By Adamu Yalwa Gabi
Today’s topic is just like a wake up call to the Bauchi State Governor Bala Muhammad in motivating him to fulfill one of the integral part of his campaign promises on the urgent need to revamp the state moribund industries to serve as an alternative for improving the revenue base of the State.
Bauchi State as a Gateway of the North Eastern part of the country was known not only because of the personality with high calibre in the eyes of the global communities it produced who was the first Nigeria’s prime Minister but also what it produced in terms of socio economic potentials towards enhancing gross domestic product of the country.
Once the name Bauchi State pinched in to the ears of any individual,what first come to his mind is the famous tourism site Yankari Game Reserve that attracts visitors from across the country and beyond but was also not left behind in terms of industries that transformed raw materials to finished goods apart from it abundant natural resources endowered with.
The economic viability attached to those industries such as Steyr Nig.LTD,which assembled trucks and motorcycles (Hero Punch), Asbestos,a company that make roofing sheets and Arewa Ceramics Misau that manufactured toilet facilities like sink,toilet seater and plastic rubbers which are now obsolete not forgetting Zaki Flour Mills that produced processed maize grains and other bye products like biski now over taken by private investors need the attention of the Government in revamping them for optimum service delivery.
The negligence suffered by these ailing industries in the hands of previous administrations per say had contributed immensely in the short fall of internally generated revenue for the State,thus leaving youth with no option than to become political thugs ,beggers or engaging themselves into other forms of social vices like Sara Suka,theft, apart from parental negligence to earn a living by hook or crook as a result of their restiveness.
Before the present administration came on board in the state,there were lots of campaign promises made to penetrate the minds of the electorates with a clear manifestation that siezed their attention to shun away from president Buhari’s ruling political Party that gave birth to majority of its legislative members in both the State and National Assembly not to talk of other key Federal political appointments,pherhaps given room for PDP to win the Gubernatorial election.
Considering youth as the major tools used in bringing your Government in to a lime light please rise up to expectation by revamping the ailing industries to serve as a catalyst for speedy economic recovery and development which will augur well for the state and simplify difficulties to be faced in your second term bid.
Without having second thought, gone were the days when Government especially at the state level will continue to depend largely on Federal Allocation in meeting up its financial capabilities just as Kano been the epicenter of commercial activities in the North.
Although,The Governor had performed averagely well while steering the affairs of the nation’s capital in the past by way of turning it in to a global City that was needed at that level but still people of Bauchi that gave him the mandate which in turn deserved a reciprocal are waiting for his promise to be fulfilled so as to meet their yearning and aspirations just as it is expected to be a symbiotic relationship between them and the governed for the avoidance of been seen as a bird who spread it wings and soar like an eagle after getting the needful.
Regarding the new Government house that would lavish more than six billion naira alone and other on going road projects in the state, to me as a Quantity Surveyor With the knowledge on estimated cost implication in the building environment and with a qualification to practice the pen profession I see it as a misplacement of priority as civil servants are suffering from untold hardship due to non payment of their salaries and promotion arrears or paid but in batches which were equally on top of your campaign promises noting that Bauchi is a civil servants oriented State.
Your excellency Sir,You may wish to recall that your election by citizens of the state was based on the achievements and successes recorded while in Abuja with the anticipation that you will equally set the same Ball rolling.
Gabi, a journalist wrote from Bauchi and can be reached on:adamumgabi@gmail.com
