Ahead May 29, Gov Bala inaugurates transition committee, directs political appointees to prepare handing over notes

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Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed has inaugurated a transition committee in preparation for the May 29 swearing-in ceremony weeks after emerging re-elected in the March 18 Governorship election.

Speaking during the inauguration at the government house Bauchi on Wednesday, Bala Mohammed expressed gratitude to Almighty God for having him re-elected for another four years.

The Governor said that his re-election by the good people of Bauchi state was informed by his administration’s unprecedented performance in various spheres of human endeavours, ranging from road construction across the nooks and crannies of the state, construction and rehabilitation of schools, hospitals, water, human capital development, among others.

“I must appreciate and commend the sagacity of my compatriots here for giving us the mandate to continue to serve them for another four years”, Bala Mohammed said.

“Ordinarily, there would be no need for any transition, but we have however, decided to constitute the transition committee not for the purpose of handing over to any Government but for a seamless transition to higher level of performance by our government”, he said.

Bala said his administration is irrevocably committed to ensuring that by the end of his renewed four years tenure, Bauchi can be favorably compared to any state in Nigeria.

“As you are aware, ministries, departments and Agencies are the vehicles for the realization of the developmental objectives of any Government through the implementation of policies and programs”, the governor noted.

“Let me use this opportunity to commend the MDAs in the state for executing the various projects that have made Bauchi state one of the best state in the Provision of infrastructure and other amenities”, he added.

Bala who commended the heads and staff of all the MDAs for their financial and moral discipline in carrying out their responsibilities, said such attributes made his administration to execute many projects with very little resources.

Bala who reminded the Committee and his cabinet that the tenure of the administration will end on 29 May, 2023 when he will be sworn in as the chief executive for another four years, said consequently, all political appointees would be ease out and new ones be appointed.

The Governor who however, noted that he is not foreclosing the reappointment of some of the political appointees, urged them to make their handing over notes ready.

“There is therefore the need for hand over notes to be prepared so as to adequately acquaint the incoming Commissioners of the structures of responsibilities of the MDAs”, he said.

According to him, “the hand over notes becomes imperative in view of the need for the MDAs to optimally perform towards the realization of my Bauchi project”.

Bala who said that committee was been constituted for the purpose of transiting to higher performance, said that members of the Committee were drawn from 20 local government areas of the state for inclusiveness and geopolitical representation.

He said merit was not compromised in the process of selecting the committee members which has former deputy Governor of the state, Architect Audu Sule Katagum as its Chairman as well the Governor’s private principal Secretary, Alhaji Sama’ila Burga as the secretary of the Committee.

The Governor who said that the names of members of the Committee could not be made available at the time of the inauguration, explained that the rest of the members would be carefully selected to guarantee inclusivity.

According to the governor, the Committee is expected to collect handing over notes from all Ministries, Departments and Agencies and provide comprehensive data on the programs and projects executed by the present administration from 2019 to date.

He said that the rest of the terms of reference of the committee is to also look into problems of the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and their effects on his campaign promises, provide a roadmap for the new Bauchi state and to ascertain if there is any outstanding recurrent expenditure, in the areas of salaries, pensions in all MDAs and local government areas.

Speaking on behalf of the Committee, its Chairman, Architect Audu Sule Katagum promised to justify the confidence reposed in them by the governor.