Bauchi executive council approves 3 working days to boost agriculture, promote food security

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Some members of the SEC briefing journalists

By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi

Civil servants in Bauchi state as well as in the local government areas who are between grade levels 1-12 have been granted concession of going to work for three days in the week henceforth.

The development is in the efforts of the government to boost agriculture and promote food security in the state particularly among the civil servants.

With the development, the civil servants are expected to be in the office from Mondays to Wednesdays and use Thursdays and Fridays for farming activities until the end of the year, December precisely when they must have harvested the yields.

The Bauchi State Executive Council (SEC) at its meeting held on Wednesday approved the three working days following a memo presented by the Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed to the Council to that effect.

The Head of Civil Service (HoS), Yahuza Adamu Ningi who stood in for the Governor made this known while briefing journalists at the end of the meeting.

The HoS further explained that same categories of civil servants at the LG levels are also affected by the approval which he said is aimed at ensuring that the issue of hunger was fought squarely in the state.

He however explained that workers on essential services such as fire service, health workers and others are exempted considering the critical nature of their services to the people.

Ningi added that all the MDAs are to determine the categories of their workers who are qualified to be part of those to benefit from the new working system.

He stressed that the development was sequel to the determination of the Governor, Senator Mohammed to ensure that farming which is the main stay of the state was harnessed.

The HoS however said that there is a caveat to the approval and its implementation assuring that his office will soon circulate the guidelines of the system in order to make it operationally successful.

The HoS added that the Ministry of Agriculture has been directed to ensure that the workers got assorted fertiliser to enable them do the farming very stressing that they will get it on loan at affordable prices which they will pay back later.

He then warned that the implementation will be closely monitored to ensure that it is not abused thereby losing its objectives.

The HoS also said that the Governor presented another memo on the retaining of over 2000 youths engaged as security guards by the Spiderwebs security agency saying that they have been fully settled their outstanding allowances even before the coming of the administration.

He said that the move is to ensure that the Youths are fully engaged to avoid indolences and check criminalities across the state.

He then announced that SEC also approved the moving of the Spiderwebs from BACYWARD to the Ministry of Internal Security for administrative convenience.