BAHA Plenary 3 March 2021

Summary of proceedings during the plenary of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman (Dangaladiman Ningi), today 3rd March, 2021:

1. Votes and proceedings of Tuesday 2nd March 2021 adopted by the Honourable House as moved and seconded by the Majority Leader Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare/Madangala) and the Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency).

2. Speaker Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman read a letter from member representing Udubo Constituency in Gamawa Local Government Hon. Umar Yakubu in which he announced his formal withdrawal of his membership of All Progressive Congress (APC) from 2nd March, 2021.

According to him his decision to quit APC is based on the issues arising in the party at both State and National level and call from his constituents to leave the APC.

Hon. Umar Yakubu pledges his continued commitment toward salvaging the plight of the citizen and contribute to the developmental goal of the present administration in Bauchi State.

3. The Speaker also read another letter from member representing Pali Constituency in Alkaleri Local Government Hon. Yusuf Muhammad Bako in which he notified the Honourable House of his defection from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Hon. Yusuf said his defection came after series of consultation with his constituents in which they decided that he should join political forces with PDP to ensure the success of the present administration considering the developments being brought to the State.

According to him, there is need for him to have a clear political direction in line with the demands of his people hence the reason of his movement to PDP.

He assured the Honourable Members of his readiness to serve for the success of the people of Bauchi State and Nigeria at large.

4. Under matters of urgent public importance Hon. Tukur Ibrahim informed the Honourable House of a fire outbreak in tTakamdan Giwa village of his Constituency which destroyed 15 shops and a mosque.

He therefore urged the House to come to the aid of the people in order to ameliorate the hardship caused by the losses encountered.

In his contribution, Hon. Mukhtar A Suleiman (Katagum Constituency) prayed Almighty Allah to bring succour to the victims and seconds that the House should go on assessment visit to the area with a view to ameliorate the losses caused by the fire outbreak

Corraborating, Hon. Abdulkadir Umar Dewu (Kirfi Constituency) said the issue is a very serious oje considering the damages done by the fire.

He suggested that a committee should be set up to go and sympathize with the victims and mandate State Emergency Management Agency to facilitate relief materials for the victims.

The Honourable House mandated its committees on Special Duties and Cabinet Committee to visit the area, sympathize with the victims and assess the damages done by the fire with a view to provide relief materials to them through SEMA.

5. Mmeber representing Giade Constituency Hon. Dan’umma Bello moved a motion calling on the State Government to reclaim all the cattle routes and grazing reserves in the State.

Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Dan’umma explained that the State has many cattle routes created across the State but politicians and traditional rulers had encroached into the areas.

“Recently His Excellency the State Governor Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammad had constituted a Special Committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of an uprising that engulfed Zadawa Town in Misau LGA. According to the findings, a grazing area which existed for several years is now being cultivated as farmland which led to fracas and subsequent destruction of lives and property of innocent victims.” He explained.

Hon. Dan’umma therefore prayed that the House should ask the Government to immediately implement the findings of the Committee to arrest the reoccurrence of another episode.

He also prayed that the Government should penalize all those involved in encroaching or selling of grazing reserves to serve as deterrence to others and issue a circular revoking all farmlands and structures erected and reconvert the areas to grazing field.

The member also prayed that the Government should construct earth dams in all hitherto existing herdsmen settlements so as to enjoy unfettered access to pasture and water point which he said will accommodate Fulani herdsmen moving from South to North.

Hon. Dan’umma suggests that at ten thousand hecters reclaimed should be allocated to each local government in the State to accommodate the returning Fulani herdsmen from the southern part of the country.

Contributing to the debate, Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare Madangala Constituency) observed that the motion has been taken over by events. After Zadawa crisis the Government was proactive to face the problem head-on in which the it constituted a committee and recommendations were given in which the government set a white paper committee.

He suggested that the House should rather advise the government to implement the report and the white paper committee should submit their report and the Government should ensure immediate implementation.

On his part, Hon. Baballle Abubakar Dambam (Dambam/Dagauda/Malam Constituency) opined that considering the importance of the motion, it should be referred to the Forestry and Environment Committee so as to discuss more with the relevant agencies and committees.

He also suggest that there should be a law on grazing reserve in Bauchi State therefore there is the need for motion to be referred to the committee so as to come up with recommendations for a better approach.

The Honourable House referred the motion to the House Committee on Forestry and Environment and mandated it to liaise with the mover of the motion to work on the matter.

6. The Honourable House adjourned to Tuesday 9th March, 2021 as moved and seconded 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.
3rd March, 2021.