Summary Of Proceedings During The Plenary Of Bauchi State House Of Assembly

Summary of proceedings during the plenary of Bauchi State House of Assembly presided over by Speaker Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman today, 28th March, 2023.

Votes and proceedings of Tuesday 28th December, 2022 was adopted without amendment as moved and seconded by the Majority Leader Hon. Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Zare/Madangala Constituency and the Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency).
The Honourable House received two messages from the Executive Governor of Bauchi State Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad.

According to the Majority Leader of the House Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu who conveyed the messages to the Honourable Members, in the first message, the Governor forwarded and requested the Honourable to consider and pass a draft Bill to establish College of Education Technical Dass and other connected matters therewith 2022. While in the second message, the Governor forwarded and requested the Honourable House to consider and pass a draft Bill for Law to establish Bauchi State Rural Access Authority and a draft Bill for a law to establish Bauchi State Road Fund 2022.

On a sad note, the Speaker announced the demise of the mother of Hon. Bello Muazu Shira (Shira Constituency), the mother of Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam (Danjani/Daga da/Jalam Constituency) and the mother of Alhaji Musa Yarima (Director Administration BAHA) during the recess.

While sending the condolences of the Honourable House, the Speaker directed Hon. Jamilu Umaru Dahiru (Bauchi Central Constituency) to lead the House in a special prayer for the repose of the departed souls.

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Speaker Abubakar Y Suleiman congratulated the Honourable Members for the successful general elections in which he said the Honourable Members have immensely contributed in the victories of their political parties.

He also congratulates Honourable Members who emerged victorious during the election and urges them to be humble and magnanimous in victory.

The Speaker also expresses sympathies to the Honourable Members whose election’s outcomes are not favourable. He urges them to be gratitude in defeat.

Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman further congratulates the nation on the successful completion of amendment some provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) moved a motion calling on the House to allow a Bill for a law to Amend the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Law 2012 to undergo first reading. He was seconded by Hon. Jamilu Umaru Dahiru.

Upon approval by the Honourable Members, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to carryout the first reading. Thereafter the Speaker asked Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) to lead a debate on the Bill.

Leading the debate, Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir said that the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency by a law in 2008 which was amended in 2012 and since then s lot of new policies, innovations and strategies were developed by the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Development Partners in an attempt to further strengthen the healthcare system in the country.

According to him, these developments necessitated the amendment of the Agency’s law to accommodate current development in the primary healthcare service delivery.

Hon. Saleh Hodi states that the amendment will focus on renaming the organization’s nomenclature from Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, inclusion of operational guidelines of the village/ward development committees based on the national provisions of the ward health system, inclusion of Bauchi State Emirate Councils Committees on Health and the State Advocacy Core Group in conformity with the revised National Health Strategy for Community Engagement and other relevant provisions in line with National Policy of Primary Healthcare under one roof.

He added that in the 20 local government areas of the State there are about 1335 primary health facilities which also entails that there is the need to strengthen the law of the Agency to manage these health facilities very well in order reduce the death rate of people in rural areas especially women, children and people with old age.

Hon. Hodi therefore moved that the Bill should undergo second reading. He was seconded by the Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency)

The Speaker put the motion to voice vote in which the Honourable Members unanimously approved. He thereafter asked the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the second reading and referred the Bill to the House Committee on Health and Human Services. The Committee was given two weeks to report back.

Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu (Azare/Madangala Constituency) requested the Honourable House to all a Bill for a law to establish College of Education Technical Dass and for connected matters therewith to undergo first reading. He was seconded by the Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency).

The Honourable Members unanimously approved and the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the first reading. Theafter, the Speaker asked the Majority Leader of the House to lead a debate on the Bill

The Majority Leader said that the College will consist of all formal education programme with emphasis on technical education and such other institutions as may from time to time be acquired or established by the College.

Hon. Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu explained that the functions of the College when established shall be to provide courses of study and research in teacher training and to prepare students for award of National Certificate of Education, with emphasis on technical education and other certificates and diploma relating to such course, to promote through teaching, research and other means, the advancement of science, technology and learning in its practical application to the needs of the community, to organize improved science and technical education and extend education of higher standard than the secondary school level and to comply with the required standard for Colleges of Science, Vocational and Technical Education as set out by the National Commission for Colleges of Education.

According to the Majority Leader, technical education which focuses on inculcating learners with the abilities and knowledge required to take up trades or craft was introduced to help reduce rate of unemployment and grant hands-on skills to Nigerians especially youth.

“Unemployment is one major challenge affecting Nigeria amongst other challenges and it kept skyrocketing day in and day out as a result of the recent economic recession in Nigeria. This rate if unemployment has led to the issues like a rise in crime rate, suicide rate etc.

“Many employers believe that Nigerian graduates are unemployable because the traditional educational system usually involves so many theories and lack a practical use of the knowledge acquired. It was at this point that vocational education was introduced and existed for many years in form apprenticeship and handicrafts and subsequently the Government created bodies like NA YEP to oversee this educational system as well as issue certificate to graduates.” He explained.

The leader further explained that the Bauchi State College of Education (Technical) Dass was designed to provide employment opportunities that combat the increasing rate of unemployment among citizens of Bauchi State in particular and Nigeria in general, adding that it will equally empower individuals with skills and knowledge that are in demand in the global market as skills and knowledge are the driving powers behind economic growth and development for any country.

He therefore requested the Honourable House to accord the Bill a speedy passage.

In his contribution, Minority Leader, Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency) said that the States Governmet has tried a lot in creating the Institution.

He said that the College when established will create job opportunities for many citizens of the State and create admissions opportunities for students of the State especially those who finished technical and vocational schools.

Hon. Bobbo therefore requested that Bill should be allowed to undergo second reading. He was seconded by Hon. Babayo Muhammad (Hardawa Constituency).

Upon approval by the Honourable Members, the Speaker directed the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the second reading. The Bill was referred to House Committee on Education for further legislative action. The Committee was given two weeks to report back.