bauchi state after flawless defeats to a sitting then underperformed Governor that came with series of drama-like through the supreme court that affirmed the victory. Though; Senator Bala Mohamed, remain the first civilian Governor of Bauchi state popularly tagged as “Dan Gari”, meaning the true son of the state to Govern it based on his family pedigree and a quick panacea to the state after wasted years of failure, setbacks and resistant abuse of power by the successive Governors’ who end-up destroying the economy of the state by enriching themselves and their cronies at the peril of the masses.
For Governor Bala Mohamed, it wasn’t a hectic task to drive and change the narrative of governance, equity sharing of capital projects and resources for the development of his state due his multifarious experience as the first governor of the state to serve the federal government of Nigeria from an average civil servant simultaneously rose to the position of Director before joining active politics in 2007 to defeat the then underperformed arrogant governor of the state who sought for the upper chamber of the national assembly, a step that gave governor Bala Mohamed the chance to fathomed the nooks and crannies of Bauchi state by extension the twenty local government area councils by identifying their needs and wants. Within the span of two years in the Senate, Senator Bala Mohamed, channeled his drives to the amelioration of local government through provision of social services and amenities including rural electrifications, drilling of boreholes, securing hundreds of permanent and pensionable appointments to the deserving indigenes/graduates across the state as well as setting of a blueprint for his successor.
Governor Bala Mohamed’s understanding of the local government was the reasoned the locals massively voted him against another sitting governor in 2019 to replicate the same services as the ‘Master of the local government’. This confidence rejigged the “Dan Gari” to went around the twenty local government area of Bauchi state to hear, ascertain the level of mess and deplorable conditions of people for a proper redress. The mindboggling outcome disrobed the governor who never thought a human would wickedly contribute in destroying public patrimony for ego and pride without fear of God.
Having the masses at heart ignites the governor to channeled 80% of his projects to local government levels. This pedigree in rendition of quality dividend of democracy as promised during electioneering campaign splashed across the twenty existing local government councils with the priority to urgent desired need. These have become bait on which the electorates of the state vowed to unanimously reelect him back to power as Governor to continue the positive projects that spark plug all and sundry.
According to Governor Bala Mohammed “we all have local government, as we were all born as locals, as such it has become imperative for us to build our local government so to complement it for breeding us”. This proves the rationale behind the governor’s interest in focusing in restoring the lost glory of the then destroyed third tier of government. The governor has directly provided a direct protrude in the last four years of friendly government despite inheriting heaped of debt and paucity of fund but went ahead to change the story by sourcing funds to change the fortune of the state.
Today, all forms of corruptions in the local government have been booked, that provided another means of saving lots of siphoned and misused funds to proper direction.
Now each of the local government area council has not fewer than twenty physical infrastructures, social amenities actualized and properly as well as fairly provided after blocking iota of embezzlements.
From the first place, the Governor personally awards total renovation and furnishing of all local government secretariat to the indigene of each benefiting local government so that immediate members of the community would benefits from the project aside from the overall aimed of providing state of art healthy working environment for effective upshot.
Starting with Tafawa Balewa Local Government, peace has permanently restored by implying modern techniques and adequate support to the operating security agencies and personnel and extension of house to house enlightenment on the impact of peaceful coexistence. About ten roads are currently ongoing constructions; some are link with neighboring states, new worshiping places have been constructed for both Muslims and Christians, new resettlement have been provided to displaced persons, more bridges erected to address eventual break up or destruction.
In Bauchi Local Government Area Council, tens of newly constructed primary health care centers have been constructed while old existing ones have been renovated filled with standard facilities to meet up with demand, roads have been laid down while many areas have been link up to ease hardship, portable drinking water is now 80% close to every house in the city, workers are enjoying the implemented national minimum wage, pensioners receives their entitlement on time without hitches or bribing of the past, and the most important is the total renovation and furnishing of the secretariat to provide serene working environment for workers.
While in Toro Local Government Area Council, Governor Bala Mohamed has so far renovated the local government secretariat furnished with modern working tools, constructed roads from Rimin Zyam through Polch, Blarade Palama to Dass, Magama Gumau-Rishi Rahma, constructed Rishi Tama road, Maraba Ganye-Golfada Bakin Kogi road, and construction of District head palace at Nabardo and construction of District head palace Lame and rehabilitation of Toro General hospital and general hospital Gumau Lame District.
