The Bauchi State House of Assembly has ordered a comprehensive overhaul of the state-owned Bill and Melinda Gates College of Health Technology, Ningi, following revelations of administrative lapses, security failures, and alleged financial mismanagement.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Zakariyya Gwaram of the Assembly’s Information and Publication Directorate, following an investigation into a devastating fire outbreak suspected to be an act of arson.
According to Gwaram, the findings were presented by the Joint Committee on Health and Public Accounts, which launched the probe in response to a petition by concerned citizens of the Ningi Emirate over the October 23, 2025 inferno.
The fire incident reportedly destroyed critical infrastructure, including the college library, computer laboratory, lecture halls, and vital records.
“The Committee’s findings point strongly to deliberate human involvement in the fire incident,” Gwaram said, citing evidence from the Bauchi State Fire Service, which reportedly uncovered suspicious materials such as matches and hand gloves at the scene.
He added that although some suspects had been arrested and interrogated, no one had been conclusively identified or prosecuted, raising concerns over accountability.
Beyond the fire outbreak, the lawmakers said they further uncovered what they described as a deeper institutional crisis within the college.
The report identified persistent internal conflicts among management staff and weak disciplinary structures, which it said have undermined effective governance.
“The situation is further worsened by grossly inadequate security arrangements, leaving the institution vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and ultimately, the suspected arson,” the statement read.
The committee also exposed irregularities in the operations of the college’s Consultancy Unit, which it described as lacking transparency and operating outside proper oversight.
It was discovered that the unit admitted about 1,450 students—far exceeding the institution’s capacity—thereby compromising academic standards and overstretching available facilities.
Allegations of financial mismanagement were also raised, including claims that part-time lecturers have gone unpaid for months, while revenues generated by the unit remain poorly accounted for.
The report further highlighted a shortage of skilled personnel in the accounts department, limiting effective financial tracking and increasing the risk of leakages.
In addition, the lawmakers raised concerns over undue interference in the administration of the institution, which they said has led to the admission of unqualified candidates and pressure on academic staff to manipulate results.
Consequently, the Speaker of the House, Abubakar Suleiman, directed the Clerk to notify the Ministry of Local Government Affairs to seek the intervention of the Ningi Emirate on external interference affecting the college.
On the issue of indexing fees, the Assembly clarified that such charges are determined by external professional regulatory bodies and not by the college, noting that misunderstandings around the process have contributed to tensions between the institution and parents.
To address the challenges, the committee recommended the immediate overhaul of the college’s management and the dissolution of the Consultancy Unit’s leadership.
It also called for a forensic audit of the unit’s finances, improved funding, enhanced security through the deployment of local vigilantes, stricter regulation of admissions, and enforcement of lecturers’ accountability.
Furthermore, the Bauchi lawmakers urged the executive arm of government to invest in critical infrastructure, strengthen community engagement, and ensure that those responsible for the fire incident are brought to justice.
While reaffirming the institution’s strategic importance to healthcare education in the state, the committee warned that failure to act decisively could further erode its standards and credibility.