Achievements in Office
Immediately,the newly sworn in Governor took to the task of sanitizing the Government of Bauchi State. He sought to streamline government processes and protocols and to recover lost and/or stolen government properties including monies. He also launched the exercise to rid the Bauchi State civil service of ghost workers. [19]
As Bala Mohammed arrived the seat of Governor,he met a Bauchi State that had been poorly managed. Over 1.3million children were reported to be out of school,jobless youths roamed the streets,non- functional hospitals and local government areas that have totally collapsed,while the former governor and his cohorts fed their greed and perfidy. [20]
“The Bala Mohammed administration was quick to grab the bull by the horns without allowing for the precious time to waste away. He delved into the nitty-gritty to set the committee task force for the recovery of lost and stolen government properties and monies. A committee populated by persons from across party lines. The committee task force was able to discover and recover billions of naira to the state –monies that the Governor put to work immediately by reinvesting into the State by erecting lasting infrastructures such as roads [international standards],schools,water treatment plant,hospital upgrades and refurbishment,agriculture/farming,power and water supply to rural communities,and other critical sectors of the State.” [21] [22]
Bala Mohammed acted to begin the sanitization exercise by setting up a committee on Bank Verification Number (BVN) and authentication of civil servants on its payroll. The exercise immediately netted gains for the Bauchi people. This is as the Bauchi State Government removed 1115 employees from the payroll and saved N763,792,664.007. The committee which received a total of 279 petitions,complaints and whistle blower exposés,federal allocations,local and international loans,aids,grants,donations and other interventions,from primary and secondary sources –discovered the administrations of Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abubakar had looted state owned properties and monies valued in the hundreds of billions of the past years. [23]
Revamping Healthcare:The Bala Mohammed administration in Bauchi State launched a major campaign to revamp and upgrade the healthcare delivery systems in the State. His administration began with healthcare infrastructure. Within the first two years,323 primary healthcare centers were either constructed,renovated,upgraded and fully equipped across the rural communities under the BASG/NSHIP program. Within the same two-year period,the Bala Mohammed administration constructed,renovated,upgraded and fully equipped secondary healthcare centers such as the General Hospitals located across the various local government areas [LGAs] –ranging from construction of new General Hospital at Warji,Warji LGA,construction of new General Hospital at Dambam,Dambam LGA,construction of new cottage at Yelwan Duguri,and others spread across the LGAs of Bauchi State. [24] [25]
Revolution in Road Construction:In his three years as the Governor of Bauchi State,Bala Mohammed has constructed over 250 km –and has already began the process of constructing more roads into the rural communities and farmlands. Ongoing road construction of Burga to Yalwan –Duguri to Yashi is 68.4 km. It links Tafawa Balewa LGA and Alkaleri LGA. Itas to Gadau road is 24.5 km. Bulkachuwa to Udubo road is 36 km abandoned by Mohammed Abubakar,the former governor. Udubo to Gamawa road is 25 km,a federal road being renovated by Bala Mohammed administration. It was also abandoned by Mohammed Abubakar. Bisina township road is 3.8 km –its a town in Katagum senatorial zone. Sade township road is 2.8 km. Sade to Akuyam town is 16.8 km. Bununu township road is 2.8 km. Within the capital city –dualization of Kano road –from Awalah roundabout to airport –22 km. Dualization of Maiduguri road from Awalah roundabout to Bauchi university in Yuli campus –14 km. Dualization of Jos road from Total filling station in Bauchi metropolis to Dungal village about 12 km. Newly constructed road commissioned by President Jonathan is 6.4 km in Bauchi metropolis named after Goodluck E. Jonathan. Total renovation of Adamu Jumba road about 1 km. Another road –Ibrahim bako estate road commissioned by Abubakar Atiku –and named after him –4.8km9. [26] [27] [28]
To ensure no projects are left abandoned,Bala Mohammed's administration approved completing four major road construction projects which were initiated but abandoned by the previous administration:Mararrabar Ganye –Gwalfada road in Toro LGA,Darazo –Gafchiyari road in Darazo LGA,Giade Juguda –Kurda –Gulka road in Giade LGA,and Dass –Gajiwal –Bangim –Falantulu –Bununu in Dass &Tafawa Balewa LGAs. Work has already commenced. [28]
Governance Through Empowerment Programs: The Bala Mohammed administration under the auspices of the Kaura Economic and Empowerment formally launched the most successful and sustainable empowerment program in the history of Bauch State. Some of the fruits of the program include the distribution of 156 commercial buses across the 20 LGAs,distribution of 1,500 tricycles,set up a micro grant of N10,000 each petty trader [woman] and funded the micro grant scheme with N200million,launched a N75million KEEP initiatives per LGA for youths and women,another sum of N500m reserved for soft loans to traders and artisans. [29] [30]
Upgrading Education:It is understood,the Governor values education,especially child education. He views child education as a right owed by the government. For this reason,he made education one of his priority agenda. So far,his government has spent over N8billion on education,and has also approved payment of NABTEB exams fees for all the 1,751 SS3 students of Government Technical Colleges along with all the 499 students sitting for NBAIS exams for Government Arabic Colleges. [31]
Farming:In terms of farming,the Bala Mohammed administration had also prioritized agriculture as one of its valued agenda. Within the last two years,it procured over 4,000 metric tons of fertilizer for Bauchi State farmers and has sponsored 1000 students for training on better farming mechanisms. Over 5000 farmers were recipients of the fertilizers. [32]
Housing:In the same spirit of upgrading the lives of the people of Bauchi to acceptable levels of living,the Governor embarked on a 1,500 Housing Estate at Dungal. This is in addition to the ongoing construction of the Bauchi Hajj Camp. His administration has sunk 1046 solar powered and handpump boreholes across the State. The upgrade of the Gubi Dam Water Treatment Plant and the Water Reservoir,near Zaranda Hotel –are both projects that have neared completion. [33]