Similarly, in Darazo Local Government Area Council, the PDPs goverment kicked up with the renovation of the local government secretariat as a deliberate attempt to provide serene working environment after many decades of abysmal decay, in the process more jobs have been provided to the people of the local government as well as the overall civil service system. The governor went ahead to bring prompt succor to the victims of flood and other related disaster that unabatedly erupt. One time chairman of the local government, Bello Mahmood Yayaji, said, “ I have never seen a leader with determination and passion for the plight of his people like governor Bala Mohamed, because, so far Darazo local government in particular remained one of the best place the government gave priority of social services provided that has direct bearing to the wellbeing of the locals despite dwindling economic meltdown, among the successes brought by the governor in his few years of reign are; the kaura Economic empowerment program (KEEP) which is a poor masses supporting docket considering the items and cash doles out to thousands of beneficiaries from across all electoral wards aimed at reducing the menace of restiveness and adverse effect of poverty created by previous government, these includes, sewing machines, fifty thousand naira cash, motorcycles and buses for transportation.
In the area of agriculture, Governor Bala Mohamed, leased out 5,000 hectares of land out of the two reserves for the farmers of Darazo local government, the government also constructs water reservoirs at strategic locations for cattle rears aimed at cushioning the tension and rift between farmers and headers and the unwanted water scarcity disturbing cattle rearers.
Inter alia are; boreholes were constructed at Darazo correctional center, co-members lodge, lago and Kari village and adequate electrification of various villages under each district in the local government. These have since yield positive result in boosting economic activities as well as attracting local investors venture into various acquisitions.
In Dass Local Government Area Council, Governor Bala Mohamed, began with restoration of hope through harmonious relationship among numerous existing tribes surrounding the local government and compounding challenges of insufficient internally generated revenue that may help government achieve it desired goals without interventions of the state government or other supporting institutions. Imminent, after pointing out the quest of the people which include lack of non-existing tertiary institution, the governor approved the establishment of College of Education, Dass. In the area of construction, Governor Bala Mohamed’s led PDP constructed 11 village head palace, successful construction of Jumaat mosque Kagadama, Renovation/ Remodeling of ECWA church kagadama, construction of 18 lock up shops at Tudun Wuss Dass, General renovation/ upgrading of Dass central motor park, renovation of central abattoir and construction of Burgle Dass to Bangim road.
Others are; general of Dass local government education authority, construction of drainage at Dass cental Motor Park and construction of culvert along Bundot to Bayan fada bye pass, General renovation of Dass local government secretariat to meet up with the global standard for soft and conducive working friendly environment.
Alkaleri Local Government Area Council, an enclave of Governor Bala Mohamed, on the emergence as governor, the Giovernment facilitates the formal ground breaking ceremony for the commencement of project activities in oil prospecting licenses 809 and 810 Kolmani River11oil field project site. This particular effort truly defines Bala Mohamed as a transformer and a committed leader who is ready to sacrifice his comfort for the development of his state, already thousands of indigenes are benefitting from the then neglected projected that will increase even the nation’s income not only Bauchi state. When completed Alkaleri local government will be a tourist hub and heartbeat of the northeastern state.
In the area of social services, the caretaker chairman of Alkaleri Comrade Bala Ibrahim Mahmoud said “Government has so far secured the establishment of institute for petroleum resources, aimed at training and grooming of potential expert in the petroleum field for the benefit of the community. Aside from the learning institution, the construction of 38 district Head’s palace and the provision of vehicle’s to them has restored the dignity of our traditional leaders plus construction of Village Head’s palaces too, construction of bye pass in Alkaleri metropolis that eased the difficulties of the motorists especially during the weekly market activities, construction of Burga in Tafawa Balewa and Duguri in Alkaleri, and the, agricultural revolution, coordinated investment anchored on modern techniques.
new primary healthcare centers and schools have been provided to address the concurrent demand as a result of influx from neighboring states who enjoying the relative peace and economic activities in the local government that has standard roads constructed and link to various communities in all the three districts.
