#BAHAPlenary
Summary of proceedings during the plenary of the Bauchi State House of Assembly presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman, today, 7th September, 2023:
1. Votes and proceedings of Wednesday 6th September, 2023 were adopted as amended by the Honourable House as moved and seconded by the Majority Leader Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) and the Minority Leader Hon. Bala Abdu Rishi (Lame Constituency).
2. Report of the House Committee on Public Account in respect of screening exercise of the Auditor General nominee was laid by the Chairman of the Committee Hon. Mubarak Haruna (Jama'are Constituency).
The Committee explained that after extensive deliberations, it invited the Civil Service Commission, being one of the major Stakeholders in the appointment of the Auditor General, for a meeting/engagement and since Bauchi State Public Sector Audit and other
Related Matters Law, 2021 entails the processes and procedures of appointing Auditor General, the Committee
members were furnished with a copy of same to study the relevant sections.
Since the nominee is originally a Staff of State Audit, the Committee requested the nominal roll so that the Committee will observe whether the seniority has been taken into consideration prior to the nomination or otherwise.
According to the report, stakeholders were contacted to point out their understanding regarding the matter under reference and the Civil Service Commission was requested to provide relevant documents of the three (3) recommended candidates submitted to His Excellency.
The Committee explained that the Hon. House had received a petition dated 24 August, 2023 from one Munkaila Yakubu who claimed to be a current overseer of the office of the State Auditor-General in which the petition posits that in the process of the nomination that is currently before the Hon. House, all relevant provisions were disregarded as such the petition faulted all the processes and procedures of the exercise.
The Committee stated that its findings showed that the Office of the Head of Civil Service, for reason best known to them, which the Committee have contravened the provisions of Section 8 of Public Sector the Audit Law 2021 in submitting the list of three (3) candidates to the Civil Service Commission for interview in which they interviewed only those three (3) persons submitted to them.
Based on this action, the Committee said that the action negated the provision of Section 8 (3) which stipulates that in
recommending a person for appointment as Auditor General the Civil Service Commission shall advertise the vacancy because the Civil Service Commission did not use either the website or any of the National Newspapers
Also, seniority was not taken into cognizance despite the fact that the nominee was selected from the Staff of the Audit. Therefore the joint Committee of Public Account and Petitions agreed that the petition has merit.
"Constitutional responsibilities of this Hon. House is lawmaking the peace, order and good governance of this State in accordance with Section 4 Sub-Section 7 (a) the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as such therefore, the beauty of any law enacted by any House of Assembly is the level of compliance it receives fron the general public and Governmental Institutions.
"Mr, Speaker, the Committee
is robustly of the view that any law passed by this Assembly shall remain relevant and any attempt to relegate it must be resisted by the House so that our efforts would ot always be ending in fiasco." The Committee said.
Against this backdrop, and having made the above observations and findings and also having acquainted all Honourable Members on the situation under reference, the Committee recommended that the process of screening exercise of the nominee be halted since the criteria of selecting him was not duly followed and that the nomination be jettisoned since the processes and procedures followed were not in accordance with the provisions of the State Public Sector Audit Law 2021.
The Committee also recommended that the Executive Arm be reminded that the Public Sector Audit Law was an Executive Bill sent to the Hon. House for legislation, having passed and assented to, the need for the Executive Arm to strictly adhere to it could not be overemphasized and that the Civil Service Commission be enjoined to start afresh the processes for the appointment, taking into consideration
relevant provisions of the law so that their action will not be subject to challenge or litigation.
The Committee further recommended that the Civil Service Commission, being a body of technocrats, be advised to always play the role of advisory body to the Executive especially where certain exercise is guided by a law.
The Honourable House unanimously adopted the report after the Speaker put the prayers into voice vote.
3. Member representing Burra Constituency Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra moved a motion calling on the Executive Arm of Government to construct Burra-Yadagungume road in Burra Constituency of Ningi Local Government.
Leading a debate on the motion, Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra said that Burra to Yadagungume road is a road that people of the Constituency have been yearning and requesting since colonial era, however our yearning and request didn't come to fruition as of now.
He explained that the road serves as major link between the people in southern parts of Burra, people of Toro to Burra and Kano State and to say it is important and crucial is understatement, because it's the major link between the three geopolitical zones of Nigeria; northeast, northwest and north central.
