Summary of proceedings during the plenary of Bauchi State House of Assembly presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman (Dangaladiman Ningi) today 1st September, 2020
1. Votes and proceedings of Wednesday 26th August, 2020 was adopted by the Honourable House as moved and seconded by the Majority Leader Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare/Madangala Constituency) and Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency) and voted by the members.
2. Speaker of the Bauchi State Assembly Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman announced following the death of member representing Dass Constituency Late Hon. Musa Mante Baraza and based on power vested on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the seat of Dass Constituency in the Assembly is hereby declared vacant.
He directed the Clerk of the House to formally inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) about the development.
3. Under matters of urgent public importance, Majority Leader of the House Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare/Madangala) draw the attention of the Hon. House to the nonpayment of salary of some civil servants in the State.
He narrated that Bauchi State is a salary state, the economic activities of the State depend largely on salary and more than 70% revenue accrued to the State is used to pay salaries. If there is no other source of income, the government will have nothing to do in term of social amenities.
“Payroll of the state has been undergoing series of problems, verification upon verifications, claims and counter claims about the size of the payroll, ghost worker etc but all these have not yielded any positive result.
“Any meaningful citizen of Bauchi State will support the government on sanitization of the payroll to fish out ghost worker and unnecessary expenditure.
“The present administration has employed services of consultants to clean the payroll of the State and carryout series of verification. It is welcome development but in the process many genuine workers are suffering.
“Some people spent almost a year without salary. Some three while many are in their sixth month without salary.
“The method of the payment of salary in the State raise so many questions. A worker will be denied salary for three months later he will be given one month salary only.
“This month one ministry will get salary and another month they will not be paid.
“We have invited head of service, accountant general and they told us that the Governor has established salary committee to solve all problems of salary but things are getting worst.
“There is no way you should hold someone salary for months just because you are sanitizing payroll.” The Majority Leader lamented.
He added that the level of security that is deteriorating in the State can be attributed to the issue of nonpayment of salary to some workers.
According to him, as representatives of the people they won’t stay here enjoying all goodies while their people are not paid there meagre salaries. He reminded his colleagues that they will go back to Almighty and give account on this and no one will save them.
“That’s the problem that cost previous administration election. There is mess in the issue of salary and urgent action should be taking.
“Everyday I receive calls from more than 50 people that their salary is not paid. About 128 workers in General Hospitals Azare didn’t get salary for 3 months.
” Months back we went and meet the Governor about issue of salary and his listened to us and understood us but there is no improvement, in fact the problem is persisting.
“I have never seen a situation where one ministry will get salary this week another ministry next week. Things are getting worst. There is problem o.” He further lamented.
Hon. Tijjani Aliyu said that people should get there salaries no matter what.
He added that the problem in the State payroll is persisting because culprits are not being punished.
“We have heard that so so amount of ghost workers are discovered but no one is punished. We shouldn’t look at it as the problem of the Governor alone. We should take action son gat all of us will be happy. We are all elected. We must make sure people get salary at when due.” He said.
Hon Tijjani Aliyu prayed that the Hon House should consider that as a matter of showing empathy to people living in poverty the government should pay all unpaid workers their salaries immediately
Also, all the culprits identified should refund the money and be prosecuted
He also suggested that reliable data on the State workforce and payroll should be established.
Contributing, Hon. Yusuf Inuwa Dadiye (Ganjuwa West) Constituency) suggested that any verification that will take place should be announced in the second week of the months.
But Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo reminded him that all workers in all LGs have gotte verification forms before salary.
Hon. Jamilu Umaru Dahiru (Bauchi Central Constituency) said the issue of nonpayment of salary is disturbing everybody.
According to him, he had sleepless nights for more than a week now due to the nonpayment of salary of his constituents.
“I made my own efforts and met the Head of Service and Accountant General. I have seen the Accountant General in his office and I can assure there is progress.
“So far, Only 1200 people are not paid. He even called one of the directors of Hospital Management Board and queried him and others. They apologized to the him because the problem is from them. There are duplication of names.
“He promised me that next month there will be no problem of nonpayment of salary to some workers.” He explained.
” I assure you there is progress, I have seen it personally. They have achieved a lot in clearing all problems. In some cases they found two people using same BVN” He further explained
Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule (Zungur/Galambi) said that the matter comes at the right time.
“If you confront any of them (Head of Service and Accountant General) they will give you convincing story.
“All we need is that everybody should be paid his salary. We don’t want even n a single person to lose his salary. Even if it is five people that are not paid committee or those responsible to pay salaries must tell us why.” He explained
In his contribution Hon. Yunusa Ahmad (Warji Constituency) called on the State government to scrap the consultants paying the salary in the State immediately.
