Bauchi govt holds 2-day retreat for public servants, political appointees

In its determination to have a robust service delivery and promote efficiency in public service, Bauchi State Government has organized a 2-day retreat for members of the State Executive Council (SEC), Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Chairmen of LGAs.

While declaring open the retreat at the 500 Seater lecture theatre of Bauchi State University, Gadau (BASUG) on Wednesday, State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir explained that the retreat was designed to awaken public servants and political appointees from slumber and ginger them to effectively perform their roles.

The Governor declared that the state government has commenced the payment of N30,000 minimum wage as agreed with organized labour in the state stressing that his administration will ensure that salaries and allowances are paid promptly as at when due.

He stressed that payment of salaries and allowances by any government is not an achievement but a task that must be fulfilled because it is the right of every civil servant to be paid at the end of the month for working and delivering services for the good of the government and the people.

Bala Mohammed stated that “I want to say to the entire citizens of our state that with the distraction, crested by the needles litigation regarding my election, I hereby renew my pledge and promise to rededicate myself to the service of our great and proud state”.

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He added that “let us together resolve that in the coming years, we will take advantage of the enormous God-given resources and our rich agricultural landscape to make Bauchi state less dependant on resources from the federation account”.

“I see a great future for our state, where education will chase away illiteracy, an enterprise will replace indolence; creativity will defeat mediocrity; prosperity will ban poverty and most importantly where peace will deal a decisive blow to insecurity. I invite all of you to come on board in this transcendental journey. We have given you the blueprint and the script. Together let us own the narrative “.

In his opening remarks, Chairman of the retreat, Mahmoud Yayale Ahmed lamented that the state is faced with a lot of challenges which include job creation through agriculture, entrepreneurship and industrialization; functional education and technological growth; Infrastructural development and maintenance; qualitative healthcare and social services; and Rural Development and community extension services.

Yayale Ahmed who was once the head of the Federal Civil Service stated that the outcome of the retreat will be the reduction of tension and frictions which otherwise would undermine the smooth and collective conduct of government business and sub-optimize the vision of the Governor in exercising the mandate of the people of Bauchi State.

The one time Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) opined that the critical role of the bureaucracy in building a virile, high performing and self-reliant government is indeed sine qua non because it takes responsibility in building the capacity of the state to provide for the populace in terms of funds, enforcement of law and order as well as eliciting from them the performance of their civic responsibility to support the machinery of government.

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While stressing that though Bauchi state is blessed with abundant natural and human resources which if properly harnessed will lift the people out of poverty unto economic prosperity, he expressed confidence that the state government under Sen Bala Mohammed and his all-inclusive leadership will set into motion the right policies, machinery and programs in conformity with their vision and manifesto to achieve socio-economic growth and development for the state and improvement in the general well-being of the people.

In his goodwill message, Bauchi State Chairman of the PDP, Hamza Koshe Akuyam declared that the state government is ready to work with all stakeholders in the state for the development of every sector of the economy.

The PDP Chairman, however, sounded a note of warning to political appointees that anyone found wanting in the performance of his function will be shown the way out because according to him the PDP led administration cannot afford to fail the people of Bauchi State.

He added that with the legal battle now over, it is time for serious business of developing the state and providing dividends of democracy for the people, who voted for PDP during the 2019 general elections and stood up to defend their votes.

In his own remarks, APC Chairman, Ahmed Uba Nana declared that the state is what is paramount to them and they will continue to serve as check and balance to ensure that the right thing was done for the good of the people of Bauchi State.

Represented by the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Tijani Aliyu, the APC Chairman declared that the party will always engage in constructive criticism as an opposition party and will not attack personality because according to it the period of politicking is over.

As the majority in the Assembly, Uba Nana assured that the APC will not oppose any motion that is in the best interest of the state and the development of the state in general because according to him, there is no division in the provision of social amenities anywhere in the world.