A righteous path to a prosperous future for Bauchi State
It is palpable that the current captivating trend of renewables, accompanied by the fastest-growing population and rising youth unemployment have been sounding the alarm for Nigeria’s state governments to reduce their heavy reliance on the federal allocation by diversifying their economies. Some state governments have begun competing with each other for embracing economic diversification policies […]
It is palpable that the current captivating trend of renewables, accompanied by the fastest-growing population and rising youth unemployment have been sounding the alarm for Nigeria’s state governments to reduce their heavy reliance on the federal allocation by diversifying their economies.
Some state governments have begun competing with each other for embracing economic diversification policies to put their states on the path of booming economy through boosting their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and creating a vast array of decent jobs for their young men and women.
The days of depending largely on federal allocation in meeting up financial capabilities of the state have gone. No state should be left behind in embracing economic diversification by reviving some of its moribund factories and building a glittering future for its younger and unborn generations to grapple with some multifaceted challenges and future threats of millions of unemployed youths and starving out-of-school children.
Economically, Bauchi State is among the poor states today considering its lower sources of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and poverty rate. Though it is endowed with abundant arable land and many moribund factories. The resuscitation of these moribund companies can assist in grappling with the rising youth unemployment in the state.
In September 2022, the Bauchi State government announced its decision to privatise some of these moribund industries which many people objected to.
It is time the Bauchi State government lays the groundwork for envisioning a stable future of financial independence and economic diversification for the state to effectively meet the needs of its citizens and grapple with other challenges facing his state.
The lack of jobs for the teeming youths across the state leaves them with no option than to embrace political thuggery, beggary, phone snatching, drug abuse and other forms of social vices. The welfare of hundreds of millions of vulnerable people should be prioritised above the beautification of cities.
Given the complexity of the rapid population, frightening youths unemployment and heavy reliance on federal allocation, it would be a very good idea for incumbent governor to follow the footsteps of late Tatari Ali by going all out to declare a state of emergency in the agricultural sector and engage unemployed young men and women in both rainy and dry season farming. This will lead to resuscitating its neglected 65 per cent of the state’s arable land. The state is also watered by many dams, water sources, rivers, streams, lakes and clay soils and dams that include: Tilden-fulani dam, Gubi dam, Zigau-Misan lake, Ikunum lake, Kafin Zaki dam, Dindima dam, Jama’are river, Maladunba dam, Begel/Zungeru dam, Hardo Deba dam, Kadele Babuna dam, Hama Lake, Gambaki dam, Bunga river, Zaki dam, Katini dam, Gulka dam, Boto dam, Disina dam, to mention but a few. All these can be used for dry season farming.
Last but not least, the righteous path for building glittering Bauchi State is contingent on urgent resuscitation of some comatose companies of the state like the Azare Flour Mill and the Bauchi Fertiliser Company limited so as to hit a multitude of birds down with one stone. The governor should go all out to invest massively in agriculture.
Mustapha Baba Azare, Bauchi State can be reached via