Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said that Nigerians were “plagued” with myriads of security, social and economic challenges in the year 2020.
In his new year message which was made available to journalists in Bauchi on Thursday, he expressed optimism that irrespective of their differences, Nigerians will be united in ushering a united country.
He congratulated the people of Bauchi State, in particular, “for overcoming the myriad of challenges in the year 2020.”
He said: “Given the peculiar challenges of the outgoing year, a year in which we were confronted with daunting health, economic, security and social challenges, I am sure that the good people of the State, indeed Nigerians in general, irrespective of ethnic colouration, political differences or religious persuasions, will be united in ushering in what, hopefully, should be the dawn of a new era, a new year of restoration and revival.”
“Never before have the people been so gruesomely tested: from Yellow and Lassa Fevers, to the COVID-19 virus, from the slowdown in the economy and ecological disasters, to ever looming security challenges.
“But the good news is that you took it all in stride, relying on our historical resilience and a rich heritage of trust, in the Almighty God who, through the intervention of our religious and traditional rulers and all men and women of goodwill, spared Bauchi State the unfortunate ordeal of succumbing to these vicissitudes. I am proud to say that we have persevered. Congratulations!”
The governor said that looking back, he was convinced that the citizens’ ability to survive these challenges was due, in part, to elite consensus which helped to galvanise the masses towards the dictates of survival.
He added that no matter the orchestrations and drama of politics, Bauchi State can be said to be the quintessence of the triumph of politics of engagement, collaboration and stake-holding over the politics of division and rancour.
“Thus, like adversaries in a shipwreck, we were acutely aware that our survival depended on our ability to confront our monsters together: quite often, hunger, disease, unemployment, natural disasters and insecurity respect no boundaries or recognise any distinctions,” he said.
Mohammed said that posterity will record that displaying the hallmark of political sagacity and patriotism, both the Executive and the Legislative Arms of the Government in Bauchi State, buried their differences thereby finding common grounds to jointly navigate the ship of the state through turbulent economic and political waters, pointing out that that was despite the sharks that reared their heads and tried to muddy the waters, midway.
“That is why in spite of the second wave, we can say that we contained the COVID-19 pandemic, mitigated the harsh impact of the lockdown on our people and recorded the most peaceful Palliative intervention.
“I appeal to our Citizens to brace up for the Second Wave of Covid-19. We must see and treat this disease as a clear and present danger that requires sacrifice, discipline and commitment to fight it. We handle it with kid gloves only to our collective peril. We must be on the same page with Health Professionals and obey the already known protocols of handling the pandemic.
“I am also proud to say that notwithstanding the lockdown in 2020, we were able to achieve some milestones in Infrastructural and Social Development especially in the areas of Roads Reconstruction, Mass Housing, Urban Renewal and Education,” he said.
He said that against these backgrounds, “we are moving into 2021 in the firm assurance that we will never let our guards down. I want to make it clear that we are under no illusion at all, that we have either solved or indeed found the solutions to all our problems. It will be dishonest of us to so do.
“The truth is that, despite our best efforts, we still have to contend with the problem of youth unemployment; industrial capacity remains precariously low due largely, to shortfalls in electric power supply and low purchasing power of the people.
“As a Government, we have resolved to raise the bar of performance and push the frontiers of progress as well as socio-economic and political inclusion as our strategy for achieving a resounding victory over the forces of darkness and evil, who would rather see our state wallow in abject poverty and deprivation.”
According to the governor, another cardinal resolution of the New year will be the provision of welfare package for the vulnerable population in order to reduce poverty adding that if there is anything the pandemic has thrown up, it is the need for improved social safety nets that protect the weak, aged and vulnerable from unforeseen socio-economic shocks of gargantuan nature.
He said that notwithstanding the vagaries of the people’s economic life, henceforth, “we must strive to honour the maxim of being our brothers’ keepers and to demonstrate, in word and in deed, that ours is a caring society that recognises the voter beyond the election day.”
Mohammed said that his administration equally resolved to continue to maintain Security by remaining vigilant against the activities of criminal elements and “I want to assure you that criminals and their collaborators will have no safe haven in Bauchi State. “
The year 2021 will be for Bauchi State a year of Consolidation on the gains of 2020 by putting our State on the path of growth, development and prosperity.
We will continue to expand our frontiers of collaboration and cooperation with the Federal Government as well as International Agencies to ensure greater access to opportunities especially in the areas of project exposure and funding.