Hardships Protest: Governor Bala Reasons With Protesters, Says There Is Hunger In Nigeria 

By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has okayed reasons behind the youth national protest that there is a lot of anger and hunger sweeping across the country.

He said, “,We acknowledge that most of the things they were saying are true, there is a lot of anger and hunger in the land. We must be able to fill-up the ungovern spaces in the country”.

The Governor who was making a remark at the opening of the State Executive Council in Bauchi, spoke of the need to provide good governance, and direction to the cost of living of the people generally.

“You heard what the youths are saying that we are spending so much money. We urge them to please understand with the government, shelve their protest and come to us for discussion. We also acknowledge that most of the things they say are true”.

Governor Bala however appealed to the protesters to understand with the government and shelve their protest, and meet the government for discussions with a view to chart out the way forward.

The Governor similarly stressed the need for the Bauchi state government to reduce the cost of governance, especially as regard foreign travels by officials which, he argued, is costing a lot of money.

“We must do something to reduce the cost of governance, our travels, especially some of us always trying to travel aboard or Abuja, is costing us slot of money, especially now when are unaffordable.

In another development, the Bauchi state government said that it has reduced working days of the state civil service from five to three during rainy seasons, particularly August to November for civil servants from grade level 01 to 12 to go to their farms.

The grace farming period which was ratified by the State Executive Council following the approval to that effect by Governor Bala Mohammed, is in part of the state government’s drive to ensure food security for the state and the country at large.

The State Head of Service, Yahuza Adamu Haruna Ningi told the press shortly after the council’s  meeting that himself Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed submitted an approval memo to that effect for ratification by the council

Alhaji Yahuza Ningi explained that with the approval, the affected civil servants are to be in the office between Mondays to Wednesdays while they take Thursdays and Fridays off to enable them go back to their farms in addition to Saturdays and Sundays

Yahuza said however that workers on essential services such as fire service, health workers, and teacher, among others are exempted from the grace period considering the critical nature of their services to the people.

The HOS said that all the MDAs are to determine the categories of their workers who are qualified to be part of those to benefit from the new working system on receiving a circular to that effect Thursday

Yahuza stressed that the development was sequel to the determination of the Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir to ensure that farming which is the mainstay of the state was harnessed to the benefit of the state and the country.

He further explained that there is a caveat to the approval and its implementation, assuring that his office will circulate the guidelines of the system to make it operationally successful.

The Head of Civil Service also warned that the implementation will be closely monitored to ensure that it is not abused thereby losing its objectives.

He revealed that Governor Bala in addition presented another memo on the retaining of over 2299 youths engaged as security guards by the Spiderwebs and Zabgai security agencies, saying that government had fully settled their outstanding N73 million backlog allowances.

Yahuza said that the effort is to ensure that the youths are fully engaged to avoid indolence and check criminalities across the state, informing that the council approved the redeployment of the Spiderwebs from BACYWARD to the Ministry of Internal Security for administrative convenience

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