Summary of proceedings during the plenary of the Bauchi State House of Assembly presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman, today, Tuesday 23rd November, 2021:
- Votes and proceedings of Thursday 18th November, 2021 were adopted by the Honourable House as moved and seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam (Dambam/Jalam/Dagauda Constituency) and Minority Leader Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency).
- Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule requested that the Honourable House should allow a Bill for a Law to amend the law that provide for the establishment of Bauchi State Emergency Management BASEMA and other matters related 2021 to undergo first reading. He was seconded by Hon. Saleh Muhammad (Jama’are Constituency).
After the Speaker put the motion to voice vote and Honourable Members approved, he directed the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the first reading.
- Leading debate on the Bill the Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule (Zungur/Galambi Constituency) highlights some of the areas of amendment which include among other things; incorporation of the State Fire Service from the Ministry of Works and Transport into the State Management Agency.
Hon. Kawule explained that the State Fire Service will become a department under the Agency, which according to him will go along way in ensuring that Bauchi State have access to ecological fund which hitherto is not enjoyed by the State.
He therefore requested the Honourable House should allow the Bill for a Law to amend the law that provide for the establishment of Bauchi State Emergency Management (BASEMA) and other matters related 2021 to undergo second reading.
In his response, the Speaker said the Bill is timely and suggested that decentralization of fire service to all the local governments should be included in the Bill.
The Speaker explained that fire incidents are frequently happening in Local Governments, providing offices in the local governments will help to tackle the problems.
In his contribution, Hon. Gazali Abubakar(Ganjuwa East Constituency) said that the Fire Service is under the ministry of works, by making it under SEMA, it is removed from the Ministry. “Is it not effective under the Ministry of works to the effect that now we want make it under BASEMA?”
“If it is the condition for the State to access ecological fund, then the House should make the amendment.”
Hon. Yunusa Ahmad (Warji Constituency) suggested that the Secretary to the State Government should not to be chairman of the Agency because of the enormous tasks associated with the SSG’s office.
“This is emergency agency, the SSG is always busy and can’t discharge the responsibilities effectively.” He said
Hon. Yunusa further suggested that a separate chairman should be appointed for the agency and individuals with experience should constitute the membership of the council.
Hon. Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo (Chiroma Constituency) concurs with Hon. Gazali but opined that by the time the Bill is referred to a relevant Committee, the issues should be raised with the Committee. He therefore second that the Bill should undergo second reading and be referred to the relevant Committee in which members can make inputs into the Bill.
Hon. Abdulkadir Umar Dewu suggested that the Bill should be referred to the House Commitee on Cabinet Services.
The Speaker puts the motion to voice vote and Honourable Members approved, he directed the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital to carryout the first reading.
- Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule moved that a Bill for a Law to repeal the Bauchi State History Buereu and other matters related thereto 2021 should undergo first reading. He was seconded by Yusuf Muhammad Bako (Pali Constituency).
The Speaker put the motion to voice vote, the Honourable Members approved, thereafter asked the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the first reading of the Bill.
Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule explained that Bauchi State has history that everybody is proud of therefore a law that take cognisance of modern day reality shall be enacted as the one in use was enacted in 1973 and contained a lot of gaps that only new law can fill.
According to him, if the Bill is passed into law, it will help in reviving the rich history of the State.
He therefore request the Honourable House to allow the Bill to undergo second reading. He was seconded by Hon. Yunusa Ahmad Warji Constituency.
After Honourable Members voted in favour of the motion, the Speaker directed the Clerk to carryout the second reading.
The Honourable House referred the Bill to the House Commitee on Culture and Tourism. The Committee was given two weeks to report back.
- Report of the House Commitee on Education in respect of a Bill for a Law to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Adult and Non-formal Education in Kirfi Local Government Area was laid by the Chairman of the Committee Hon. Babayo Muhammad (Hardawa Constituency).
The Committee recommended that the Executive Arm of Government should establish the Institute of Adult and Non-formal Education Institute in Kirfi Local Government Area.
The Honourable House adopted the recommendation of the Committee.
- Hon. Abdulkadir Umar Dewu Kirfi Constituency requested that the Bill for a Law to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Adult and Non-formal Education in Kirfi Local Government Area should undergo third reading. He was seconded by Hon. Bala Abdullahi Dan (Duguri/Gwana Constituency).
After the Honourable Members unanimously approved the motion, the Speaker asked the Clerk of the House Umar Yusuf Gital Esq to carryout the third reading.
The Bill for a Law to provide for the establishment of the Institute of Adult and Non-formal Education Kirfi is therefore passed into law.
