Bauchi Natural Resources In Apodictic Transformation With Bello As Commissioner

By Sani Adamu Musa

The Bauchi State Commissioner for Natural Resources Development, Muhammad Maiwada Bello, has achieved significant milestones in his one-year stewardship in office.

Bello, who was sworn in on August 18, 2023 as commissioner after his appointment by Governor Bala Mohammed.

After assuming office, he emphasized the Ministry’s role in spearheading sustainable exploration, development, and management of the state’s natural resources, particularly in solid minerals, oil, and gas, to drive economic growth and diversification.

Marking his one year anniversary, the honourable commissioner said despite several challenges encountered, the ministry achieved alot in harnessing the potentials of the state in mineral sector.

He outlined various initiatives and accomplishments over the past year in office. Key among them was staff restructuring, which included the replacement of four (4) vancancies and the recruitment of 15 no junior staff with a view to address manpower challenges & revitalize the activities of the State owned Mining SPV known as Bauchi Mining Synergy and Exploration Limited (BAMSEL). He further facilitated the payment of 43 new recruited staff in Bauchi Oil & Gas Academy Alkaleri (BOGAA) and collaborated with the office of HCS in sanitizing the the ministry’s payroll,

Within the period under review, the ministry also introduced policies in order to watch mining operation with a view of taking measures in addressing some of its negative effect. Among which was mandating state government clearance for mining consents to all investors and formalizing artisanal miners’ operations through Data generation. In addition, policies to enforce environmental protection through Executive Order No. 1 of 2024 were introduced & successfully implemented. For the first time in history, the ministry commenced documentation of all Tinshade operators, processors and mining vendors yielding positive result in terms of revenue generation & data acquisition.

The ministry recorded significant achievements in the development of solid minerals and the oil and gas sector. Hon. Bello announced the acquisition and renewal of mining licenses as well as the commencement of exploration programs aimed at generating geologic data for investment attraction. The Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy (BOGAA) in Alkaleri witnessed milestones such as the introduction of courses accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), commencement of Core oil and Gas Courses in partnership with petro-edu, establishment of an ICT unit, provision of containerized equipments as well a s sponsoring programs covering tuition fees for pioneer students.

The Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala A Muhammad CON has demonstrated his commitment to developing the state’s natural resources by approving the construction of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy Alkaleri parmananent site located at Alkaleri LGA costing over six billion Naira. This project was ratified by the state executive council, and the contract has been awarded. Notably, 30% of the funds have been released, and contractors have already mobilized to the site

The BOGAA project is a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to train youth in various skill acquisition programs to enable them get opportunities in the oil & Gas Industries.

The ministry under the leadership of young and capacitated Commissioner, with the full support and courtesy of Governor Bala A Mohammed secured new office accommodations, four new brand vehicles (Hilux & Buses) as well as exploration equipment to enhance operational capacity. Hon. Bello also highlighted the establishment of Kaura Mineral Processing & buying Center in Gwaram Village of Alkaleri LGA to enhance mineral trading in the state for job creation & revenue generation. The contractors mobilized to the site & the construction already begins.

Bauchi State has taken a giant leap towards economic prosperity in attracting investment exceeding $2 billion in collaboration with several international companies from China and India where Numerous MOUs were signed with the state government. These agreements are set to bring in massive investments, creating thousands of jobs and transforming the state’s economy, they
have begun operations in Alkaleri and Toro Local Government Areas, with more investments expected in 2025.

Hon Maiwada Bello addressed key community disputes and stakeholder engagements, including the resolution of conflicts related to mining sites and community development agreements. Workshops and public sensitization campaigns were also conducted to educate stakeholders on the opportunities and benefits in the natural resources sector.

While acknowledging resolved challenges such as improved budget performance, recruitment of qualified personnel, and acquisition of essential equipment, Hon. Bello pointed out ambitious projections for 2025. These include attracting more investments, commencing oil and gas production in the Kolmani fields, completing the BOGAA permanent site, and complete formalization of an artisanal miners. The ministry also plans to position BAMSEL as a key player in mineral exploration and ensure the full implementation of state mining policies to maximize benefits.

Hon. Bello expressed gratitude to His Excellency, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for his support and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Bauchi State’s economic and environmental sustainability through strategic resource management and collaboration with stakeholders.

Sani wrote from Bauchi.