By Hamisu Bello | Posted August 13, 2024
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, was recently in the news with weighty allegations that the “current hardship and hunger being experienced in the Country was caused by the Tinubu Administration which has so far, failed the people”. According to him, the failure to tackle the hardship and hunger led to the recent nationwide protests. However, these allegations were nothing, but cheap and mere political propaganda intended to incite the people against the Federal Government.
It is on record that unlike other States in the Country, particularly in the Northern part, Bauchi State did not record much success in the nationwide protests largely due to the resistance of the people to be joined against the Federal Government. Perhaps, this resistance was borne out of realization of the enormous support and humanitarian intervention of the Federal Government through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to the State in the last one year in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Administration.
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The Commission was established to address developmental challenges in the North East Zone comprising of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States following the deadly Boko Haram insurgency. Soon after the Tinubu Administration came on board in May 2023 and realising the hardship people of the Zone were facing after the removal of fuel subsidy and as directed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the NEDC came up with a pragmatic intervention programme of distribution of palliative items to the people which provided them with succour and relief.
The NEDC, first launched the distribution of food and non-food items worth billions of naira to the six States of the North East Zone with Bauchi as a major beneficiary only second to Borno State. His Excellency, Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, performed the flag-off of the distribution of the palliative items late last year.
A breakdown of the items distributed included 250,000 bags of rice (25kg); 81,000 cartons of Spaghetti/Macaroni; 40,000 gallons of vegetable oil; 80,000 pieces of blankets; 80,000 pieces of branded mats; 80,000 pieces of shadda for men; 40,000 pieces of wrappers for women and 80,000 sets of children wears.
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In addition, out of the 250,000 bags of rice, 65,000 bags were shared to the six State Governments for state-wide distribution, 36,000 bags to the 18 Senatorial Districts, 72,000 bags to the 48-Federal Constituencies and 30,000 bags to State Assembly Constituencies in the North-East Zone. This distribution pattern was designed to encourage wider reach to the vulnerable population and promote inclusiveness.
Furthermore, the Commission embarked on another major intervention in March this year which coincided with the Muslim Ramadan Fast and the Christian Easter Celebrations. This time around, 300,000 bags of rice (25kg), 200,000 cartons of spaghetti and macaroni, 100,000 bags of sugar and 100,000 pieces of branded mats, were shared to the people in the States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
Also distributed were another 100,000 branded blankets, 100,000 men clothing (shedda) 100,000 women wrappers, 100,000 pieces of children clothing and 100,000 cartons of vegetables oil.
Similarly, the Commission also extended hands of support to other vulnerable people in the society with 2,556 beneficiaries and 106 clubs and associations in Bauchi State receiving various palliative items. A total of 24,000 bags of rice and other assorted items were distributed to the groups.
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Prior to that intervention, Bauchi State Government was presented with a consignment of food and non-food items for onward distribution to the people, which include:
10,000 Bags of Rice (25kg)
10,000 Cartons of Spaghetti/Macaroni
1,000 Bags (50kg) of Sugar
3,000 Cartons of Vegetable Oil
2,500 (pcs) of Blankets
2,500 (pcs) branded Mats
2,500 (pcs) Shadda (Men)
2,500 (pcs) Wrappers (Women)
2,500 (pcs) Children Wears
Incidentally, Governor Bala Mohammed personally received the palliative items in Bauchi and no Community in the State in need of support and assistance in that regard should have been neglected across the 20 LGAs.
You may now understand why in all the Local Government Areas of the State, it was celebration galore and jubilation as they individually received their palliative items including rice, sugar, spaghetti and groundnut oil through another direct distribution by the NEDC. Besides, the outpouring of commendations and praises by various benefitting communities, were indicative of their joy and happiness with the Tinubu Administration for coming to their aid at this critical moment of need.
Who therefore needed further reasons why the Nationwide Protest was as good as having failed in Bauchi State; a situation Governor Bala is now taking advantage of, to misinform the good people of the State.
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We also recall that in order to ensure food security and a bumper farming season this year, the NEDC in collaboration with LOBITO FOR ASIWAJU massively distributed free Agricultural Equipment and Pesticides to Farmers across the 20 LGAs of Bauchi State last month, a situation as never witnessed in the history of the State.
Incidentally, too, another large quantity of similar items was directly handed over to the Bauchi State Government, all in an effort by the Tinubu Administration to remove hunger and squalor from the masses of our people in Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole.
One is therefore at a loss, how Governor Bala Muhammed who has been so favoured by the President in the distribution of palliatives, will be this ungrateful as to insinuate that his failures were caused by the Federal Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Gambo Hamza, a veteran journalist and public affairs commentator wrote in via gambohamz@gmail.com