YAHAYA’S INNOVATIVE REFORMS
IN THIS PIECE, ISRAEL ALIAH TAKES A LOOK AT SEVERAL STEPS THAT THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF GOMBE STATE, MUHAMMADU INUWA YAHAYA IS TAKING TO POSITION THE STATE ON THE FAST LANE OF DEVELOPMENT
Sadiq Suleiman Mohammed, a Physics student of the Gombe State University, has had one of his ambitions in life fulfilled. At least, he has had the opportunity of demonstrating his intellectual capacity with a locally made drone, which he has constructed or manufactured. This opportunity to showcase his talents as a Gombe State born aircraft engineer in the making was availed by the Gombe State Government on the platform of EXPO2021, technology show.
The event, which was organised by the State Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, had its theme: “Science Technology and Innovation for Economic Recovery and Sustainability amidst covid-19 Challenges”.
Sadiq Mohammed was not the only beneficiary of the platform. Dorcas Darius and Triple Hitech Company were among several other talented youths and corporate bodies that had the opportunity to showcase their ingenious capabilities in the technology. While Dorcas Darius of the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation also presented a finished product of tomatoes value chain addition and the conversion of waste materials to organic manure, Triple Hitech Company displayed a solar sprayer to use on farm lands. Organizations, such as Gombe State Dyers Association were equally on ground to showcase the art of tie and dye.
It was heartwarming signal, to inform Nigeria and the rest of the world that the intellectual content of the Gombe State youths is already repositioned on the fast lane of development. While youths in other states and communities are in the trenches perfecting the arts of terrorism, Gombe youths are into laboratories and workshops to bring out innovations that will positively change their states. With these mindsets, the development of Gombe State, would better be imagined, in few years to come.
These reforms, which are becoming remarkable on the state’s socio-political landscape is a creation of the innovative leadership of the Governor Muhammed Yahaya.
Making a speech at the event, the Governor expressed the economic direction of his administration when he noted that Science and Technology play a critical role in the industrialisation and sustainable economic development of most nations as well as influence a country’s level of development and determine its international competitiveness and ranking in the world’s economy.
The Governor urged the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation to remain committed to promoting technological development in order to reduce over dependence on imported products, saying this will create employment opportunities for the teeming youths with attendant reduction in criminal activities.
The Governor, who was visibly impressed by display of knowledge of the Gombe people in the various areas of technology, called on the youths of the state to avail themselves of the opportunity and work hard to ensure speedy development of indigenous technology as a catalyst for the socio-economic development of the State and the country at large.
In encouraging the youths and people of Gombe to embrace technology, the Governor is living by example. His administration has commenced the process of converting the source of powering street lights from generators to solar in the state. The first phase of the project, according to sources from the Government House, is expected to cover 71 kilometers of roads within the state capital. Already, the installation of poles for the solar-powered street lights is in progress. According to the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Abubakar Bappah, the decision was a resolution of the State Executive Council to use available technology in reducing cost of governance by the present administration in the state.
“When the street lights were first installed in the state generator was the best choice for powering the lights and that now that technology has evolve around the world solar is better and a cheaper source for powering the lights” He told Journalists.
The project, according to Bappah, will cost the state a whopping sum of N3.40 billion.
Another noticeable innovation in the Governor Yahaya led government, is youths development, building capacity for the youths and instilling them the virtues of discipline and self reliance.
Not long ago, he allocated a temporary office accommodation and 4 hectares of land for the construction of a permanent site of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). The gesture, according to the governor, was to create a level playing ground for the establishment of the institution’s regional office in Gombe. The gesture came soon after the Governor visited the Director-General of the NDE, Dr. Nasiru Ladan Mohammed Argungu at the Headquarters of the agency in Abuja.
Also, during a meeting with officials of the ITF led by the Director General, Mr. Joseph Ari, the Governor, who was represented by the Director of Procurement and Logistics, Mohammed Abdullahi Ningi, said that one of the cardinal objectives of his administration is to advance the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of the state through human capital development that will usher them into the realm of economic prosperity.
