Free fall of Naira is jeopardizing our plans, says Gov Mohammed

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has on Thursday stated that the current free fall of Naira to dollar is putting government’s plans in jeopardy.

The Governor while speaking during the executive council meeting at the EXCO chambers of the government house regretted that the bad economic condition occasioned by soaring prices of goods and services may delay the completion of flagged-off projects across the state.

He however, said a lot of initiatives have been doled out to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Bauchi state.

“I think there is a problem, and of course the economy is bad, it is almost a free fall for Naira and most of our postulations or forecasts economically, our plans are put in jeopardy because we may not be able to achieve within the time line”, the Governor said.

Bala Mohammed who decried that cost of materials are so high, said, “even the projects that we flagged-off may not be achieved and this is a stark reality, cement is almost three times the cost of estimate”.

The Governor stated that almost everything, including local materials are soaring in prices added that the country’s food security is also in jeopardy.

Governor Mohammed who observed that there is hunger and anger in the country due to high cost of food, urged members of the executive council to on their own, roll out initiatives that would add to the common good of the state.

“You don’t have to wait until you are told to do something that you believe within your own assessment of things that are good for the state”, he stated.

The Governor recalled that a lot of projects and Programmes have been rolled out since the inception of his administration in 2019, saying that projects are not about concrete but how it has impacted socially on the masses.

“You can see what we are doing, health, education, humanitarian services and other things. We have to look at things passionately, of course we are at the center in the country and we are almost the food basket”, he said.

The governor who noticed that on daily basis trailers of food are leaving the state to other places, said that the government will do everything possible to get relief for the people of Bauchi state.

“What are we doing to make sure we have relief for our people? the best we can do is to pay salaries and wages but even the salaries and wages are grossly inadequate to put food on the table”, he said.

“We are on course, what we need more is team work, to be more serious in terms of knowing that as members of council you are the representatives of the governor and government”, Governor Bala told his cabinet.

Bala Mohammed while describing the meeting as an emergency one, pointed out that there is hunger and anger and that the common man does not decipher between the federal responsibilities and state responsibilities.

“We are all a government, it is not easy to just pass the bug and say it’s the federal government responsibility, it is all our responsibility, I don’t normally believe in blame game, as a state we should try to be an island of good governance”, the Governor said.

“We really have to be focused and see what we can do, it is almost time up for emergency, the main thrust is food on the table. So I call on members of the council to initiate Programmes and projects within their respective ministries and MDAs that will add to the common good to cushion the effect of this problem confronting the people”, Governor Bala said.