Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed on Monday relieved the state’s Health Commissioner, Dr Adamu Sambo, of his duties.
Mohammed said the decision followed a broader reshuffling of his cabinet, as he announced Dr Sani Damba as the new commissioner for health, replacing Dr Sambo, during a swearing-in ceremony for three new commissioners and the Chief Security Adviser.
In a significant policy shift, the governor also announced the dissolution of the Ministry of Local Government, citing the need to align with new local government reforms. This comes in the wake of the recent death of the previous Local Government Commissioner, Ahmed Jalam, in a car accident, and the resignation of two other commissioners who are now pursuing local government chairmanship roles.
Governor Mohammed explained that the decision to scrap the ministry and dismiss the Health Commissioner is aimed at streamlining government functions, reducing operational costs, and adhering to the Supreme Court’s directives on local governance.
“We are restructuring to optimise efficiency and cut down on the costs of governance, which is why we are eliminating the office of Commissioner for Local Government,” the governor stated during the ceremony, which took place alongside a State Executive Council meeting.
During the brief ceremony, which coincided with the state executive council meeting, Governor Mohammed stated:
“We have dropped one of the commissioners, the former Commissioner of Health, because we have to reposition ourselves, thus reducing the cost of governance and shrinking the establishment for the government as well as implementing the Supreme Court judgment on local government.”
