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Members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly during plenary
By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
Bauchi State House of Assembly on Tuesday during its plenary, unanimously adopted Hausa as its second language for debate and other legislative discussions during plenary.
The adaption followed a motion to that effect moved by Hon. Auwal Hassan representing Shira Constituency on the need for the adoption of Hausa Language as the second language in addition to the English Language in conducting the business of the House.
Leading a debate on the motion, Hon. Auwal Hassan said that English is the official language adopted for conducting of governmental and nongovernmental institutions in Nigeria and that Section 97 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Order 3 Rule 8 of the Standing Orders of the Bauchi State House of Assembly 2017 provide that the proceedings and debates of the House shall be conducted in English Language but the House may in addition to English can conduct the business of the House in one or more other languages spoken in the State as the House may by resolutions approved.
He submitted that, Hausa being the most popular spoken language in Bauchi State, used for communication purposes by over 90% of people living across the State, should be adopted in addition to English as second official language in conducting the business of the House.
Seconding the motion, Hon. Musa Wakili Nakwada representing Bogoro Constituency commended the mover for the important motion and recalled that he moved same motion in the 9th Assembly.
After the debate, the Speaker, Abubakar Sulaiman, put the motion to voice vote and the House unanimously adopted it.
Also during the plenary, Majority Leader, Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir representing Disina Constituency moved a motion on the need for the adoption of Bauchi State Standing Orders 2017(as amended).
Leading the debate on the motion, the Majority Leader noted that Standing Orders are rules agreed by the House which govern the way its business operates in the Chamber and Committees stressing that the House of Assembly cannot operate without any standing rules available at hand.
He therefore suggested that the House should adopt for use the standing orders of the preceding Assembly, pending the time it reviews/amends the existing rulesfor improved legislative service delivery.
According to the Majority Leader, the Section 101 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 empowers the House of Assembly to regulate its own procedures therefore requested the House to adopt the Bauchi State House of Assembly Standing Orders 2017 (as amended) as rules for conducting the business of the House, pending the time it seems necessary to review and amend it.
Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Babayo Muhammad representing Hardawa Constituency)seconded that the Bauchi State House of Assembly Standing Orders 2017 should be adopted.
The Speaker put the motion to voice vote and the Members voted in favour.
Under personal explanation, the new Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Saleh Hodi Jibir expressed the appreciation of all the new principal officers to their Parties and the Members for their approval.
He also thanked Governor Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad and the leaders of the two political parties and urged the Management and staff to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities.
Hon. Hodi noted that the positions given to them is a collective responsibility therefore they need contributions of the Honourable Members and the staff of the Honourable House.
According to him, the task of Majority Leader is enormous thus pray to Almighty Allah to guide them to carryout the activities and promised to discharge their responsibility according to the rule.
Under matters of urgent public importance, Hon. Garba Adamu representing Ganjuwa West, drew the attention of the House to a bridge that is about to collapse in Filin Shagari of Kariya Ward.
He said that bringing the matter to the House was coming as a last resort because any time from now, the bridge will be washed away, and therefore requested the Government to intervene on the matter
In his remarks, the Speaker said that, “as we are, in the rainy season, there are similar complaints everywhere in the State, therefore there is the need for quick intervention.”
Contributing, Hon. Ladan Muhammad representing Ganjuwa East said that there is similar problem in his Constituency in which a bridge collapsed just last week.
He appealed to the Executive Arm to consider the reconstruction of the bridge because it is the only road that link the Soro Community to Kirfi Local Government.
Hon. Musa Wakili Nakwada representing Bogoro Constituency said that on a road that link Bogoro to Gobbiya there is a bridge that’s showing great danger and one day it will just collapse.
He urged the Government to do something and suggested that a Department should be mandated to go round the State to study similar problems before they happen.
