By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reiterated sustained commitment to development and improved welfare across Bauchi State and the North East sub-region.
The assertion was made by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Hon Uba Maigari Ahmadu, when he led a delegation of the Ministry and Board, Management of the North+East Development Commission (NEDC) on a courtesy visit on the Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, at the Governor’s Office on Wednesday.
Uba Maigari Ahmadu explained that the visit was to inspect ongoing projects and commission completed ones executed by the NEDC, covering education, health, infrastructure and commerce sectors statewide for the people.
He noted that the delegation would spend three days touring communities across Bauchi State to assess implementation levels, ensure quality delivery and accountability in line with federal objectives nationwide goals.
The Minister commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his strong collaboration with federal agencies, investments in education and the visible transformation of public schools across the state in recent years statewide.
Speaking earlier, the Minister of State, Ministry of Regional Development, Hon Uba Maigari Ahmadu, stated that,”Your Excellency, we are in Bauchi, the residence place of the first and probably the last Prime Minister of Nigeria, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and the home of the revolutionary poet and nationalist, Mallam Sa’adu Zungur of blessed memory.”
According to him,”Principally to supervise ongoing projects undertaken by NEDC and also commission completed ones to date, undertaken by the same Commission which, by the grace of God, has been put under our care courtesy of the creation of the Ministry of Regional Development by His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu exactly on the 24th of October last year.”
He added, “Your Excellency, this projects spread across several sectors from education, health, infrastructure, and many other areas including commerce, like markets, and some other places of benefit to enhance the life and living of the inhabitants of Bauchi State in general.”
The Minister stated that,”In the next two days, God permitted, going into three, we shall be presiding in Bauchi state, Your Excellency, to supervise and commission these projects. And we thought it very necessary, as it is, to come traditionally to pay homage in this hallowed chamber of the Bauchi state Government House.”
He added,”As you can see clearly, the composition of the entourage, Your Excellency, made up of the Executive from the Ministry, the bureaucrats, those saddled with the responsibility of appropriated funds for those projects, consists of members of the House of Representatives, the Board of the Commission, who have the responsibility of running the broader management of the Commission, who have the responsibility of daily running the Commission.”
“We are your guests, who will be your guests for the next two days, and I want to use this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for being a hospitable host, and we already are enjoying the facilities made available to us generously by the government of Bauchi State,”he added.
Uba Maigari Ahmadu told the Governor that,”On our way in, we already inspected one of the projects and commissioned the fire station and a truck, at the Gubi campus of the Abubakar Tafawa University, and went on to inspect construction of road construction and the relocated government secondary school.”
He added that,”Secondly, I want to also commend you, Your Excellency, arising out of the information we got on site, your good intentions for the school. It is not surprising to know you are an amazing person.”
According to him, “We can see your landmark. And before concluding, Your Excellency, I want to use this opportunity to congratulate the people and government of Bauchi for the tremendous work you are doing in transforming Bauchi state. Thank you, Your Excellency, thank you for the team of government.”
He stressed that,”This is not a government house we used to know. If I was unaided, I wouldn’t have found my way to the government house because it is completely transformed. That speaks to the fact that you are indeed a transformational leader, a leader we will all cherish, a leader we respect, most especially in our cycle of the country, irrespective of which political party you belong to.”
Responding, Governor Bala Mohammed appreciated the Minister for the visit, reaffirming Bauchi State’s commitment to strong collaboration with the Federal Government and its agencies to accelerate development and improve citizens’ welfare.
The Governor described the Minister’s visit as timely especially as Bauchi marks its golden jubilee, noting that the federal partnership remains critical to sustaining peace, unity and regional integration.
He assured the delegation of the state government’s continued support for NEDC projects, pledging an enabling environment to ensure effective implementation, accountability and maximum benefits for communities across Bauchi State.
Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, stressed the importance of synergy and cordial working relationship between the Federal Government and subnational for the good of the citizens.
According to him, “Collaboration with the federal government and its agencies, is key to growth and development. Both state and federal government have taken deliberate institutional steps to create a conducive atmosphere.”
Bala Mohammed further stressed that the NEDC symbolises partnership, solidarity, and shared purpose between the federal government and the subnationals.
He stated that, “On behalf of the government and people of both states, I express our profound gratitude to the North-East Development Commission for the sustained interventions in our states.”
According to him, “We deeply appreciate the Honorable Minister for personal engagement with the delegation, because this has shown that he is not an institute Minister, he is not an unchallengeable Minister. I was a Minister and I know how much pressure attacked in Abuja. And they never knew what was going on out in the subnational or local authorities. You have really distinguished yourself as one who understands.”
He added that, “And of course, the Chairman and the Managing Director, the Executive Directors, members of the House of Representatives who were here. I wish I saw some Senators who are my colleagues that you have represented the National Assembly.”
