If there’s any Governor the good people of Bauchi state will not forget in a hurry is Senator Bala Mohamed, the Kauran Bauchi, a ‘Hallmark’ the Governor created for himself to make to comfort his followers and the thousands of electorates that brought him to power for two consecutive term in a more tensed and challenging period of uncertainty, quest for power retention in 2019 and a gang up in 2023 by power mongers and frustrated garbage politicians looking for an opportunity to maintain status quo after failing to save the state from Governor Bala’s inherited near despair government.
Four years three months, Governor Bala Mohamed, changed the narrative of the state without which hunting or prosecuting enemies of the state that whisked away its patrimony. For Governor Bala Mohamed, leadership entails quantum of task which require urgent decision and action to transgress the welfare and wellbeing of the poor masses who remain optimism about leaders, therefore; concentrating in providing succor and setting the record clear that would lead the journey to the Eldorado than playing politics with people’s wealth or intelligence.
From the onset, the situation was pathetic, horrible and worrisome to the extent that Governor Bala Muhammed almost regretted suspending his comfort and cherished freedom as an ordinary citizen to contest the Governorship position. He cried aloud for the people to bear him witness on how the state was enmeshed in poverty. He was left with no option than to chase those who sucked the blood of the state. Indeed, Bauchi state was already breathing it last when Senator Bala Mohamed took over. The economy was already on recession and undeclared Structural Adjustment Program was sapping the entire people dry.
As the journey for restoration of the fading glory progressed through on a snail speed for lack of a solvent treasury and mounting opposition from within and without, through courage, determination and the zeal to excel, within the first 100 to another 100 days of his laudable administration, the inherited backlog of salaries and pension arrears were paid. The administration courageously reintroduced probity and prudence in public expenditure as well as started flushing out ghost workers that fed fat on the sweat of others. Security to lives and property remains a top priority of the administration just as deliverance of unquantifiable service.
Having seen the propositions by the state government to the people, one has undertaken to debrief stakeholders on some of its contents as a way of linking the people with the state, to understand the mind-set of the Governor Bala Muhammed administration on some of the key projects that have been completed, undertaken or to be undertaken depending on the availability of funds before May 29, 2023.
The governor, according to the document, seeks to pioneer a new approach to governance with his Quality of Life (QOL) governing system and promised the financial houses that his leadership of the state under the QOL platform was influenced by three key factors. Clear Vision, Internal Realignment and Institution Building. The internal Reforms/Realignment led to the improvement in revenue generation for an independent revenue base outside the monthly federation allocation in case of the rainy day.
Within the years under review of painful survival in the midst of several challenges for stability, Bauchi state Muslims pilgrim’s welfare board has achieved a feat for a successful conduct of Exercise without any problem, ranging from the best accommodation to the best meal offered to successful airlifting of 3132 pilgrims to the holy land after gotten additional allocated seat from the average 2900 to 3000 from the first time after commendable leadership by Imam Abdurrahman-led team in last year’s exercise by the National Hajj Commission based on the state performance of the previous year which was a credible landmark, and amazingly, we had no any case of default or misconduct.
Other achievements recorded by the SDG office are; supply of six ambulances to the Health centers, supply and installation of hospital equipment to all health centers as well as training program for various sectors particularly to youths and women. Bauchi SDG office is rated amongst the first best five in the country today.
What is more significant about those projects is that in spite of several challenges encountered in the course of execution according to Senator Bala Mohamed, most of them were completed.
The State Ministry of Works and Transport Lands was not left out in the array of achievements. It has accomplished what it takes to convince the people that all is well with the administration and it is determined to deliver the expected dividends.
This will be Governor Bala’s greatest developmental feats ever since his assumption to office as well as hallmark. Perhaps the Bauchi Urban Renewal Project (BURP) which has just commenced four years ago gave the cosmopolitan a new facelift like kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, the nation’s capital city Abuja among others.
However, it is for this reason, the Kauran Bauchi led administration negotiated for a loan of N30 billion with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to actualize this dream project. The project entails the provision of dual-carriage ways of all entry point roads into the city of Bauchi the completed roads projects are the Awalah hotel to Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Awalah to Yuli site of the State University, BAHA to Bauchi new Cemetery, as well as the Awalah to Miri, Adamu Jumba road expansion (0.80KM), Dualisation of Sam Njoma road (1.85KM), all have been completed within the stipulated time.
Others are the accelerated development within Bauchi, Karofin Madakin – Kan Kasuwan Railway, Stadium/Rijiyan Bauchi – Unguwan Tudun Yaya, Kasuwa – Yakubu Wanka – Babangida Square, Bata – Nufawa – Unguwan Jaki, Adamu Bazamfare – Makera, Doya – Inkil, Railway – Sade – House – unguwar Hardo – Karofin Madaki, Jajuwa – Ganye – Golfada, Siri – Miya – Warji, Darazo – Gabchiyari, Boi – Tapshin, Kirfi – Gombe Abba, Itas – Gadau and Dukayel – Bakin Kogi.
Others chaining the tentacles are Giade – Kurba – Basirka, Hanafari – Jurara, Dass – Bununu, Kamfanin Kutare – Jai Gada, Yelwan Duguri – Kumbala – Kundat, Udubo – Gamawa, Bogoro – Lusa, Yashi – Yuli, Soro – Miya, Warji – Gwaram, Maraba – Ganye, and Sade – Akuyam.
To cater for the needs of the state population plus the daily increment of influx from neighboring states, the Senator Bala Mohammed’s administration has come up with a robust plan to build more than houses to address the housing deficit in the state with fidelity to each senatorial zones of the state tagged “mass Housing project”. The massive housing project secured by the administration in collaboration with Family Homes Fund, subsidiary of the federal ministry of finance. It involves the construction of 2,500 Housing units of 3 and 2 Bedrooms in the state, to be distributed accordingly: Bauchi 1,500 units; Azare 350 units; Ningi 200 units; Dass 100 units and Jama’are 100 units.
