Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday reconstituted his cabinet, as he swore in 21 commissioners, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff (CoS) and Principal Private Secretary (PPS), who will form the State Executive Council (SEC).
The governor also gave a stern warning to them to shun corrupt practices, as his administration is focused on taking the state to higher level before the end of its four year tenure.
Speaking immediately the commissioners, SSG, CoS, DCoS and PPS were sworn in at the new Governor’s Office, Mohammed reminded them that they were either reappointed or appointed based on merit and their various contributions to the development of the state.
He further stated that the appointees must live above board and bring in their wealth of knowledge and experience into play in order to accelerate the developmental efforts of the administration, stressing that time is fast running and the wheels of progress must not slow down.
The governor reminded them that they owe their various constituencies positive representation in government because according to him, “You are expected to serve as ambassadors of your people, so let them know what we are doing for their wellbeing.”
Mohammed further stated that he took his time to reassemble the cabinet in order not to make mistakes because “2023 is fast approaching; we need to consolidate our political grip so that we can easily get a second term to serve the people of the state.”
The governor, who stressed that winning election is all about carrying the people along not much about projects execution, however, assured the people that his administration would continue to embark on projects and programmes that would structurally develop the state to an enviable status in the country.
The governor said: “I want you to work closely with members of the state House of Assembly because they are my bosses, we are working in collaboration for the good of the state; respect them and relate with them well, anything short of this will bring rancour between us which will slow us down.”
Mohammed, while wishing the new cabinet members well in the discharge of their official duties, sounded a note of warning that anything short of positive progress will not be tolerated by him, urging them not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in them.
Those sworn in were Ibrahim Kashim as SSG; Dr. Aminu Hassan Gamawa as CoS; Bashir Yau as Deputy Chief of Staff; Samaila Adamu Burga as PPS to the Governor, while the 21 commissioners were assigned different portfolios, though some of them returned to their former ministries.
The oaths of office and allegiance were administered by the Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar.
She added that with the automation process, “the state could be ranked number one on the ‘Starting a Business Index of the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, which is scheduled for 2022.”
In their separate remarks, the state Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Seleem Adegunwa; National President, Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Dr. Femi Egbesola, and state Chairman, Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Dr. Akinwunmi Alonge, lauded the government for developing the portal, as well as the decision of the state government to make the registration free, assuring the government that they would mobilise their members to register on the platform.