"However, despite the strategic socioeconomic importance of this road it's left unattended, shattered, un-motorable and impassable especially during rainy season.
Mr Speaker, the axis that this road covers is the economic hub of this State because of the abundance of mineral resources, fertile land for massive agricultural productivity and potential for interstates and inter-regional markets. This is in addition to the fact that the famous Lame-Burra Game Reserve which is one of the largest game reserves and tourism attraction sites not only in Bauchi State but in the Country at large, is located along this road. And now that the State is trying its best to diversify the economy, constructing the road will boost tourism and scientific researches in the Area thereby improving the economy and creating potentials for the State.
According to him, some of the oldest mining sites in Bauchi State are in the axis and up to today mining activities are taking place in this area and the famous Katini Dam which has the potential of creating massive irrigation activities that can feed the nation is located in the area which means constructing the road will not only boost mining activities, exploration of untapped mineral resources but also boost irrigation farming in the area.
Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Burra submitted that "construction of the Burra to Yadagungume road will also enhance security in the State because it will help in exposing all hideouts of criminals and making our forests unsafe for criminal elements because the area will be open up. The road will also serve as alternative route for people traveling to Abuja from the northeastern states. We used to have a situation that whenever there is a crisis in Plateau State people will get it difficult to ply the Jos-Abuja Highway. If this road is constructed and link to the ongoing Ningi-Yadagungume-Fuskar Mata Federal Road, it will serve as alternative route to Abuja for many Northeast States.
"The road if constructed, will link Bauchi-Kano Highway to Rishi-Rahma-Saminaka road which is another route to Abuja. This will provide another easier way especially for people travelling to Abuja from Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe States as they can follow Gombe-Darazo-Gwaram-Babaldu road, then move to Ningi and follow Ningi-Yadagungume-Rishi-Rahma-Saminaka road and will link Kano State to Burra-Ningi-Yadagungume-Rishi-Rahma-Saminaka road. This means people travelling to Jos from Kano will have shorter and easier route to Jos and don't have to pass through the notorious Falgore forest and some crises prone areas in Plateau State as they will just take Bunkure-Rano-Kibiya-Ghani-Sitti-Massu-Burra-Gumau-Magama-Tilde-Jos road which has no history of violence or crisis."
The Member therefore requested the Honourable House to urge the Executive Arm of Government to nclude the construction of Burra-Yadagungume road in the 2024 budget of the State, ward the construction of Burra-Yadagungume road in Burra Constituency of Ningi Local Government Area to link up with the ongoing Ningi-Yadagungume-Fuskar Mata road by the Federal Government and lobby the Federal Government to rapidly complete the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of Ningi-Yadagungume-Fuskar Mata road which stopped for years.
Responding to the motion, the Speaker commended Hon. Ibrahim Tanko for the wonderful and well researched motion which he described as very important to the people of area.
Hon. Bala Abdu Rishi (Lame Constituency) said that the motion belongs not only to people of Burra Constituency but also to Toro Local Government and their neighbors of Kano and Kaduna States.
He added that construction of the road will help in tackling insecurity especially now that insecurity is everywhere and the area is bushy.
According to Hon. Toshi, constructing such a road, will ease the condition of people of the area.
Hon. Habibu Umar (Kirfi Constituency) said that the motion is very important and well researched as it affects the entire northern Nigeria.
He opined that the motion is a national motion suggesting that the motion should be upgraded to a motion in the National Assembly so that a federal intervention will come.
The Speaker said that Members of the National will definitely find it interesting and advised Hon. Ibrahim Tanko to also liase with the member representing Ningi/Warji in the House of Representatives to come up with another motion for the Federal Government.
The Honourable House unanimously adopted the motion after the Speaker put the prayers to voice vote.
4. Member representing Darazo Constituency Hon. Sa'idu Suleiman Darazo moved a motion calling on the State Government to address the challenges confronting general hospitals and primary healthcare centres across the State for optimal services.
Leading a debate on the motion, Hon. Sa'idu Suleiman Darazo stated that the present administration of Distinguished Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad CON, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State has made concerted efforts to address the challenges bedeviling health sector however, the decay of infrastructure in health facilities and inadequate human resource to cater for the health needs of people of Bauchi State continued to be a challenge in Bauchi State.
