Hon Suleiman Mai Posta, chairman of Democracy and Good Governance Forum based in Bauchi in this interview with newsmen says the friendly policies of Bala Mohammed shows that he needs the support of everyone especially youths to succeed. NAJIB SANI was there for Blueprint.
What is the objective of this forum?
It is simply a forum established to engage elected and political appointees on key issues of quality representation, good governance as well as identifying respective projects that have direct bearing on the lives of the people.
It is almost a year now since Senator Bala Mohammed assumed office as governor. How would your forum assess the administration?
You know that the present administration came through what we call popular vote in Bauchi state as he was elected across political party and religion lines. Remember that he defeated an incumbent governor seeking re-election. Coming from the opposition people’s Democratic Party (PDP), a one-time senator and former minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed is very much aware of the numerous challenges ahead of him. Let me draw you back a little. The Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi has the capacity of 15,000 people, but on the day of his inauguration, the stadium was filled to capacity in such a manner that the governor could hardly access some routes within the stadium just to wave the mammoth crowd. As such, since he assumed office, he has not left anyone in doubt in terms of infrastructural development of Bauchi state. Within his first 100 days in office, he awarded key important road projects across the state which include the 4.4 kilometre Gombe road to Maidiguri bypass; 6.2 kilometre Sabon Kaura to Jos road; 1.8 kilometre Yakubun Bauchi quarters and the 1 kilometre Muda Lawal Market road projects. Other road projects awarded include the 58.4 km Burga in Tafawa Balwewa local government to Yelwan Duguri in Alkaleri local government; the 16.2 km Sade to Akuyam road project that linked Darazo and Misau local govt areas as well as the 1.3 km hospital road in Azare and another 6.5 km Tafawa Balewa road all in Azare the headquarters of Katagum local government area. Also, 50 percent down payment has since been made to all the contractors in order to facilitate the timely completion.
What then are the positions of abandoned projects inherited by this government?
Gov Bala Mohammad has since reassured the people of Bauchi state that all abandoned projects would be given due attention and you can see that contractors handling various road projects awarded by his predecessor have since been mobilised back to site. They are the much- talked about 4.5 kilometre Murtala Mohammed way and the 16.8 kilometre Awalah Round- about to Miri road projects, among others. Let me not forget that one of the impactful projects awarded by this government is the contract for the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply facilities to end the age-long perennial water scarcity facing the people. This project which has reached advanced stage of completion handled by the World Bank through Bauchi State Urban, Water and Sewage Corporation costs the state and its partners the sum of 65.5 million US dollars with 6.5 million dollars being a counterpart fund from the state government while the sum of 137million naira was released for the state water corporation to address the problem of water shortage within the metropolis and environs.
As a strong supporter of the governor and a young politician, do you foresee any hope for the youths of Bauchi state?
Yes, of course, this is a youth-friendly government whose many policies and programmes are geared towards youth development and empowerment as well as the educational development of the society. Youths in the state defied all sort of harassment, intimidations and in some instances arrest in the last elections where they led the crusade for change in government of the state. Education, for instance, remains key to youth development and empowerment and one of Senator Bala Mohammed’s projects is the foundation laid for the construction of North-east UBEC model school in Bauchi, the disbursement of 500,000 each to 1,320 schools in five local government areas under the 2019 schools improvement project grants from the world Bank as well as the massive construction, renovation and rehabilitation of primary schools across the state with a view to reinvigorating the education sector generally.
Another youth empowerment policies of the governor is the recent distribution of 3,085 knapsack sprayers to youths across the 323 political wards of the state during the launch of the state agricultural policy document. You can see that the issue of youth restiveness like the notorious Sarasuka has reduced drastically. The government has also established the Bauchi State Road Transport Agency (BAROTA) which if fully taken off would absorb the teaming unemployed youths in the state in addition to presentations of cars, motorcycles and financial support to many youth for their businesses. The administration through the Ministry of Education has also introduced a scheme to register youths who failed in various examinations in forms of remedial studies to enable them further their education. And again, Bauchi state now has an established oil and gas academy Alkaleri Courtesy of his Excellency the governor which we believe would create a lot of educational and job opportunities for the good people of Bauchi state, particularly the youths. There are also many social welfare schemes embarked upon by this administration aimed at giving people a sigh of relief. Some of these poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment polices include, the distribution of 377 million naira as grants to 21 communities benefiting from the community and social development project (CSDP), the release of the sum of 19 million naira as counterpart funds to the World Bank for the final cycle of the 20,416 public workfare beneficiaries of the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO). Bauchi State Commission for Youth and Women Rehabilitation and Development (BACYWARD) would also be reorganised to further absorb unemployed youth and women through practical skills and start up packs to enable them become self-reliant.
Before his election, Governor Bala encountered a lot of problems such as rejections from some highly-rated politicians and opinion leaders. Would this affect his performance as a governor?
Not at all; remember the governor defeated an incumbent, so there was the power of incumbency but from the day he was sworn in, Governor Bala Mohammed publicly declared that he is for all and has forgiven all those that undermined every processes and has called everyone to join hands with him in building a strong and reliable Bauchi that everyone would be proud of. So for me, nothing would stop him from performing in spite of the lean resources. Since he is doing well, people of the state should endeavor to support his administration with prayers and goodwill to take the state to greater heights.
What advice would you give to the supporters of the government and the opposition?
First to the supporters, let’s remain steadfast in ensuring that the laudable policies and programmes of the present administration succeed so we can collectively leave legacies for future generations to emulate.
And to the opposition, governance is all about delivering dividends of democracy to the people and the administration of Bala Mohammed has since proven that given the number of projects and polices it has initiated. So, they need to support the government to enable it succeed.