- Member representing Ganjuwa East Constituency Hon. Gazali Abubakar Wunti moved a motion calling on the State Government to construct road linking Sabon Kaura ATBU Gubi Campus to Rudu-Yausa-Ganga-Zari-Dumun-Rudu-Bida-Zugerwa-Bada-Koshi-Gidanwaya-Sama-Dagele and Kamfanin Danfulani in Ganjuwa East Constituency of Ganjuwa Local Government Area.
Leading debate on the motion Hon. Gazali Abubakar explained that the areas are locked up due to lack of motorable road thereby moving the level of development of the areas to be very low.
Hon. Gazali added that because of the high level of farming activities taking place in the communities, the road is very important to the economic and cultural development of Ganjuwa Local Government and the State at large.
He added that the construction of the road will provide effective security re-enforcement to the areas considering the fact that crime rate is increasing on daily basis in most parts of the State because bandits take advantage of poor or inaccessible road to unleash their nefarious activities.
The Member therefore prayed that the Honourable House will urge the State Government to construct the road.
In his response, Speaker Abubakar Y Suleiman commended the mover of the motion for the very important motion. He recalled that the road used to be their alternative route to Azare in the 90s.
However, Hon. Yunusa Ahmad Warji suggested that the construction should start from Gubi rather than Sabon Kaura because the road from Gubi to ATBU recently constructed is in bad shape.
According to him, the construction done previously was very bad because the company done substandard work.
He therefore suggested that the House should direct its committee on works and transport to invite the company that constructed the road explain why they did poor work.
Hon. Dan’umma Bello (Giade Constituency) recalled that the road used to be the only road linking Bauchi to Maiduguri in the past.
He added that whenever the road linking Bauchi to Northern part of the State Maiduguri is washed away, the road was used as alternative route. The Member therefore urged the House to adopt the motion.
Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam (Dambam/Dagauda/Jalam Constituency) suggested that the issue of inviting the contractor of Gubi-ATBU road should come under different motion or matter since it’s different issue.
He also suggested that looking at the importance of the road, the House should direct the House Commitee on Works to include the road in 2022 budget that’s under consideration of the House.
The Honourable House adopted the prayers of the motion and the additional prayers by Hon. Yunusa Ahmad on invitation of Gubi-ATBU road contractor and Hon. Baballe Abubakar on including the road in the 2022 budget.
- Member representing Giade Constituency Hon. Dan’umma Bello moved a motion calling on the State Government to direct all the 20 local government areas of the State to provide one thousand hectors of land for the planting of trees so as to avoid adverse effect of climate change in the State.
Leading debate on the motion, Hon. Dan’umma Bello explained that climate change is impacting on human lives, health and it threatens the essential ingredients of good health, clean air, safe drinking water, nutrition supply and shelter.
“I will like to inform you that investigation shows that between 2030 to 2050 climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional death per year, which 8s caused by malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress alone
“The direct damage costs to health is estimated at between USD 2-4 billion per year by 2030.” He said.
Hon. Dan’umma Bello stated that areas with weak health infrastructures like Nigeria will be least-able to cope without assistance to prepare and respond to the looming danger.
He therefore prayed that the Honourable House to support that planting of trees in all the 20 local governments in at least one thousand hectors each, at least.
In his contribution, Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir (Disina Constituency) said that despite the campaigns for tree planting for more than 40 years, the places the trees are planted are usually abandoned by the local governments because there is no proper care.
He suggested that the Local Governments should be directed to take care of the previous trees planted in the LGAs
Hon. Baballe Abubakar Dambam suggested that the House should mandate multinational companies who acquired lands in the State to plant trees in all the areas they acquired lands because they destroyed trees for their Industries without replacing them.
The Honourable House adopted the prayers of the motion.
- Chairman House Commitee on Appropriation Hon. Abdulkadir Umar Dewu (Kirfi Constituency) presented Budget Defense Timetable for the 2022 Budget Defense Exercise.
According to him, the Committee proposes that defense exercise with MDAs commences Tuesday 23rd and submission of reports to the main committee is slated to Wednesday 8 December, 2021.
Also, the commencement of budget appropriation exercise by the main committee will commence from Thursday 9th to Saturday 18th December, 2021 and production of final budget report from Monday 29th to Tuesday 21st December, 2021 while presentation and laying of the final budget report on the floor for consideration and adoption is slated for Wednesday 22nd December, 2021.
The Honourable House adopted the Timetable.
- The Honourable House adjourned to Tuesday 21st December, 2021 as moved and seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader and the Minority Leader.