He added that, Bauchi State is grappling with a pressing issue that poses a significant threat to the delivery of quality healthcare: a depleting health workforce in which the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals and mal-distribution of serving health workers continued to be worrisome in Bauchi State.
Hon. Sa'idu Suleiman Darazo noted that apart from the shortage, there is high concentration of health workers in urban areas while rural areas are understaffed which threatens quality delivery of
health services to people living in rural areas who are often less educated
poorer and with a higher disease burden and the situation undertones the
effectiveness of our healthcare system, leading to increased morbidity and
mortality rates, particularly among vulnerable populations.
"Mr Speaker, my Respected Colleagues, several factors contribute to the depletion of the health workforce in Bauchi State. There is a significant brain drain phenomenon, where trained healthcare professionals seek better opportunities in neighboring States due to factors such as inadequate remuneration, limited career advancement prospects, and challenging
working conditions. This brain drain deprives Bauchi State of valuable
expertise and leaves healthcare facilities struggling to meet the needs of f
their patients.
"Improving the working conditions and remuneration of healthcare professionals is paramount. Competitive salaries, career development opportunities and supportive work environment will motivate Bauchi State healthcare workers to remain in the State, fostering a sustainable healthcare workforce." He said.
The Member therefore urged the Honourable House to request the Executive Arm of Government to
rehabilitate the dilapidated infrastructure of General Hospitals and Primary Health Care Centres of the State fot optimal healthcare service delivery and the Executive Arm of Government be advised to address manpower problem by recruiting medical doctors, nurses and midwives and equally improve the working conditions and remuneration of healthcare professionals and mandate House Committee on Health and Human Services to visit all the General Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centres across the State with a view to obtaining first-hand information on the state of the facilities.
In his contribution, Majority Leader Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) agreed that there are numerous problems in the health sector but the recruitment of manpower is ongoing though the government should only be advised to sustain the recruitment and improve the working condition of the health and medical workers in the State.
The Speaker concurs the Majority Leader saying that the Government is already addressing the issue of manpower and should be commended on that.
The Honourable House adopted the motion.
5. Member representing Katagum Constituency Hon. Bello Muhammad Maiwa moved a motion calling on the Executive Arm of Government to construct 60-kilometre Katagum-Bursali road starting from Kwanar Kore- Kujin-bagam-Mainari-Maisaje to Bursari to Lodiyo to Damodi
Leading a debate on the motion, Hon Bello Muhammad Maiwa said that the areas have been looking for the construction of the road for a very long period of time and based on the developmental agenda of the present Governor of the State Sen. Bala A. Mohammed they are confident that there patience will yield positive result because the Governor has the highest record of achievements particularly in the area of road construction and rehabilitation.
According to him, the people living around the areas have limited access road infrastructure and this is not only inhibiting their mobility, but also limits their access to developmental benefits disproportionately.
Hon. Bello Maiwa added that rural road is key to rural development and crucial in poverty alleviation as it provides access to safe affordable, accessible and good
transport systems.
He therefore urged the Honourable House to request the Executive Arm of Government to construct Katagum-Bursali road starting from Kwanar Kore- Kujin-bagam-Mainari-Maisaje to Bursari to Lodiyo to Damodi and the House Committee on Budget and Appropriation be enjoined to liaise with relevant governmnent agency to make sure that the construction of the road that links all the aforementioned villages be captured in the 2023/2024 budget proposal.
In his contribution, Hon. Dr. Nasiru Ahmed Ala (Madara/Chinade Constituency) said that the area is blessed with agricultural produce, fertile land and beautiful ladies. He therefore seconds the motion and called on the Government to include it in the 2024 budget because they massively voted for the present administration in 2019 and 2023.
6. The Speaker announced that the Honourable House has come to the end of first term of its first session and will go on recess from tomorrow 8th September, 2023 to 23rd October, 2023.
He urged the Honourable Members to go back to their constituencies, interact with their constituents in order to know their problems, yearning and aspirations with a view to bringing them to the Honourable House for legislative actions.
He noted that the Honourable House has recorded tremendous achievements on moving motions in which many members brought matters that affect their people.
8. The Honourable House adjourned to Tuesday 24th, October, 2023 as moved and seconded by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader.
Signed:
Abdul Ahmad Burra
Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.
7th September, 2023.
📷 Surajo Moli