By Comr Doji Doji
To outsiders, Bauchi state is a developed state when they are discussing the level of political awareness of the citizens. But in reality, Bauchi is far left behind in terms of infrastructure, economic growth plan, strong and vibrant civil service, tourism and not to mention industrialization.
The only thing you would see them doing is building bridges in towns where there is no water to cross. Wasting over N4b on cars. This is totally unbecoming of progressive people of the 21st century.
I deliberately refuse to say a word concerning the state of salary in Bauchi state since this issue started because those (the citizens) that are suffering the consequences of the broken governance have a clearer story to tell. Imagine a civil servant praying constantly every month so that his name is not omitted from the payroll. And when he receives his salary, many friends and families congratulate him for receiving his own hard-earned wage.
A friend called me via phone from Gamawa, when I picked up the call, he started apologizing, regretting by releasing each word with great care. “Abokina, kayi hakuri kuma kachema Barrister ya yafe mana” those words paralyzed my spirit at that moment, I had to sit down. He told me how the state government reverses local government promotions from 2015 to date, himself included and even some lecturers at the state university, who received their appointment letters since March, 2020 are yet to receive their salaries.
There is no plan for youths, even the empowerment packages that the previous governments used to extend is not in place, that is if at all the intention is there.
Bauchi state is identified as one of the states, with highest number of out-of-school children in the country, but instead of developing a policy to neutralize the issue, many secondary school students didn’t see their names in this year’s WAEC, based on unconvincing reasons given by the state Ministry of Education.
Nothing under the sun that is so disturbing like incompetent people occupying sensible positions. Thanks to Covid-19, it has revealed the inadequacies they had been hiding all this while.
The ball is now in the people’s court, whether to continue listening to their honeyed words in the media or take it up to the polls come 2023.
Comrade Doji writes from Bauchi.