The Kaura Economic empowerment Program (KEEP) which the Seventy-five-naira N 75,000.000.00 supporting grant were disbursed to each of the twenty local government which the beneficiary are youth and women has lifted thousands of the locals out of poverty was commendable gesture as sum have become millionaires now.
The issue of migrated bandits and kidnappers wrongly basing in part of the local government have been dealt with in conjunction with the security forces in the state and amity between Bauchi state Governor and plateau state in the shared-boundary. This restoration of order has attracted tourist from across the globe return to famous Yankari Game reserve which significantly increases the internal generated revenue and more job creation for the benefitting local government indigenes.
More primary healthcare centers have been established to address the blessed increasing number of inhabitants in the oil prospecting local government plus establishment of more local security outlets to support the commercial activities within the local government; an opportunity that absorbed thousands of indigenes.
While in Warji Local Government, Governor Bala Mohamed focuses on construction of Warji District Head palace and construction of Warji-Gwaram road, construction of general Hospital as well as construction of Dagu road, erection of concrete channel in Dagu, construction of Danya-Aru road and most importantly general renovation of the local government secretariat for effective service delivery and result.
Ganjuwa Local Government being the gate way of kano state witnesses renovation of district head house at Kafin madaki and renovation of slaughter house, construction of four compartment VIP at local government secretariat, construction of surface drainage at PCGH Gate, construction of Box culvert, completion of various worshipping centers, renovation of slaughter slap at Marbini, construction of box culvert at Soro Tsallake, and renovations of class rooms at Kediya,Dauduwo, Gungura, Yala and Kakuma respectively.
Others are; renovation of dispensary clinic at Zida, tsagu, Manga and completion of mosque at Kariya and construction of Box culvert at Gidan Waya, renovation of classrooms at Siyi, renovation of burnt police station at Soro, renovation of feeder road Zara at Kwanan Geyeya and drilling of boreholes at various strategic areas and repair of 204 boreholes and above all the first class renovation of the local government secretariat.
In Gamawa Local Government Area, the present government ensured rehabilitation/ overlaying OF Gamawa to Bulkacuwa road, general renovation of staff quarters at the general hospital, construction of classrooms at Construction of outpatient Department (OPD) at General Hospital Gamawa and general renovation of Local Government Secretariat, Purchase of 3 Official Vehicles to the Local Government, Distribution of Motorcycles, tri cycle machines, sewing Machines, Spaghetti Machines, Generators, Irrigation Generators, Domestic Animals (Bread of Goats), Flower, Grinding Machines, Barbing Clippers, Saloon Machines and Capital to Pity Traders Youth and Women Groups for Empowerment, Distribution of 3 Sharon to Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, Construction of NURTW Office at Gamawa Motor Park, Distribution of 5 Sharon Cars to Gamawa Local Government Exco and Stakeholders.
Others are; Distribution of 5 Sharon Cars to Gamawa Local Government Exco and Stakeholders, Drilling of Hand Pump at different location, Construction of 4 Block of Market Shades at Gamawa and Udubo, Distribution of relief materials to the victims of flooding in the year 2021, 2022 respectively, Construction of Ring cultvet alone Kore –Sakwa Road T-Junction and Construction of classrooms at Markaderi, Tumbi, Debi, Kankare, J.S.S Udubo, G.J.S.S Gamawa, Garuwa, Garin Fari, and Alagarno Primary Schools, Renovation of Classrooms at Garin Kure, Dallari, Kutunas, Bulaburin, Adabda, Kasuwa, Kore I, Alagarno, Biriri, Karba, Danchuwa, Ibrahim Ibrahim Memorial, Gayau Sengo, Kaigamari, Kesa Kachallari, Marana, Kuran Jeji, Kore, Bakori and Gadiya Primary Schools as well as Replacement Electric Poles from Bulkachuwa to Gamawa.
These projects were done in less than four years, a sign of commitment and fulfillment onerous task and changing the course of governance to the most deserving tier of government, another four years of the PDP Government may 100% change the fortune of the state from grass to grace as physically seen and actualized by a committed leader who is seting the record straight for posterity.
Governor Bala Mohammed is making Bauchi state the heartbeat of the northeast with caution, in few years he will actualize his lofty programs because he is the only Governor in the history of the state to allow democratic elected local government chairmen to harness their funds without shortchanging them.
