Gov. Bala Mohammed: An accomplished leader at 67

By Abubakar Musa

He is one of the few performers in the new dispensation.  He is the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, who is celebrated a landmark age of 67.

Born October 5, 1958, Bala Mohammed, as he is simply called, is on the second lap of his tenure, having served Bauchi State since 2019.

Prior to becoming governor of Bauchi State, he was minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2010 to 2015, and Senator for Bauchi South senatorial district from 2007 to 2010. Presently, he is a ranking member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The governor began his educational pursuit in 1965 at Duguri Primary School, Bauchi where he obtained a first leaving certificate in 1971. Thereafter, he attended Government School Bauchi and obtained his West African School Certificate in 1975.

He went further to obtain his advanced level testimonial in 1979 from North East College of Art and Science before proceeding to the University of Maiduguri for a Bachelor of Arts degree

Bala Mohammed began his civil service experience as an administrative officer at the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs where he served until 1994 when he moved over to the Presidency [Cabinet Secretariat] as the Principal Administration Officer. Bala Mohammed’s rise through the civil service ranks was rapid. Between 1995 and 2005, he rose being the Chief Supplies Officer at the federal Ministry of Solid Minerals – to assistant director at the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel – to Deputy Director/SA to Honorable Minister at the Federal Ministry of Transport – to Director of Administration at the Nigerian Railway Corporations – to Special Assistant to the Honorable Minister of Aviation – to Director of Administration and Supplies at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency. He voluntarily retired from civil service at the level of a director and joined politics.

In 2007, Bala Mohammed contested and won the election to serve the people of South Senatorial zone in Bauchi State at the capacity of a senator under the party platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He served till 2010. While at the senate chamber, he became one of the foremost outspoken legislators in Nigeria, sitting as member of eight Committees vis a vis Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Secretary, Northern Senators Forum. Other committees include Communication, Finance, Public Account, Rules and Business, Environment, Labor and Productivity.

Bala Mohammed is credited for being a vocal advocate for the introduction of the Doctrine of Necessity, which saw former President Goodluck Jonathan, becoming Acting President following the undisclosed illness of late president

As Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he brought extensive reforms. Among the reforms were the sanitization of the land administration of the FCT, comprehensive expansion of the major road access Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport road to the International Airport in Abuja, the construction of the Kubwa expressway, the rail track from Abuja to Kaduna, and the Idu rail station. He also introduced the land swap policy where land was used as a resource to fast track infrastructural development in the FCT.

The Bala Mohammed FCT administration oversaw the installation of solar panel traffic lights. Other projects executed include the aggressive development of satellite towns, the completion of the Usama Dam Water project. Also, his administration instituted innovations that served as bedrock of financial stability and employment opportunities – such as the FCT Internal Revenue Board, the Outdoor Advertising (Signage) Agency and the FCTA Emergency Services.

On assumption of office as the Governor of Bauchi State in 2019, Mohammed streamlined government processes and protocols and recovered lost and/or stolen government properties including monies. He also launched the exercise to rid the Bauchi State civil service of ghost workers.

Some Achievements Credited to Bala Mohammed

Bala Mohammed acted to begin the sanitization exercise by setting up a committee on Bank Verification Number (BVN) and authentication of civil servants on its payroll. The exercise immediately netted gains for the Bauchi people. This is as the Bauchi State Government removed 1115 employees from the payroll and saved N763,792,664.007. The committee which received a total of 279 petitions, complaints and whistle blower exposés, federal allocations, local and international loans, aids, grants, donations and other interventions, from primary and secondary sources – discovered the past administrations had looted state owned properties and monies valued in the hundreds of billions of the past years.

These remained the Governor’s greatest developmental gait ever since his assumption to office as well as ‘Hallmark’. Perhaps the Bauchi Urban Renewal Project (BURP) which has just commenced to give the cosmopolitan city not only a new look but to raise its advancement in comparable to any state capital in the federation, upper class capitals such as kano, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, the nation’s capital city Abuja amongst others.

The projects entail the provision of dual-carriage ways of all entry point roads into the city of Bauchi. Some of these roads are the Awalah hotel to Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Awalah to Yuli site of the State University, BAHA to Bauchi new Cemetery, as well as the Awalah to Miri,Adamu Jumba road expansion, Dualisation of Sam Njoma road, Muda Lawal And Yakubun Bauchi/Behind Nitel Quarters Sabon Kaura – Jos Road, General Hospital Road and Tafawa Balewa Road Azare, Sade – Akuyam Road, Yelwan Duguri – Burga Road, Emergency Repairs Of Washout Along Alkaleri – Gwaram – Gokaru Road, Murtala Mohammed – Railway Asphalt Works, Gwagwangwan – Bakaro & Others Bununu Township Roads Contract, Disina Township Roads And Flood Control, Jalam Road Washout.

Others are; the accelerated development within Bauchi, Karofin Madakin – Kan Kasuwan Railwa, Stadium/Rijiyan Bauchi – Unguwan Tudun Yaya, Kasuwa – yakubu Wanka – Babangida Square, Bata – Nufawa – Unguwan Jaki, Adamu Bazamfare – Makera, Doya – Inkil, Railway – Sade – House – unguwar Hardo – Karofin Madaki and numerous expansions in GRA.

Others are: the giving-way of the old roundabouts in the city to new and modern ones, including two envisaged flyovers at Wunti and by the Central market, as well as other connectivity inter-roads in the city of Bauchi.

More so, the Bauchi Urban Renewal Project, according to the state commissioner of works and transport, Professor Ketkukah Saul Titus, has its tentacles spread to virtually all parts of the twenty Local Government Areas the state which includes: Jajuwa – Ganye – Golfada, Siri – Miya – Warji, Darazo – Gabchiyari, Boi – Tapshin, Kirfi – Gombe Abba, Itas – Gadau and Dukayel – Bakin Kogi.

It will be wrong to state categorically that Bala Mohammed is one of the governors, who came, saw, and is still conquering.

Happy birthday sir!