“The management and staff of the Commission. This has shown dedication and professionalism and collectivism in terms of delivering the mandate of this very important Commission that is created to really provide interventions. And it is really providing,” he added.
Bala Mohammed added,”Let me particularly commend the quality of leadership currently managing the affairs of the NEDC. The Commission under Mohammed Goni Alkali, has demonstrated focus, clarity of vision, commitment, results, and flexibility, capacity to manage that impact.”
According to him,”Even by acts and interests, even politicians and rumor mongers, everybody, I really commend you, Alhaji Alkali and your management staff at the NEDC. Across both state and indeed the wider North-East, the impact of their work as a Commission is visible and meaningful, touching lives in the areas of education, health, humanitarian support, and disaster management.”
According to him,”The projects being commissioned and handed over today, aligned perfectly with the development agenda of both state governments and the federal government, our administration is firmly committed to strengthening the social services, expanding access to quality education and healthcare, and ensuring vulnerable populations received the support they deserve.”
He added that,”In this regard, the intervention of the NEDC has complemented our efforts and accelerated progress in the critical sectors and the improvement of the quality of life generally in the state and in the region.”
He stressed that, “We have established the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, the Ministry of Internal Security, the Ministry of Higher Education and Regional Integration, as well as the Ministry for Livestock Development. These institutions were created to ensure synergy, effective coordination and maximum impact of the federal government intervention, and deep collaboration that are beyond politics and partisan consideration.”
He reiterated that, “And we shall assure the Commission that all the projects implemented will be used strictly for their intended purposes. I have directed all relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the government to actively participate in the commissioning and handing over of our processes, and to take full ownership of these facilities.”
He assured that,”Sustainability, programme management, service delivery will remain our top priorities. The NEDC was established to respond to the humanitarian challenges arising from the Boko Haram insurgency and other security-related crises in the North East. While Bauchi State was not a theater of war, our people played a critical supportive role during the period of the displacement and dislocation.”
According to him,”Our dear social, cultural and historical ties with the North-East made both a natural refuge for those fleeing conflict. Our approach was deliberate, rather than creating a large IDP camps, but to adopt a community integration model, receiving displaced persons into host communities across the state.”
“This humane and inclusive model strengthened social cohesion, but also led to significant demographic changes. It is estimated that the influx increased the population of Bauchi State by 1.5 million people, placing additional pressure on our health, education, and social infrastructure,” he added.
Bala Mohammed added that,”This reality explains why Bauchi State consistently makes a strong case for partnership with NEDC and other federal institutions. The support we receive is not just appreciated, it is necessary for maintaining stability, promoting recovery, and sustaining development in our state and the subregion at large.”
The Governor added that,”Going forward, Bauchi state remains committed to providing leadership that will help stabilize the NEDC, the North-East sub-region, promote economic recovery, and deepen regional cooperation.”
According to him, “We will continue to serve as an important hub for development and good governance, working closely with the NEDC with a pool of knowledge of the people introduced, and then we can leverage for financial services, for consultancy, and engineers, and what have you, because already I am aware you have made our own regional development plan available for us to really leverage it so that our budgets and our plans will be guided by knowledge.”
He however stressed,”I thank you, but like Oliver Twist, we always ask for more. As the most helpless state in the region, and which is accommodative and friendly and appreciative of you, We want you to look inward. We have some hard-to-reach areas. Our travel time are affected by bad roads.”
“We know we have so many things to contend with, but certainly we have to place on our record with the caliber of people that I know leading the NEDC here and most importantly, the pedigree of the Honorable Minister, being an impartial administrator. You look at our problem as a community-based problem. We appreciate what the team will do,” he added.
According to him,”If not for your intervention, we wouldn’t be able to work some parts of the state, like Bauchi, go into Kolmani area. You have built about five bridges on an existing federal government project that is there for the last six years.”
The Governor added that,”And because we have really connected as a government with the bridges you have built, that is why even when my colleagues are complaining, I always respond positively because they are really contending with so many complaints.”
According to him, “But these demands are really the federal government responsibility, it is building the Dinddima to Bauchi road after we have passionately made clear the plea to the federal government through the Minister of Works, you can see the road is beautiful, it is a new building. That is the much we can do.”
“We want you to extend the federal government’s goodwill to Alkaleri from Dinddima so that the travel time between Bauchi and Gombe, which is the most important town there as as our brothers, will be made easy. And it is just about 10 to 15 kilometers. This we have already sent it to you through the Ministry of Works.”
He also stated that,”Of course, I’m glad that you have it. And another one is just going to some portion of Ningi, which I know is about 90 kilometers. You can do it in batches. And another agricultural community around Ningi LGA too, and I understand Sen Abdul Ningi is with you. If you can even do it not for me, for him, we will appreciate that so much. Because these are communities that are beyond us.”
Group photograph of NEDC team with bauchi state Gov, Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed
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