Bauchi Lawmaker Assures Pre-Service Health Workers on Payment, Employment

By Zakariyya Aliyu Gwaram

The member representing Sade Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honourable Dauda Lawal, has assured pre-service health workers in the state that concrete steps are being taken to resolve issues surrounding delayed payments, while efforts are also underway to absorb qualified graduates into the Bauchi State Civil Service to address manpower shortages in the health sector.

Hon. Lawal, who chairs the House Committee on Health, gave the assurance while receiving a delegation of pre-service medical students who have been issued their Professional Serial Numbers (PSN) at the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

He said discussions were ongoing with relevant government offices to ascertain the budgetary position of pre-service medical students, explaining that the current budget did not initially make provisions for their payments to avoid over-expenditure.

“Last month, the House deliberated on your matter, and I will again engage the Office of the Accountant General to determine the present budgetary standing of pre-service medical students,” the lawmaker said.

Hon. Lawal stressed the importance of health workers to effective service delivery, particularly in rural areas where medical personnel are scarce. He appealed to male health students to complete their training and remain in the state to fill existing gaps, while assuring that government policies would continue to support a conducive working environment for female health workers.

He further disclosed that he recently presented a motion urging the executive arm of government to regulate the increasing number of private health training institutions operating below standard in Bauchi State, noting that poor training and inadequate manpower have contributed to rising maternal mortality cases.

“These realities further highlight your relevance as future health professionals. I will continue to ensure that your concerns are addressed and that only properly trained personnel are deployed to our health facilities,” he said.

The lawmaker also revealed that Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has approved the review of the committee assessing the welfare of Bauchi State health workers, a development he said is expected to lead to an improved salary structure for health civil servants.

Hon. Lawal added that the House would work closely with the State Civil Service Commission to ensure that qualified pre-service medical students who have completed their training are offered employment, warning that enrolling additional beneficiaries into the scheme without addressing existing obligations could create financial and contractual challenges.

“It is more prudent to absorb those already in the pre-service scheme into the state service while ensuring that outstanding payments are settled,” he stated.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Aliyu Ibrahim Saraki, said the students were issued pre-service appointment letters in September 2024 but are yet to receive payment or posting despite completing all required procedures.

He expressed concern that while beneficiaries in other states have begun receiving payments, their counterparts in Bauchi State are still awaiting implementation, a situation he said has caused significant hardship among young graduates.

The delegation appealed to the House Committee on Health to urgently intervene to ensure the commencement of payment and proper placement of beneficiaries, stressing that the delay has adversely affected their welfare and career development.

Members of the delegation included Sadiq Saidu Akuyam of Aliko Dangote College of Nursing Science, Bauchi; Inathan Reuben, SUG Secretary ATBUTH; Rukayya Dahiru Salanke of ATBUTH SUG; and Hafsat Alhasan of the Midwifery Department, Aliko Dangote College of Nursing Science.