“These consultants have been here conducting series of verification yet nothing good out it. He lamented.
He also suggested that the Government should constitute an ad hoc committee to carryout the task.
According to him in his constituency he received calls from more than ten people complaining about nonpayment of their salaries.
But Majority Leader Hon Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu has different opinion on the issue of consultants. He said that the use of consultants in payment of salary is very important since the culprits are civil servants.
“If you send the consultant out, you will start it all over which will not augur well. The previous administration use consultants too.
” The issue of salary is affects all of us not only the executive. If the government fail we fail too because we are critical stakeholders in governance of Bauchi State.
“What Hon. Jamilu Umaru Dahiru said is correct. My problem is why should you hold salary of worker for six months, three months and one year?
“When the committee of verification appeared here, we supported and commended them we but our problem is the time and holding of people’s salary.” He further explained.
Hon. Babayo Muhammad (Hardawa Constituency) said the problem is from the treasury.
According to him in the ministrybof health medical staff would transfer to federal government and still continue receiving salary in the state.
Hon. Babayo Muhammad
opined that the Accountant General should be called to order to sanitize the payroll of all MDAs.
Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo supported all the prayers moved by the Majority Leader and suggested that the resolution be immediately sent to the executive for immediate action.
Speaker Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman said the effort of sanitization of payroll is welcome and supported by the Honourable House but withholding salaries of genuine workers is unacceptable.
The Honourable House adopted all the prayers of the motion as amended.
4. Hon Yunusa Ahmad (Warji Constituency) moved that a Bill he sponsored for a law to provide a framework for the regulation, development and management of healthcare services, set standards for rendering and for related matters 2020 should undergo first reading.
He was seconded by Hon. Saleh Muhammad (Jama’are Constituency) and voted in favour by the Hon Members.
Thereafter Speaker Abubakar Y Suleiman directed Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the first reading.
Leading debate on the Bill, Hon. Yunusa Ahmad Warji said the Bill came as a result of town hall meetings conducted by the honourable members across the constituencies.
According to him, the bill seeks to bring together all health services in the State by providing a framework for the regulation, development and management of healthcare services and set standards for rendering such services.
The Bill, he said, also encompasses public and private healthcare services providers by promoting the spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility among all providers of healthcare services in the State.
Hon. Yunusa Ahmad Warji added that the bill if passed will set out the right and obligations of healthcare service providers, health workers, health establishment and users by protecting, promoting and fulfilling the right of the people in the State to have access to healthcare services.
It will also set standard for rendering healthcare services in the State with prescribed penalties for professional or administrative offences committed in contravention of this bill unlike before when healthcare services are left unchecked and at the mercy of individuals thereby causing a lot of damages and even lost of lives of patients.
According to the bill, the state integrated health system shall include ministry of health, all agencies and departments under the ministry, all LGs primary healthcare departments, all traditional healthcare providers in the state, all alternative healthcare providers in the State.
He therefore moved that the bill should undergo second reading.
Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) while seconding the motion said that he is delighted with the Bill because its importance.
According to him, 80 to 90 percent of people are living in the rural areas thus the bill will positively affect them. He urged the Hon House to support the Bill.
After putting it to voice voting and members voted in favour, Speaker Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman directed the Clerk of the House to read the bill for the second time.
The Hon. Speaker refer the Bill to Health Committee for better scrutiny and report back in two weeks as supported by the Hon. Members.
5. A motion calling on the State Government to promote youth participation in governance, develop Bauchi youth development plan and activate youth centre in the State was moved by Hon Gazali Abubakar Wunti (Ganjuwa East Constituency.)
Leading the debate on the motion, Hon. Gazali said after series of consultative meetings between some of critical stakeholders on youth and other youth stakeholders such as youth led and youth focused civil society organizations like Lead tots and Human Development Services, Community Youth Group, ministry of youth and sports among others to discuss the challenges and opportunities of youth development in the State, findings revealed that the State government claims to be working in favour of the youth but there is still a lot of gaps that needs intervention.
According to the lawmaker there is strong evidence that the participation of young people in the legislative and executive arm of government is relatively lowest.
He added that young people are underrepresented in the key cabinet positions and legislative arm of the State Government.
“As at 2018, there is no young person between the age of 18-35 years in the State Government Cabinet position either commissioner or director general of agencies and parastatals.
“There is no youth of 18-35 years among the 31 members of Baruch State House of Assembly.
