Bauchi Spends N3bn on Construction, Renovation of 270 Classrooms in One Year

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State government has disclosed that about N3 billion was spent on the construction of a total of 270 classrooms for primary and secondary schools across the state in the first one year of Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed’s administration.

This was disclosed by the project site engineer with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBED), Bello Zubairu while briefing journalists during an inspection tour of projects executed by the current administration after one year in office.

Zubairu also said at the project site in one of the schools at 1000 Housing Estate, that the projects were executed in partnership with SUBEB and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEB), with N1.5 billion each as counterpart funding. He said work on the projects is in line with standard specifications.

The projects inspection media team was also told that 16 other special schools projects were executed by the state government across the state at a total cost of N500 million, aimed at promoting the development of basic education.

On its own the state Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its projects engineer, Mukhtar Mohammed Musa told journalists at the Yelwa Practicing School of the former Bauchi Teachers College, that the school established in 1931 was fully renovated and a solar-powered borehole sunk in its premises, which was also fenced.

Musa also explained that 16 other projects across the state were either newly constructed or renovated under collaborative efforts between the state office of SDGs and the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) of the federal government with 50 per cent each as counterpart funding.

He added that the projects which were executed in hard-to-reach (HTR) areas of the state included the provision of equipment, furniture, as well as teaching and learning materials.
The media team also inspected the 6.2km Jos Road – Dass Road bye pass where the Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Works, Stephen Abubakar said the project being executed at a cost of N2.2 billion has reached 85 per cent completion.

At the State Water Treatment Plant at the Gubi Dam site, where rehabilitation and expansion programmes are being undertaken, journalists were told by the project engineer, Abdulmumini Mailafia that works on the projects are going according to specification.

Mailafia said both the rehabilitation works on the existing system that provides 45 million litres, and the expansion programme that will provide 75 million litres of clean water to Bauchi metropolis and environs have reached appreciable stages of completion
Also speaking, acting Project Manager of LUTECH PRATIBHA JV Construction Company, an Indian company, Mr. Nanda Kumar, said the company undertakes both the rehabilitation and expansion of the project.

Kumar said: “In the rehabilitation of the treatment plant, we are increasing the capacity from 37,000 cubic meters per day to 45,000 cubic meters per day. And we are expanding the project from 45,000 cubic meters per day to 75,000 cubic meters per day.”

He explained that both the rehabilitation and expansion works are going smoothly, as the projects are expected to be completed this month, but expressed hope that there will be some extension on the scheduled period.

Kumar revealed that the rehabilitation is almost 60 per cent completed while the expansion has reached 50 per cent completion, disclosing further that the company will rehabilitate the old sub-station, as well as build a new one at the site.