Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, Bauchi State Governor has inaugurated 11 Board members of the state’s Bureau for Privatization and Economic Reforms and appointed his deputy Senator Baba Tela to chair the council.
Governor Mohammed while inaugurating the board members at the Council Chamber, Government House on Thursday said its objectives were to serve as policy and decision-making body with regards to privatization and economic reforms of enterprises in the state.
The Governor said the state requires active engagement of the private sector to partner with the Government in order to deploy their financial, technical and managerial ability to resuscitate its ailing companies and corporations by making them more profitable.
He said “all over the world, Governments are now only involved in regulations and facilitations while encouraging the private sector to become the engine of growth.”
“The objectives for which the Bureau was established, include among others, transfer management of all enterprises to bureau in the first instance and to remove the interference in the management of the state enterprises from Ministries thereby ensuring transparency, corporate governance and avoidance of conflict of interest in the affairs of the State Enterprises”, he said.
The governor said in recognition of the importance of establishment of the State Privatization Agency, the board forms a significant structure that will allow the Bureau to function effectively.
He said the Government has considered privatization as a tool for reducing its burden in terms of underutilization of resources, over and redundant employment, fiscal burden, financial crisis, heavy losses and subsidies.
He charged members of the Board to bring in their wealth of experience in the discharge of their assigned responsibilities in order to achieve the desired objectives for which the council was formed.
The State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela who is the Chairman of the Bureau, said privatization in any government needs the support of people in order to ensure competition and performance.
“Your Excellency, we thank you so much for finding us worthy to serve, we assure you that, Insha Allah, in the next 6 months, you will see positive economic reforms in Bauchi.”
Members of the Board include the Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela as Chairman, Secretary to the State Government, Mohammed Sabiu Baba as Deputy with Commissioners of Budget, Justice, Finance and that of Lands and Survey as members.
