Abubakar is determine to reposition Bauchi for benefit of all -Umar

Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Sade is the Bauchi State Commissioner of Information, in this interview with reporters in Bauchi, he speaks on the activities of the state government under the leadership of Mohammed Abdullhi Abubakar, his efforts to reposition the state among other issues. Our Correspondents, SAMUEL LUKA who was there reports.

You were only recently sworn in as the commissioner of Information and since you assumed duty can you tell us how you understand the focus of the administration?
Alhamdullillahi, my brother we first of all thank the Almighty Allah who in his infinite mercy gave us the opportunity to contribute our quota towards the development of the state, we also thank His Excellency the Executive Governor who appointed us into his cabinet, he choose us out of the millions of people in the state, not because we are the best hands,

but because we are the ones chosen to him to work with by the almighty Allah and we are determined in Sha Allahu, we will not fail him, we will not fail the people of the state that gave him their votes in order to better their living condition, we will justify the confidence reposed on us.

When we came on board we understood the zeal and vision of our amiable governor and his plans to take development to all nooks and crannies of the state despite its lean resources.

The governor during his electioneering campaign went to rural areas, he understood the real problems of our people.

Majority of them are peasant farmers and they are looking for road network to enable them transport their farm produce to markets and the agitation of our people and their quest for development made the governor to give priority to roads, to construct roads across the state.

As a result of that contracts were awarded for the construction of many roads in both urban and rural areas, and government is making effort to open up these communities to development through the provision of road networks to boost their socio economic development.

So, the government gave priority to agriculture , education, Health care and addressing the problems of youths restiveness inherited from the previous administration.

A lot has been done to boost the economy of the state by resuscitating Bauchi Fertilizer Plant, Bauchi Furniture companies, Yankari Game Reserve and government has improved revenue generation of the state and blocked all leakages that will lead to financial embezzlement and mismanagement of state resources, just to mention a few, but we are committed to repositioning the state in all aspect of live, that’s the focus of this administration.

Do you think this administration has achieved anything in the area you have listed?
Yes, government has achieved a lot, but let me give you in brief. You see, in the area of education, government always gives 25percent of its budget to education, and it collaborates with Federal Government agencies in education and constructed many class rooms in all the 20 local government areas of the state.

You may wish to visit Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic and see what government is doing physically, we gave it a new face, most of their courses have been accredited, they will now start awarding Degree courses, you may wish to see the FM station of the institution, it’s the only institution that has campus Radio in the entire northern Nigeria.

Itas Gadau University and other tertiary institution, all of them have benefitted from the government’s effort to provide infrastructures, modern ones in the schools. You may wish to go and see it for yourself.

So also secondary schools, government is doing a lot, we have even recorded success because so many Bauchi State students today pass their exams, NECO and WAEC and government paid their Scholarship allowances.

In the area of agriculture, you may wish to ask farmers, they get fertilizer and all farming inputs every year, our fertilizer company is working now, we even sell the commodities to other neighboring states.

In the area of road construction, the administration has achieved a lot despite all the challenges involved in doing a quality job, you just go round Bauchi metropolis, even a blind person know that something called quality road construction is ongoing everywhere, and you see, in our effort to do quality job,

the contractors dig holes, remove sands, filled the hole with rocks to strengthen the new road so that it will last for over 50 years, so also agriculture, we have done a lot, recently we had access to N5bn loan from the Central Bank out of the N8bn to boost mechanised agriculture in the state.

And I have told you before now, we are also committed to procuring about 60 busses to boost commercial activities of Yankari Express Mass Transit, so also in the area of rural electrification, our government has earmarked over N350m to provide electricity to many rural communities in the state.

Also in the area of revenue generation, we have introduced e-payment of taxes, we have achieved a lot, we have done more in the area of poverty alleviation and self-reliance programmes.

Mr. Commissioner Sir, your area of jurisdiction is information. What are your plans on the state electronic media?
Alhamdulillah, the state government is fully committed to digitalise our media outfits, I can recall that because of the interest of our governor he visited the headquarters of Startimes, assessed what they were doing and after he was satisfied he arranged with them to come and modernise the Bauchi State Television so that it will become like CNN, N2 billion was earmarked for the project, they will be in the state any moment, they will be here to start the digitalisation of BATV.

We are also working round the clock to reposition the Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC), by the grace of God it will be like BBC, in fact we have planned training and retraining of our staff in the media industry in Bauchi, and we are ready to provide them with all they require to make their work easier.

Are you confident that the governor will win the 2019 Bauchi governorship seat ?
Ah! have you seen any candidate in Bauchi better than Mohammed Abubakar? Bauchi is for Abubakar even though the governor is not talking about 2019, all you have been seeing are agitations by his die hard supporters and well wishers,

but the governor is only committed to fulfilling his electioneering campaign promises, he is working hard to provide quality living standard to our people in the areas of water supply, health care, education, Agriculture, rural electrification, road networks and many other areas.

In fact, he wants to make sure that every citizen of Bauchi benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Do you have any message for the people of Bauchi State?
My message is, people should support the government’s laudable programmes and Alhamdulillah, Governor Mohammed Abubakar has succeeded in changing the clock of Bauchi politics through hard work, dedication, transparency and prudent management of state resources.

Our people should understand the good intention of the administration in fighting corrupt practices and doing quality job that will stand the test of time, insha Allah we will not fail them, our work is different in the area of road construction, where other states are constructing two to three kilometer roads our government is constructing over 300 kilometer roads,

even Misau to Gamawa is over 150 kilometers, by the grace of Allah we will not fail them, we will touch their lives positively to boost their socio economic condition and to make our towns and villages model cities. People should continue to help us with prayers to deliver despite our lean resources.

Quote
The government gave priority to agriculture , education, Health care and addressing the problems of youths restiveness inherited from the previous administration. A lot has been done to boost the economy of the state by resuscitating Bauchi Fertilizer Plant, Bauchi Furniture companies, Yankari Game Reserve and government has improved revenue generation of the state and blocked all leakages that will lead to financial embezzlement and mismanagement of state resources, just to mention a few, but we are committed to repositioning the state in all aspect of live, that’s the focus of this administration.