Bauchi Recommits to Keying into FG’s Human Capital Devt Programme
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Towards unlocking the huge socio-economic potential of Bauchi State through the provision of social services in the areas of improved health care, education and an agrarian labour system, the state government has reiterated its commitment to key into the Federal Government’s initiated Human Capital Development (HCD) programme.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, stated this while declaring open a two-day high level workshop targeted at the HCD State Technical Working Group held yesterday at the Aminu Saleh College of Education, Azare, Katagum Local Government Area of the state.
Tela, who described the workshop as a necessary step, said human capital development is an avenue and tool designed to strengthen citizens capacity through improved health care, quality education and enhanced economic status through an efficient and skilled labour force.
He said in line with the thematic areas under the HCD programme which focuses on health, education and labour, Bauchi State has achieved a significant milestones in that direction.
In the area of health, the deputy government informed the participants at the workshop that “there is at least one standard health facility in each of the 323 political wards across the state that provide integrated health services to the people. There are so many other primary healthcare facilities that complements the services offered by the one-main-PHC-per-ward initiative of the state government. Other PHCs are also being constructed with some being renovated too. General Hospitals are being upgraded to provide effective, efficient and quality services to clients in the state.
“In the area of education, the state government has also recorded an
appreciable level of success through the provision of teaching aids, teacher training and retraining that translate into enrolment and retention of pupils and students in schools.
“Also, the state government initiative tagged: ‘Kaura Economic Empowerment Program (KEEP)’ has improved the economic status of some targeted groups in the state, especially the poor and vulnerable citizens.”
The deputy governor, who doubled as the state chairman of the Steering Committee of HCD Core Technical Working Group, also said efforts are ongoing to ensure the realisation of the Human Capital Development Programme in the state, pointing out that: “The state government has opened its doors of stronger partnership with partners for additional funding opportunities in the ongoing efforts to positively impact on the lives of citizens.
“I wish to strongly urge participants of this very important workshop to use the opportunity to assist in turning the fortune of our dear state in the areas of human capital resources and income generation among others. I must also appreciate the efforts of the federal government for initiating the Human Capital Development Programme which is a very good development.”
Tela also commanded the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed, which, according to him, has made significant progress in ensuring improvement in the key thematic areas of the HCD programme.
Giving the overview and objective of the workshop, the Northeast regional consultant of HCD Core Group, Manasseh Agyu, said the national Human Capital Development Core Working Group (CWG) was established with a mandate to develop a National Human Capital Development Strategy, engage states to ensure prioritisation of human capital development, ascertain quick wins at the federal and state levels, and institute a robust countrywide monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress.
Agyu said participants would be presented with the current status of the state in the thematic areas with a view to implementable recommendations that can improve on what is obtained in the state.
