The Governor of Bauchi State has appointed Balaraba Ibrahim as Special Assistant (SA), on Unmarried Women Affairs.

The appointment was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mohammed Baba and dated 4th of August, 2020 with reference number: GO/SSPOL/S/83.

The new SA on Unmarried Women Affairs has been the Charipairson, Association of Divorcees in Bauchi State, a non-governmental organisation.

The association rolled out scores of counselling centres in the State in 2019 for intending couples. The centres addressed issues around broken homes.

Excerpts of the letter issued the new SA:

“I am pleased to convey the approval of His Excellency Sen Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON, the Governor of Bauchi State, for your appointment as Special Assistant (SA), Women Affairs (Unmarried).

“The appointment is based on your knowledge, experience and personal qualities of hard work, honesty and absolute loyalty. 

“I would expect you to utilise all these qualities in facing the attainment of our collective goal and the expectation of our electorate. 

“The terms and conditions of your appointment as enunciated in the regular government policies as applicable.”

“While congratulating you on this well-deserved appointment, I pray to the Almighty God to guide and protect you in the discharge of the responsibilities of your new office. 

“The appointment takes immediate effect.”

Speaking to newsmen the new SA said she “will partner with clerics from both religions to embark on counselling before marriage to prepare their minds for marital life.”. This is with a view to reducing the rate of divorces among young girls.

Incidentally she had commenced work on her new role without envisaging the appointment as already, “we conducted a survey three month ago across the 20 local government areas of Bauchi State.

“According to indicators, major causes of separation and divorce were lack of empowerment skills, unemployment, poverty and early marriage among spouses. 

Balaraba Ibrahim observed that “some of the divorcees we interviewed during our survey three months ago said that their husbands were not providing their basic needs. 

“Some of them as young as 20 years, were married off at the age of 15 while others had divorced more than 10 years ago.”

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