Local Government (LGA) Chairmen from the Northern Senatorial Zone of Bauchi State have called on the Bauchi State Government to capture the Zones’ priority needs in the 2025 budget. The Chairmen of Gamawa, Katagum and Shira LGAs made the requests in their separate inputs at the ongoing 2025 Bauchi State Budget Consultative Hearing.
During the consultative engagement for the Northern Senatorial Zone that held in Katagum LGA on Wednesday 4th September, 2024, Chairman of Katagum LGA, Alhaji Yusuf Babayo Zaki, Shira LGA, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim Beli and that of Gamawa LGA, Madaki Ahmed Gololo all spoke on the need for Government to include feeder road projects that could connect their communities with the LG headquarters and other neighbouring LGAs in State.
The Chairmen also talked on the issues on finding lasting solutions to flood disasters and adequate security in their respective LGAs. They further make input on the need for revamping the Education sector of the LGAs through recruitment of more qualified teachers and training of the current ones for optimal performance.
In a related development, People with Disabilities (PWDs) also made their inputs during the Northern Senatorial Budget Consultative Hearing.
Haruna Pali, a vision impaired lecturer with the Aminu Sale College of Education Azare was particularly concerned with the fate of PWDs in Bauchi State after graduating from a regular schools with no employment opportunities.
Pali requested the Government to also consider rehabilitating and establishing more skills acquisition centres for PWDs in the 2025 Budget.
He also stressed on the need for Government at all levels to implement all policies on social inclusion which is aimed at giving PWDs a sense of belonging in the scheme of Government activities and programs.
Also speaking, another PWD, Asma’u Yahaya gave her input, calling on the Bauchi State Government to create a budget line for Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) which aimed to strengthen the primary healthcare system in the State.
Asma’u, who is the Executive Director of Women with Disability, Integrity and Development Initiative (WDIDI), said that, at the moment, it is Bill and Millenda Gate Foundation that is funding the ISS activities and that by December 2025, such funding will cease.
The Northern Senatorial Budget Consultative Hearing attracted robust and productive inputs from Ward Development Committees (WDCs), CSOs, Artisan, Professional Unions, FBOs, Traditional/Religious leaders and others.
Our correspondent reports that the 2025 Bauchi State Budget Consultative Hearing continues with engagement of the public from the Bauchi South Senatorial Zone, which is expected to hold on Thursday 5th September, 2025 at the Auditorium of the State Secretariat in Bauchi, the State Capital.
