Northern States Need Unified Plan for Regional Integration, Says Bauchi Governor

By Khalid Doya Idris 

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has emphasized the need for Northern Nigeria to establish a platform for a peer review mechanism, regional integration, and a well-defined roadmap to address its numerous challenges. Speaking at the 11th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Merit Awards, Governor Mohammed expressed concerns over rising poverty, illiteracy, disease, malnutrition, crime, banditry, and insurgency in the region.

"The Northern region needs a clear plan; we are in disarray," Governor Mohammed lamented, highlighting the lack of a unified plan for the North. He praised the leadership of Sir Ahmadu Bello and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, describing them as exemplary figures who set high standards of governance. "These great leaders left us a legacy of unity, good governance, and strong values. It is a profound heritage that we must preserve and pass on to the next generation."

Governor Mohammed also called for increased accountability, transparency, and trust between the government and the people. He stressed the importance of strategic planning and resource management, saying, "We must assess where we are, where we want to be, and utilize our scarce resources efficiently to implement effective policies."

The governor highlighted Bauchi State's Medium-Term Development Plan (2021–2025), which was formulated even before he assumed office in 2019. "In Bauchi, we lead with a plan. Before we won the election, we had already developed our governance blueprint. If we had lost, we would have handed it over to whoever won, to ensure continuity," he explained.

Governor Mohammed commended the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for its contributions, including free medical outreach programs and scholarships for underprivileged students in Bauchi State. He also praised the foundation's focus on education, health, agriculture, women, youth and child development, leadership and good governance, economic empowerment, wealth creation, conflict management, and peace building.

The Guest Speaker, Dr. Mansur Mukhtar, a former Minister of Finance, emphasized the need for the North to harness its vast resources to address its challenges. "Northern region is blessed with vast resources which if wisely harnessed, could solve a great number of the challenges in the region," he said. Dr. Mukhtar recommended the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and sustainable farming practices to enhance productivity, ensure food security, and create jobs.

The event also featured the symbolic presentation of cheques by the beneficiaries of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation annual scholarship programme for students drawn from the six states of the Northeast, as well as the unveiling of the portrait of late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and premier of Northern Nigeria.