ON Monday, September 30, the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, celebrated the completion of the International Conference Centre in the state while sharing photos of the newly completed space on X.
The governor said the completion of the International Conference Centre under his leadership showed Bauchi’s progress toward becoming modern and unstoppable.
“I dared to dream big for Bauchi, and I delivered. The International Conference Centre, built from start to finish under my leadership, is proof that the extraordinary is possible when vision meets courage. This is our Bauchi, fearless, modern, unstoppable,” Mohammed wrote on X.
However, the announcement attracted backlash from users in the comments section, many of whom questioned why the governor chose to focus on such a project instead of addressing high-priority issues.
@AminuMakama asked: “Have you tried to visit schools that are few meters away from this edifice and see the condition they are in, Sir?”
@tonario commented: “This is good but a focus on human capital development and industrialisation is better.”
Similarly, @udombiokoro questioned: “What’s it with international conference centers every governor wants to build?”
It is pertinent to note that Enugu State completed its own conference centre in December last year, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri recently held a groundbreaking event for a similar project in Adamawa State, and just a few days ago, President Bola Tinubu commissioned a new conference centre in Imo State.
As netizens argued that the project is not the priority of the Bauchi State government, the debate now turns to a pressing question: what should truly be the priority for Bauchi State?
According to the 2022 National Personnel Audit (NPA) Report, the education sector in Nigeria faces significant infrastructure and resource gaps. The pupil–teacher ratio stands at 54:1 in primary schools and 20:1 at the junior secondary (JSS) level. Sanitation facilities are grossly inadequate, with 868 pupils sharing a toilet in primary schools and 367 per toilet in JSS.
Furniture shortages are also evident, as one seat is shared by 11 pupils in primary schools and five in JSS. Only 40 per cent of public primary classrooms and 53 per cent of JSS classrooms are considered to be in good condition.
Out of 3,055 public primary schools, just 194 have toilets, while only 425 of 751 public JSS schools are equipped with them. Furthermore, access to learning facilities remains limited, with only three per cent of public JSS schools having laboratories and four per cent possessing libraries.
Similarly, the 2022 Nigerian Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index (NMPI) highlights the scale of exclusion, revealing that 55.7 per cent of school-age children (6–15 years) in Bauchi State, equivalent to about 1.37 million children, are out of school.
Beyond education, broader socio-economic indicators also paint a troubling picture. The 2023 Nigeria Labour Force Survey (NLFS) Annual Report places Bauchi State’s unemployment rate at 4.2 per cent, pointing to limited job opportunities and persistent underemployment.
Poverty remains widespread, with 5.71 million people classified as poor according to the 2022 NMPI.
Maternal health outcomes are particularly alarming. Bauchi records a maternal mortality rate of 1,732 per 100,000 live births, meaning that for every 100,000 live births, 1,732 mothers lose their lives. This figure is among the highest in the country and significantly above national and global averages.
The ICIR reported that Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State, once renowned for its warm springs, elephant herds, and rich biodiversity, has suffered years of neglect and poor management. Visitors now lament deteriorating facilities, unreliable electricity, and inadequate maintenance, while weak promotion has further diminished its appeal. The reserve has also become a haven for terrorists, poachers, and intruders.
While the International Conference Centre may symbolise ambition and modernity, the statistics on poverty, education, unemployment, and maternal mortality highlight urgent needs that demand greater attention.
For many residents, the real measure of progress will not be in grand structures, but in whether governance translates into improved living conditions, better schools, access to healthcare, and opportunities that lift people out of poverty.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org