“Also Bauchi State didn’t priorities youth development as seen in the merger of the ministry of youth with two other ministries sports and social welfare.
Youth are not well represented in agencies and ministries dedicated for their services as noticed prior to now, the Bauchi State commissioner of youth and sports and DG of Bauchi State Commission for youth and women rehabilitation and development BACYWORD are all over the category of youth.
“Youth development departments are under funded. Young people are critical sector of every society. A genuinely inclusive will ensure that it’s youth participate in all Affairs harnessing their views in developing policies and implementation profess.” He explained.
He prayed that the executive arm of government in the state should always consider competent youth between the ages 18-35 for appointment as commissioner for the ministry of youth and sports as well as chairman of BACYWORD.
Hon Gazali Abubakar Wunti also called for the activation of the three youth development centres in three senatorial zones of the state which he said will become the hub of youth leadership and entrepreneurship development.
He also called for the development of State Youth Development Plan for five years which he said shall contain the blueprint for the resources mobilization and programme development of Bauchi State youth.
Contributing, Hon. Musa Wakili Nakwada Bogoro Constituency said that the motion is timely and acceptable considering the population of the youth in the State.
According to him, if the youth will be trained they will be engaged doing one things or another as a result, they won’t engage into violence and other social vices.
Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) appreciates the mover of the motion which he said is very important. He advised that the biodata of the youth should be accurately captured in relations to population segmentation and percentage.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule (Zungur/Galambi) commended Hon Gazali for moving the motion which he said is very important.
He urged everyone to put helping hands to actualize the motion.
The Deputy Speaker added that issue of jobless youth is very dangerous as the population is growing.
He suggested that there should be guidance and counselling departments for the youth because youths need guidance.
“There are situations that you will give them an offer, they will go sale it 20,000. The guidance and counselling departments will help them” He said
Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule commended the Governor Bala Mohammad for allowing youth to have portion in his government.
According to him, there are commissioners such as Nuruddeen Abdulhamid and Hajara Jibrin Gidado that are below 30 years. Also there are appointees such as Joshua Sanga, Lawan Muazu Bauchi, Khalid Barau and others in the Government that are youth.
Hon. Saleh Muhammad (Jama’are Constituency) thanks the mover of the motion and seconds that the motion should be adopted.
The Hon. House adopted the prayers of the motion with amendments.
6. An Interim Report of the House Ad hoc Committee on Covid-19 pandemic was laid by the Chairman of the Committee Hon Dan Umma Bello (Giade Constituency)
The committee recommended that since the taskforce Committee on the virus still exist alongside with the l
ife span of the pandemic, the ad hoc Committee on covid-19 which is mandates by the Hon. house to oversight the executive committee ought to be given unlimited time with monthly allocation of some approves fund for logistics to execute its mandate. This will give the committee opportunity to properly oversight the executive committee for comprehensive and thorough job.
7. Majority Leader Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare/Madangala) opined that since corona virus is apandemic that no one knows when it will end, it should be an open ended activity.
According to him, the Governor commended the effort of the Hon. House and offered to fund the activities of the committee but nothing has come, therefore House should revisit the issue.
He added that oversight is the constitutional right of the Committee, they shouldn’t therefore beg for it, the committee should exercise that power.
However, Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam (Dambam/DagaudaJalam Constituency) observed that the oversight function is the function of Special Duties Committee therefore the ad hoc Committee should not be given that responsibility.
Majority Leader Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu concurs, saying that said the observation is valid.
He said the essence of oversight is vested on standing committees.
He suggested that the Hon. House can decide that the special duty committee should continue from where the ad hoc stop or merge the two committees to work together.
Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo opined that the work of the ad hoc Committee be transfered to special duties committee.
Hon. Yunusa Ahmad (Warji Constituency) observed that the ad hoc committee has not done proper work. They are asked ton conduct investigation on the pandemic but there is no significant aspect captured by their report.
But Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo said matters raised by Yunusa are taken over by event.
Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam (Dambam/Dagauda/Jalam) explained that condemnation of committee’s report is wrong.
According to him, if anybody has an advice can stand up and suggest what should be done not condemnation which he described BA’s improper.
He commended the ad hoc committee on covid-19 for a good job.
After heated debate the Hon. House commended the ad hoc committee on covid-19 for a good job.
The Hon House also dissolved the committee and asked special duties committee to continue from where they stop.
8. The Honourable House adjourned to Wednesday, 2nd September, 2020 as moved by the Majority Leader Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu and Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo.
Abdul Ahmad Burra
Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.
1st September, 2020.
BAHA Plenary 1 September 2020
