Inside Bauchi gov’s aide’s resignation

DONALD IORCHIR presents Bauchi state government’s side of the resignation of Governor Muhammed Abubakar’s Senior Special Assistant

The resignation of the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor Mohammed Abubakar on Scheduling, Alhaji Tahir Ibrahim Tahir, the Talban Bauchi, has elicited mixed reactions as the issue has been trending especially in social media, with various versions.
Reacting to the development through a press statement signed by press secretary to the governor, Abubakar Al-Sadique, at the weekend, the government stated: “While we acknowledge the SSA’s right to decide which jobs he takes or drops, we feel it is necessary to clarify that the reasons he advanced for his action were just gimmicks to justify his exit from the government”.

The government claimed that the aide tendered his resignation first, on Facebook before the formal copy of his letter reached the office of the Secretary to the State Government, adding that the reasons Tahir Ibrahim Tahir gave for his resignation, that he was denied access to the governor, were far from being the truth. “As SSA Scheduling to the governor, Talba had unhindered access to the governor more than most other top appointees of the governor because, partly, he was responsible for scheduling who sees the governor daily”.

The statement continued: “His allegation of nonperformance, like that of inaccessibility, also does not add up. Governor Abubakar has performed beyond average. In order to beef up security, Governor Mohammed Abubakar purchased and handed over twenty-five (25) number of brand new Toyota Hilux vehicles, fully equipped with security gadget to the Nigerian Army, Police and State Security Service, insisting that a “peaceful atmosphere that guarantees security of lives and property is vital to recording any measure of success”. Can anyone classify Bauchi as insecure? Not at all.
“The administration inherited a government with debt cumulative external and domestic debts to the tune of over N100 billion made up of: domestic loans N48.743 billion; foreign loans of $87.572 million and contractual liabilities N41.556 billion as well as state government gratuity arrears of N7.741 billion; local government areas gratuity arrears of N6.924 billion and unpaid salary arrears of workers. In spite of paucity of resources, all these liabilities incurred are being serviced.

The statement highlighted some of the achievements of the administration to include; farming season, launched in Misau, the administration disbursed 10,000 metric tons of fertilizer to farmers at subsidized rate of N2,750 for NPK and N3,000 for Urea, and just recently because of the successes recorded in last year’s rain-fed and this year’s dry season farming, Bauchi State government has provided 30,000 tons of fertilizer which is being sold at 5,500 naira per bag for this year’s farming season with an increase of 15,000 tons over what was procured and distributed to farmers for last year.
The administration also resuscitated the State tractor hiring services to farmers to ease their farming activities; went into partnership with the Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO, to improve food security of about 2,000 IDPs in the State through the provision of 60 metric tons of improved crop seeds.

The State targets at least 100,000 rice and maize farmers in 2017 planting season, while government made contacts with commodity companies in Lebanon, Czech republic and China that have indicated interest in our groundnuts, sesame and soybeans while others showed interest in establishing agro-processing industries.
On health, the intervention of Abubakar’s administration saw the health sector launch Five Point Health Agenda shortly after the inauguration of the administration, with the sole aim of strengthening of the Primary Health Care services with particular emphasis on diseases affecting the maternal, new born and child population as well as routine immunization exercise, among other achievements.

The government therefore wonders what Alhaji Tahir meant by attributing his exit to allegation of nonperformance, which he didn’t substantiate why it took him this long to quit.
The statement maintained: “It now clear that the reasons he advanced for the resignation are baseless and should therefore disregarded”.

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