The Bauchi State Executive Council, SEC, has approved a 100 per cent salary increase for medical and healthcare workers across the state, with special focus on personnel serving in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
The Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani Dambam, disclosed this while briefing journalists after an extraordinary meeting of the State Executive Council held over the weekend.
Dr Dambam said the new salary structure would be complemented by the introduction of special allowances for health workers posted outside local government headquarters, as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
He also revealed that the council approved the implementation of outstanding promotions for over 2,000 healthcare workers in the state.
According to the commissioner, the decisions were based on recommendations of a special committee set up to assess the financial implications of a revised scheme of service for healthcare workers.
“The outcome of the committee’s work is a 100 per cent review of the existing scheme, which represents one of the most significant welfare packages ever approved for the health sector in Bauchi State,” he said.
Dr Dambam explained that the measures are aimed at retaining skilled medical personnel, boosting staff morale, and strengthening healthcare services, particularly in rural areas.
He added that specific incentives, including outside-posting allowances, were approved to encourage doctors and other health workers to accept and remain in non-urban postings.
Health workers under the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, he noted, would also benefit from the allowances, thereby addressing long-standing disparities in welfare benefits within the sector.
The commissioner further disclosed that the council approved access to car and housing loans for doctors and healthcare workers to ease their financial burden and improve their quality of life.
To enhance accountability and efficiency, Dr Dambam said biometric and verification systems would be introduced across health facilities in the state.
Meanwhile, the State Executive Council also approved the sum of N900 million for the recapitalisation of Yankari Savings and Loans.
The Chief Economic Adviser to Governor Bala Mohammed, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu Ningi, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the council meeting.
According to him, the recapitalisation became necessary due to the strategic importance of the financial institution to the state’s economy.
“The N900 million approved by the state government will not only stabilise the bank but also enable it to expand its operations and contribute more effectively to the economic wellbeing of Bauchi State through regular banking services,” Ningi said.
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