Bauchi state known for its ‘Pearl of tourism’ has a preponderant amount of natural endowments—both human and material. If they are properly harnessed, the state will be positioned to naturally compete with its sister states in Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development.
In recent times, Bauchi state has been on the front pages of newspapers; the state is in conflict with itself since the return of political dispensation in Nigeria in 1999. The regime of the former governor of the state Dr. Ahmad Mu’azu has witnessed infrastructural and capital development that have virtually spanned across all the 20 Local governments of the state. Roads network were constructed, major towns, local government headquarters and many rural areas witnessed electrification projects. Schools and bridges were constructed.
Mu’azu was seen by many as the founder and architect of modern Bauchi state until he felled out with the good people of the state in 2007 when Mallam Isa Yuguda was ushered in against Mu’azu’s anointed candidate, Nadada Umar Zannan Misau.
As soon as Ahmad Mu’azu left office, Bauchi state witnessed what many called human development against the culture left by Mu’azu of infrastructural development. The language of “A gina mutane” was the usual norm during Yuguda’s reign. Isa Yuguda whom many argued understood the problem of Bauchi state was able to successfully manage the people with ‘cash and carry’ especially during the first four years of his tenure. He gave the people what they wanted (money) at the detriment of infrastructural development.
Isa Yuguda, a former banker employed quite a number of young people in to the state civil service in his first four years in office and the welfare of the employees was well taken care of. There was increment in salaries of the state civil servants; the incentives help in codifying the state as “a civil servant” state; “Yan Albashi ne”. Nothing goes when salaries are not paid.
The administration of Mallam Isa Yuguda succeeded in maintaining the culture of salary payment in addition to building the state’s owned University, an international airport and few visible infrastructures development across the state.
Infrastructural development such as the afore, also add another burden to the government coffers; and so it grew—beyond Isa Yuguda can handle even before his exit as governor. So the only option left to him was to reduce the salary of the state civil servants in his last tenure which created a serious problem for him in his last days as governor.
A man that was once celebrated has suddenly become an enemy in less than four years and has to manage to scale his second tenure in 2011. The good people of Bauchi state may hardly forget the scene played out particularly the state civil servants under the reigned of former governor M. A Abubakar who spent complete four years without getting the root of the problem regarding the ghost workers imbroglio.
Readers may recall Yakubu Dogara’s widely circulated audios/video accusing the then governor of corruption through the work force. M. A Abubakar while addressing the press in Abuja said it cost the state about 5.1bn in payment of salaries every month. A statement that became a topic of discussion in every corner of the state. He was accused of refusing to pay salaries to the civil servants who depend on it for survival.
The practice earned different names for him; key among them was “Bako ne shiya sa baison biyan mu”. The statement grew bigger and it became a nightmare that consumed the former governor; the people of the state sacrificed him and ushered in Bala Mohammed. Bala Mohammed whom many see as a messiah that will fix the rots if elected is now beginning to have his running ballet with the “yan albashi”.
Described as the son of the soil, Bala was elected amidst high expectations and significantly frightening demands. The narratives and expectations begin to swiftly change shortly after the incumbent governor made an open declaration in a daily channels TV popular show “Sunrise Daily” that the continued increase in the monthly salaries from previous 5.1bn to 7bn without corresponding increase in employment, promotion and transfer spurred another conversation in the state.
The statement made publicly on a National Television finally vindicates M.A Abubakar’s earlier 5.1bn monthly payments to the state and local governments’ civil servants. The people of the state since then have been thrown into state of confusion as to who’s story to believe between the former 5.1bn and present 7bn with the same number of work force.
The narrative being sold everywhere is that there is no difference between the former government of M. A Abubakar and that of Bala Mohammed, the incumbent as far as salaries saga is concern.
Many people were surprised about the suspension of the 20 local governments Educational secretaries and their financial officers pending the outcome of the investigation and the announcement of another committee to facilitate this verification exercise. The governor’s action has been greeted with mix reactions; with many asking what is the difference between Bala Mohammed and MA Abubakar?
Let me briefly furnish our teaming readers that “ghost workers and verification” were the most pronounced twin words in the last four years; and subsequently reappeared at the time the whole state is looking up to Kauran Bauchi to revamp our collapse health care system, fix our bad roads , repair our abandoned water projects, subsidize or make our primary and secondary Schools free among other critical areas of urgent needs.
Finally, I am neither APC nor PDP but a concern citizen of the state who believes that the struggle of laying a solid foundation for the greater Bauchi state must come with hard decisions no matter who they may hurt. Our decisions today should not be what should please us, but they should be channeled to benefit our unborn generations.
Your Excellency Sen. Bala Mohammed CON, history will be kind to you and posterity will judge well; history books of Bauchi state will remember you if the idea of the exercise is to fish out real ghost workers. Patriotic individuals should rally behind this move to fish out completely and burry this long saga of ghost workers that have hunted the state for years.
Bauchi state civil service needs urgent sanitization and clean up because if the ghost workers are chased away, it will accommodate the young graduates into the work force. I wish the governor will hire a consulting firm that will ensure that ‘uban gida’ will not influence the ongoing verification exercise.
Nasiru El-rufai has won the war against ghost workers and their co-defenders in Kaduna state and believe me, with sincerity of purpose and commitment Bala is winning this war this time.
