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Tag: Bauchi state

  • PDP clears all seats in Bauchi Council polls

    PDP clears all seats in Bauchi Council polls

    The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi has won all the chairmanship and councillorship seats in Saturday’s council polls in the state.

    Chairman, Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), Alhaji Dahiru Tata, announced this on Sunday in Bauchi while issuing Certificates of Return to the newly elected chairmen.

    “The election has been largely successful and peaceful and PDP won all the 20 local government chairmanship and the 323 councillorship posts in the state.

    ” The results are as officially declared by Returning Officers at the various levels as I am only here to issue certificates to the winners,” he said.

    The chairmen elect are: Yusuf Garba, Mohammed Baba-Ma’aji, Illiya Habila, Waziri Ayuba and Mahmood Bello for Alkaleri, Bauchi, Bogoro, Dambam and Darazo Councils.

    Also elected are Muhammed Suleiman, Babayo Kasuwa, Dayiabu Kariya, Mohammed Saleh and Abdullahi Maigari for Dass, Gamawa, Ganjuwa, Gaide and Itas Gadau Councils.

    Abdullahi Kuda, Garba Musa, Abubakar Misau, Mamuda Hassan and Mahmud Abba emerged winners in Katagum, Kirfi, Misau, Ningi and Shira Councils.

    Others are Daniel Danjuma, Adamu Danyaro, Adamu Mohammed, Yahuza Abdulkadir and Samaila Jarma for Tafawa Balewa, Toro, Warji, Zaki and Jama’are Councils.

    Meanwhile, there are four litigations pending before the Federal High Court, Bauchi, bordering on alleged exclusion of some political parties from participating in the Council polls.

    Speaking to NAN after the ceremony, the elected chairman of Bauchi Council, Alhaji Mahmood Baba-Ma’aji , commended the electorate for reposing their confidence in him.

    “I feel fulfilled over what has transpired during the polls.

    “We will carry our people along and fight to ensure the development of the Local Government area

    “The Expectation is very high but we will try as much as possible to meet the demands of our people,” he assured.

  • Bauchi Govt. slashes Right of Way charges for telcos

    Bauchi Govt. slashes Right of Way charges for telcos

    Bauchi Government has approved the reduction of Right of Way (RoW), charges for telecommunication companies in the state from N4,500 to N145 per linear meter.

    This is contained in a statement signed on Thursday in Bauchi by Adama Ibrahim, Information Officer, State Ministry of Lands.

    The statement said that the reduction was in tandem with the approval made by the National Economic Council and the Governors’ forum.

    It said that the gesture would create a user-friendly environment for information sharing that would aid social and economic development.

    “It is also part of ongoing reforms to ease business transactions to woe national and international investors into the state,” it said.

    The statement noted that with the development, the state would achieve full broadband by 2021 that would accelerate the deployment of affordable and reliable modern high-speed connectivity.

    “It will attract new businesses, create jobs, improve access to quality of health care and digital education as well as the internally generated revenue.

    “It will equally spur the telecommunication companies to further invest in broadband infrastructure to trigger ancillary on-line services, especially in the field of education,” it said.

    It hinted that the state government also approved waivers to defaulters of ground rents within the period of COVID-19 pandemic effective from Jan. 1.

    The statement explained that the government extended the waiver to payers of Deed Registration Fees after the expiration of grant to cushion the negative impact of the pandemic.

  • Government spends N1,500 per meal on COVID-19 patients in Bauchi – Official

    Government spends N1,500 per meal on COVID-19 patients in Bauchi – Official

    Bauchi State Primary HealthCare Development Agency (PHCDA) says the State Government spends N1,500 per single meal for COVID-19 patients on admission in the State.

    Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman of the agency, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Sunday.

    Mohammed, who is also the Chairman, contact tracing Committee on COVID-19 in the state, said the state governor, Bala Mohammad gave the directives in order to ensure that all the COVID-19 patients in the state were well fed.

    He said the idea was to make sure that they feel more at home and avoid a replica protest or revolt by COVID-19 patients in some other states.

    “It was the state governor that ordered us that we should put N1,500 per single meal in a day.

    “That is, N1,500 meal during breakfast, the same amount for lunch as well as dinner because he doesn’t want anybody in isolation to suffer or complain so that we won’t have any riot like in some other states.

    “This brings the total amount of money on meal per day to N4,500 on a single patient,” Mohammed said.

    Recounting phone conversations with some members of the public, the PHCDA boss said, having heard about the sumptuous treatment received by COVID-19 patients, some people were calling to be taken to an isolation centre even though they were hale and hearty.

    “Recently, three people called me and they were asking that they wanted to be admitted in isolation centre.

    “One of them was from Giade Local Government Area of the state and because we recently discharged a lot of people from that area, obviously they had given them information on how they were taken care of.

    “All these people were pleading with me to come and pick them up and take them to an isolation centre, they said they wanted to enjoy the chicken, eggs, fried potatoes and all the goodies our patients are having while in isolation,” he said.

    Mohammed further urged the people of the state to always adhere to all the preventive measures as advised by the government and health experts in order to contain spread of the virus.

