Bauchi Gov signs N199b 2019 appropriation into law

Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has signed the 2019 appropriation of N199. 850 billion into law with assurance for the completion of all ongoing projects, which is the last in the first term of the administration.

While signing the appropriation, tagged ‘Budget of Continuity,’ Mohammed  Abubakar commended the Bauchi state House of Assembly for the cordial working relationship he enjoyed with the lawmakers, especially the speedy passage of the bill into law, which he said the Assembly had maintained since the administration came into office in 2015.

According to a press release signed by the Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Al-Sadique, the Governor who commended the lawmakers for adding N2 billion to cover for some agencies not captured in the appropriation has similarly assured of continuous payment of gratuity, just as he has been prompt and up to date with workers’ salaries.

While reviewing some of the achievements recorded by his administration in the past three years, the Governor explained that his administration has been paying priority attention to the provision of affordable health care delivery particularly to the primary health care in each ward.

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Mohammed  Abubakar debunked the claims that Bauchi state has the highest school dropout children, saying that outrageous figure was arrived at when the state was initially battling with a high number of internally displaced persons, IDPs, from the conflicts that have ravaged the Northeast region.

The Governor further revealed that “the Minister of Education had informed me that Bauchi is not having the highest number of dropouts. The Minister said he had made a passionate appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a State of Emergency on Education and direct state governors to do same at the state level.”

The Governor also said that his administration has been recording impressive achievements in the Education sector, with students obtaining university entry requirement in WEAC and NECO rising from 3.5% in 2015 to 38% in 2018, with the figure still rising.

The Governor revealed that about N500 million was paid for Bauchi state students sponsored by the previous administration to study various courses at Igbinedion University, stressing that the students are having impressive performance.

He further said that the administration has also settled the tuition fees of female Bauchi state students being sponsored by the state government to study in Egypt who had been ejected from their hostels as a result of nonpayment school fees.

While calling on the people of Bauchi state to continue supporting government policies, he assured that all ongoing urban road projects will be completed before this year’s general elections while rural road projects are to be completed before the year runs out.