The project enjoys four years repayment moratorium with tenor of 12 to 15 years. The breakdown of the projects are; construction of thirty 30 units of 2-bungalow and twenty 20 units of 3-Bedroom bungalow at Misau, awarded to Bashdee transport limited, construction of twenty-one 21 units of 2-bedroom bungalow and fourteen 14 unit of 3-Bedroom bungalow at Dass-(LOT X) awarded to stable ethics limited, construction of 40 units of 2 bedroo bungalow and twenty-eight units of 3bedroom bungalow at Jama’are (LOTIX) awarded to Andodo Multi concepts limited, and construction of six hundred 600 units of 2-bedroombungalow and 400 units of 3 bedroom bungalow at Dungal, Bauchi awarded to Boreals Nigeria limited, constructions of twenty-one 21 units of 2-bedroom bungalow and fourteen 14 units of 3-bedroom bungalow at Dass- (LOT XI) Awarded to Velocity projects and properties limited, construction of thirt30 units of 2-bedroom bungalow and twenty 20 units of 3-bungalow at Azare (LOT V) awarded to ATD Resources limited, construction of one hundred and fifty units of bedroom bungalow and one hundred 100 units of 3bedroom bungalow at Azare awarded to Pedra builds Nigeria limited. There’s also Construction of three hundred units of 2-bedroom bungalow and two hundred units of bedroom bungalow at Bauchi LOT II Awarded to blue sea services limited.
Other Construction of the houses are; construction of one hundred and twenty units of 2-bedroom bungalow and eighty units of 3-units 2-bedroom bungalow at Misau awarded to circle Tek Limited, construction of one hundred and one 101 units of 2 bedroom bungalow and sixty-seven unit of 3 bedroom bungalow at Ningi-(LOT VIII) and construction of sixty 60 units bungalow and 40 40 units of 3-bedroom bungalow at Jama’are- (LOTIX).
Another important success is the water project in the state, the government inherited an ongoing World Bank water project in the state that requires state intervention and adequate funding to save lives and actualize the visionary project that was neglected to the lowest ebb by successive government. With an experienced General Manager of the Bauchi state urban sewage and corporation Engineer Aminu Aliyu Gital, the board maintained its status as well as harnessing the meager resources at its disposal. Therein, Governor Bala set up the board to be more functional, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam chaired the board while Engineer Aminu Aliyu who is also the coordinator of the Bauchi mega/expansion water project; a project which Governor Bala Mohamed didn’t waste time in funding it to provides adequate water supply statewide and subsequent change of old pipe lines.
The water project stands to be one of the best initiatives of Governor Bala who actualize the dreams of the then pessimists of many areas of the state who never thought of having portable running water in their places of living.
Until, the actualization of the water projects, Aminu promised to compliments the Governor Bala Mohamed desired to rescue the people of Bauchi state from contracting water borne diseases as a result of poor or inadequate provision of materials and effort to stop people from taking dirty water as an alternative before; but, now it has become a history, Bauchi state record less than 2% ratio of any water borne diseases since the assumption of the incumbent government that ameliorate the welfare and sanitary consumption water at their door steps.
The Old Gubi and Buzaye Dams were expanded to be providing millions of water daily, government fixed expired machines to enhanced service delivery, and new generators have been bought in case of eventuality and above all government has subsidized the token amount to be paid monthly basis for the services offered.
At the moment, the Governor Bala Mohamed popular administration finally brought an end of water scarcity and unhygienic consumption as well as total absent of water in many existing industrial in the state that requires water for its activities. This will undoubtedly remain the major trademark of the administration for bringing succor to three million electorates that brought the government into power and hundreds of people commending Engineer Aminu for dedicating himself to the service of Bala Mohamed’s administration. Above all, is the new open-door policy of receiving complain in case of service failure or observation in the distribution of water statewide.
Among the most benefiting areas are Wunti Dada, Tudun Yerima have been repaired, Doya, Bayan Nitel, old GRA, Yelwa, amongst numerous areas, and effort have put in place to extend to new layout areas created by the administration as part of its Urban Renewal project of providing serene environment with modern infrastructures and water at door steps.
The Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Bauchi witnessed tremendous achievements by Governor Bala Mohamed administration within the period under review, were; procurement of back-up transmitter at ATAP F.M Radio at the cost of five million naira only N5,000000, repairs of faulty transmitter at ATAP, improved working condition of staff and students thereby providing stable academic activities and prompt implementation of staff promotions.
On the legislative matter, Honorable Mohammed Babayo, Said “Senator Bala Mohamed, remain the best governor ever to maintain decorum between the executive and legislative, the relationship brought many development which include smooth passage of laws that would favored the governed and consistent support to the assembly to discharge its duty in Tandem with the constitutional rectitude as well as palliative to cushion the effect of PMS removal.
On the effect of cushioning the effect of total petroleum subsidy removal, Governor Bala role out a modality on the palliative sharing for the N2 billion naira received from the federal government and the governor’s desire to increase it in an equitable way. The distribution will be statewide mindful of political party inclination. The beneficiaries are; state gratuities N500 million, while local government gratuities N300 million naira, leave grand N680 million naira, cash transfer will be N 325 million, Women and youth N76 million, and they’ll be engagement of 1,000 volunteer health workers to benefit the sum of N 60 million naira only and special package bag of rice to the tune of 88,988 bags of rice worth N2 Billion naira and 10-36 sitter school buses to Bauchi, Ningi, Misau, and Katagum local government areas.