    The State, as at Saturday, May 24, had recorded 232 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 164 had been discharged so far, five deaths, with 63 active cases.

  • Eid-el-Fitri: Bauchi State workers to receive May salaries Wednesday

    Eid-el-Fitri: Bauchi State workers to receive May salaries Wednesday

    The Bauchi State Government has approved the payment of May salaries of it’s Civil Servants ahead of the Eid-el Fitri celebration slated for May 24.

    Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed this in press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media, Comrade Mukhtar Gidado and made available to TNG on Sunday.

    According to the statement, “…the State Accountant General has been directed to ensure that the salaries are paid on or before the 20th of the month, to enable workers, including pensioners enjoy a happy Eid-el Fitri celebrations…”

    Also in the statement, Governor Mohammed assures civil servants of the commitment of his administration to ensure prompt payment of salaries in addition to other reforms introduced to ensure effective service delivery.The Governor equally enjoins workers in the state to ensure total compliance with all the protocols against the infectious COVID-19 pandemic.

  • COVID-19: Bauchi Govt. announces total lockdown in 3 LGAs

    Gov. Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State, on Sunday, announced total lockdown in three local government areas to curtail the community transmission of the new coronavirus disease in the state.

    The three local government areas to be locked down included, Katagum, Giade and Zaki.

    Mohammed told a news conference in Bauchi that the decision was as a result of the high rate of community transmission of the COVID-19 in the LGAs.

    He said that the lockdown, that will last for 10 days, would enable the state government to embark on contact tracing and establish a very robust administration of managing the situation.

    “Just yesterday, some tests were returned for some areas in Bauchi State, especially Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area, Giade and some other parts of the state.

    “We discovered that we have 44 new cases, 27 of them from Azare and about seven from Giade.

    “We discovered that this is as a result of community transmission.

    “Those who brought the disease have started spreading it.

    “We are, therefore, establishing and enforcing a total lockdown on Azare town (Katagum Local Government), Giade Local Government and Zaki Local Government.

    “This is because most of the people there are very close to Kano and Hadejia in Jigawa.

    “So, we are locking down these three LGAs for 10 days to enable us to trace, quarantine the people found to have the virus and establish a very robust administration of managing the situation,’’ Mohammad said.

    The governor, who announced that the total lockdown would take effect from Tuesday, May 12, explained that during the period, the areas would be decontaminated with chemical spraying.

    He also said that the state would initiate massive COVID-19 testing of residents to determine those who were infected.

  • 39 persons die of lassa fever in Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Government says 39 people have lost their lives to Lassa fever in the state since January.

    Dr Aliyu Maigoro, Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, disclosed this at a news conference in Bauchi on Wednesday.

    He revealed that due to the timely and massive intervention by the state governor, Bala Mohammad, the only person currently on admission and receiving treatment would soon be discharged.

    “On the issue of Lassa fever, 39 people have lost their lives since January till date, but currently, we have only one case on admission and he is about to be discharged.

    “We have stayed for almost four to five weeks now without anybody being admitted for lassa fever in the state.

    “His Excellency, the Executive governor, really supported the campaign against lassa fever even before the COVID-19 pandemic and that was what really helped in intensifying the effort that we have gone up to zero with Lassa fever in the state,” he said.

    The commissioner also disclosed that 342 contacts were listed and whose samples had been taken, adding that, out of the figure, a total of 49 cases were confirmed and recorded.

    “Up to 18th week, 342 cases were listed and samples were taken.

    “Out of that figure, up to week 18, we recorded a total number of 48 cases, and with the one currently on admission, making 49.

    “When you compare the death from this year to last year, in 2019 we had a case fatality rate of 20.5 but this year, we have a case fatality of 40.4.

    “This shows that there is an increase in the dead this year, compared to last year,” he said.

  • Bauchi varsity invents disinfection machine for COVID-19

    The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi has invented a disinfection machine to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

    Prof. Muhammad Abdulazeez, Vice Chancellor of the University disclosed this while speaking at the unveiling of the machine in Bauchi on Tuesday.

    He explained that the invention of the machine was in line with the mandate of the university as a centre of research and invention.

    Abdulazeez said the university was making effort to make ventilator needed for the treatment of patients with stage 11 of COVID-19 infection.

    “Technologists, engineers and other professionals in the University have fabricated a prototype of a ventilator which is cost effective and efficient.

    “The team also fabricated an aerosol box that can be used to protect medical doctors and other medical personnel treating patient that has tested positive for the virus by placing the box to cover the head, mouth and nose of the patient,” he said.

    According to the VC, the university went into the venture considering the high cost of procuring ventilators and other equipment needed for the treatment of COVID-19, Lassa fever and other infectious diseases.

    “The university decided to go into deep research and at the end was able to come out with prototypes of the machine,” he said.

    He, however, identified lack of funds as the major impediment to the mass production of the machine.

    Abdulazeez called on government at all levels, to as a matter of urgency contact the Mechatronics Engineering Department of the University for mass production of the machine.

    “We are not in this to make profit but to contribute to the fight against infectious diseases particularly COVID-19 and Lassa fever,” he said.

