…Gov Bala Says North Not Parasite
By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
The Bauchi International Economic and Investment Summit just ended at the magnificent newly constructed and commissioned Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre in the state capital with heavy investment worth over $5 billion from 47 countries, corporate bodies and individual industrialists.
Others are over N100 billion investments mostly from states, local governments and individual levels ranging into economic areas of agriculture, tourism, education, ICT, solid minerals mining, among others, which implementation, workability or execution commence today Friday, and board to regulate investment activities effectively coming into place November this year.
However, the biggest investment of the summit into the proposed Bauchi petrochemical industries of no less than 150 SMEs, courtesy of the Kolmani gas and oil wells of vast commercial quantities, amounting to over $2.7billion comes from a Chinese firm with an employment opportunities of 150, 000 people.
An indigenous cement company, the Resident Cement Factory Nig. Ltd, according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed prior to the summit closure, is investing over $2 billion in the production of 10, 000 metric tonnes of cement annually, has at the event venue presented cheque worth N267 billion for the provision of infrastructural facilities at the Gwana site project in Alkaleri LGA of the state.
The two-day Bauchi International Economic and Investment Summit run into closure with encouraging words from Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who sounded that Northern Nigeria is not a parasitic element, but rather slightly bogged down by the oil boom era of the 70s, only to now strongly bounce back on its feet of vast agricultural, solid minerals and ecosystem potentialities, coupled with the discovery of oil and gas of highly commercial volumes.
Governor Bala, while thanking the summit participants for gracious attendance, peaceful and orderly conduct during the international event, said “My vision for the sub-nationals is to be financial independent, we are tired of being called parasites, Northern Nigeria is not a parasite to anybody.
“We have always generated wealth, but we recapitulate, we have always act positively as separating entities, but the whole gamut has to relax, and we have to come back to the realities. The solid minerals we have in Bauchi, is what we have in Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, and even Kaduna, Kano, we all have solid minerals, and we are not part of the vanity”.
Governor Bala stated however, “But our lands have not been developed. Yes, we can give forest reserves that we have and manage them, so that there is symbiosis between the farmers and herders. We have to really plan very well, urban and regional planning in such a manner that we create cattle routes, grazing reserves and farmlands”.
“That we have been doing, so we are very grateful to Dr. Usman Bugaje, I am very proud of him and my economic team. Bugaje has been working for us since I became the Governor of Bauchi state, and I will advise others Governors to leverage on our knowledge and my passion for development. We are not just doing it for Northern Nigeria, we are doing it for the country”.
Governor Bala explained that his administration is being driven by knowledge, and the person who served and oriented his cabinet members was Dr. Usman Bugaje whom, he said, look at their comparative advantages, analysed their strength and weaknesses, and brought the whole gamut of Northern elites behind his administration, and himself.
“Dr. Usman Bugaje is leading the Northern Nigeria’s Research and Development Group, made up of best engineers, technocrats and bureaucrats and they are always willing to work with sub-nationals within the Northern part of the country. And he was not looking for anything, we didn’t pay him any consultancy. He started of Bauchi from the day I won elections and developed the roadmap ‘My Bauchi Project’.
The Governor described Bugaje as vast and versatile, from medical profession to history and economics, name it, saying “It is under his mentorship we are able to get Professor Murtala Sabo Sagagi, another mentrous in the intellectual world, who was also the chairman,. Organizing Committee of the Bauchi International Economic and Investment Summit, and my home economic team under the State SSG”.
Senator Bala Mohammed contented, “Then our people, our elders, everybody here, you cannot buy these from the market. It is the pinch of sign for ownership, it is not me, not mine. It is not PDP, it is not APC, it is Bauchi state. We have to put politics and personal interest aside, we have to open up, allow people to come in, while we have comparative disadvantage, so that they can leverage on the strength of others to leapfrog”.
The Governor who noted that it keeps time to build trust and confidence, expressed gratitude to the international community who came to the state from their various callings, not only to invest in the Bauchi economy, but also to actively participate in the summit.
He stated this, “I’m grateful to the international community, most of them came because of us, because of what they believe in us, watching us. The world is a global village, you cannot deceive or dilute anybody, whatever you are doing, people are aware, because they are watching you”
Bala observed, “No amount of mudsling or denigration will destroy your reputation, if your reputation is good. So, I am happy these people are coming, they believe in our administration, believe in me as a person. And we have a big burden, a burden of sustainability”.
The Governor who told the summit that because of Bauchi closeness to Kano, and the deep relationship the two have in hands, and Kano as the centre of commerce dates back to the trans-sahara trade, shifted his responsibility on the programme of officially closing the summit to Kano Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Aminu Abdudssalam Gwarzo who actively participated in the summit
Declaring the two-day summit closed, Kano Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdudssalam Gwarzo described the occasion as very wonderful that steered bones for event’s organizers, participants, investors, and onlookers.
It was for this reason and other considerations, Gwarzo said, made the summit quite successful, and congratulated Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and his colleagues in rising up to the occasion.
Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo told the summit which was a day earlier declared opened by Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, that it has really attracted his interest, more sensitized, richly motivated him, and was awashed with telling participants the secret involved in staging the summit.
According to Gwarzo, whoever planned to stage a similar event successfully, must come through the same progress so as to collectively move together, and recalled a recent similar event in Abuja which, he argued, was also successful but to a certain limit, and advocated for a well-planned similar summit in future.
The summit had prior to its flag-off has the named venue, Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, commissioned by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, supported by His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Alh. Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar 111.
His Excellency, Kano’s Gwarzo therefore stressed the need for henceforth staging such event, so that people will come from far and near to see what Nigerian leaders are doing in governance, emphasizing “To see our potentials, to share our thoughts together and see how we can move in flog to the promised land Inshallah”.
About The Author