    Abdulazeez commended the team that worked day and night to ensure the production of the machine.

    The team leader, Mr Faisal Bala said that the machine was an automatic spraying machine that can effectively spray anyone going in and coming out of a room.

    Bala also explained that the ventilator invented has bags to provide oxygen to the patients suffering from Coronavirus attack.

    He said the department would work hand in hand with the medical school of the University to realise the potentials of the project.

  • Bauchi Governor suspends another LG caretaker committee chairman

    Bauchi Governor suspends another LG caretaker committee chairman

    Governor Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State has approved the suspension of Alhaji Baffa Bara, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Kirfi Local Government.

    The suspension is contained in a statement signed by Mr Muktar Gidado, Senior Special Assistant (SSA), Media, to the state governor in Bauchi on Monday.

    Gidado said the chairman’s suspension is with immediate effect.

    “These issues of financial impropriety had culminated to Bara’s invitation by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which the state government viewed as a very serious embarrassment that can not be tolerated.

    “Gov. Bala Mohammad has approved the suspension of Baffa Bara, the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Kirfi LGA of the State.

    “The suspension was due to his nonchalant attitude in running the affairs of the local government and other issues of financial impropriety which culminated to his invitation by EFCC which the state government viewed as a very serious embarrassment that can not be tolerated.

    “Government also observed that the suspended chairman had not been engaging stakeholders from the LGA as directed by the state governor.

    “This act violates the principle of fair representation and participatory democracy as envisaged by the present administration in the state,” said Gidado.

    The suspended chairman was directed to hand over the mantle of administration of the council to the Deputy Chairman along with all government property in his possession.

    On Jan. 9, Gov. Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State suspended Mr Nura Dan-Maishari’a as Chairman Caretaker Committee, Ningi Local Government Council, of the state.

    Maishari’a’s suspension was as a result of his alleged frequent abscondment from meetings of Local Government Chairmen, non-engagement of local government stakeholders in managing the local government affairs and nonchalant attitude toward indiscriminate felling of trees under his watch.

    On Jan. 10, the state governor also approved the suspension of Mr Gara’u Adamu as the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Darazo Local Government Area of the state.

    Adamu was suspended as a result of his persistent absenteeism from office, which contravened the ethics of his oath of office.

  • ASUU decries detention of chairman

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapters of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Bauchi State University, Gadau, had decried the detention of ATBU chapter Chairman, Dr Adamu Babayo, by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    The Vice Chairman of the association, Dr Ibrahim Maina, condemned the action at a joint press conference on Sunday in Bauchi.

    Maina alleged that Babayo was detained by the DSS operatives on Sunday, when he was invited to the department’s headquarters in Bauchi.

    He said: “the ASUU Chairman, Adamu Babayo was invited through a Short Service Message (SMS) which is not a formal way of invitation.

    “On Friday he received a text message requesting him to report to the DSS office in Bauchi on Sunday. He went to the office together with some of the executives of the association.

    “The DSS operatives requested other members of his entourage to leave and detained him in their office,” he said.

    Maina said that the action was a violation of fundamental human rights and queried the DSS to explain the reasons behind the arrest.

    “Let them explain to us why he was detained. That will give us the idea of what needs to be done.

    “If the detention is in connection with the ongoing strike; it is a nationwide strike embarked on by the universities in the country and not a peculiar or personal problem.

    “What wrong have we done by pressing for our rights through the strike,” he queried.

    Maina maintained that industrial action is the rights of a worker as enshrined in the civil service act, which enable workers to press home their demands.

    However, a DSS official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied the allegation, insisting that Babayo was not detained but invited to answer some questions.

    ASUU had on Nov. 5 embarked on an indefinite strike to press for implementation of the agreement reached with Federal Government in 2017.

     

  • Troops kill 4, arrest 9 militiamen in Bauchi State

    The Nigerian Army said its troops killed four armed militiamen in Ningi Local Government Council of Bauchi State.

    Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Army Public Relations, via a statement issued on Sunday, said that nine militiamen were also arrested.

    Chukwu said that troops of 33 Artillery Brigade of Operation “Lafiya Dole”, on patrol on March 17, were attacked by the militia group at Burra Junction in Ningi.

    He stated that the militiamen fired at the troops on patrol.

    Ckukwu added that the troops, thereafter, engaged the militias, killing four of them.

    He explained that the troops also recovered five dane guns, 38 motorcycles and nine bicycles.

    The army spokesman said that one soldier was wounded in the attack and referred to a medical facility for treatment.

    “Troops of 33 Artillery Brigade, in the ongoing operation Lafia Dole, on March 17 at about 12:30 p.m. encountered members of a militia group, massing up at Burra Junction in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

    “The militiamen on sighting the troops, opened fire on them while the troops reacted immediately by engaging them.

    “At the end of the encounter, four militias were killed, troops recovered five dane guns; 38 motorcycles, nine bicycles and nine militiamen arrested.

    “One soldier, who sustained gunshot wounds is stable, having been evacuated to the hospital and receiving treatment,’’ Chukwu said.