The Governor noted that at a time when white colar jobs are scarce, coupled with dwindling economy, governments at all levels must encourage skills development if the country must grow and become a power house in the manufacturing sector.
Speaking earlier at the meeting, the leader of the delegation from the Industrial Training Fund, Mohammed Abdullahi Ningi said that the agency’s team was in Gombe State at the instance of the Director- General to finalize arrangements with the Government of the State on the establishment of a regional office that will also house 7 skills acquisition centres in Gombe, which is going to be first of its kind in the sub-region.
The office, when fully operational, will coordinate the training of youths in skills development in the North- Eastern states. Abdullahi Ningi commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his enthusiasm towards the establishment of the office, describing the Governor’s body language as a reflection of a political leader who means well for his people.
Ningi is not the only person with kind words for Governor Yahaya on the love for his people generally and the development of youths in particular.
The Director-General of the NDE, Dr. Nasiru Ladan Mohammed Argungu was full of commendation when the Governor visited his office to solicit a common synergy that can build the capacity of the Gombe youths.
“Am happy to tell you that from the little discussions I had with the Governor of Gombe State, I realized that this is one man who has the interest of his people at heart. I congratulate the people of Gombe state for having such a humble, exemplary and passionate leader who put the interest and welfare of his people first “He said.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has expressed his determination to key into various initiatives and programmes of the NDE so as to provide job opportunities, promote direct financial inclusion, self-actualization, as well as to curb poverty and unemployment among the youths and women of the state.
Governor Yahaya’s agenda of development interweaves all sectors in the state, even as it has direct bearing on the humanitarian angles and the vulnerable class.
It is no longer news that a whopping sum of N775 million was released for the payment of the retirees’ benefits. This is revealed by a statement by the Director-General, media and public affairs, to the state government, Ismaila Misili.
Ismaila Misili’s statement added that in line with the Governor’s directives, the committee set up to verify and ascertain the accuracy of outstanding gratuity owed state retirees has concluded arrangements to commence the payment. It therefore requests retired state civil servants from January to December 2015, to come forward for verification and collection of their entitlements.
Worldview gathered that the administration of Governor Yahaya had inherited liabilities of gratuity arrears of over N14 billion from the past administration.
One might conclude that the innovative reforms of the Governor is centered in the areas enumerated above, but ironically, he had an award in the health sector. The International Society of Media in Public Health Gombe had conferred on him a title of ‘Child Nutrition Champion’ Award. The award, the body said is in recognition of the Governor’s disposition towards tackling menace of malnutrition among children in the State.
The saying that beautiful flowers attract beautiful insects had its graphic expression in Gombe State. The innovative reform agenda, which the Governor Yahaya led administration is spreading on the socio-political landscape of Gombe, is attracting investors and charity organizations to the state.
Recently, Qatar Charity Foundation was in Gombe on an Assessment Tour of Proposed Projects Sites in Gombe Communities. During the visit, the Country Director, Sheikh Hamdi Mohamed Elsayed told Governor Inuwa Yahaya that his team had visited over 50 villages across the eleven LGAs of Gombe state and identified sites and locations in different Communities that deserve intervention. Sheikh Hamdi said that the foundation’s projects across Gombe state will be completed before the year 2021 runs out.
Some of the communities, which the Foundation said it has visited, include: Lambam, Shinga in Yamaltu Deba, Kupto in Funakaye LGA, Bambam in Balanga LGA. Mosques, healthcare facilities and solar powered boreholes, construction of classrooms and hostels for the Special School in Gombe metropolis, are some of the intervention projects that the foundation has brought to add value to the reform agenda of Governor Yagaya.
“We are also planning to construct a solar powered borehole for the Special School in Gombe as well as provide them with modern teaching and learning facilities that can enhance their learning process and compete with their counterparts in other climes”. Sheikh Hamdi Mohamed Elsayed, told the Governor & people of Gombe State.
During the visit, the QC’s Country Director, Sheikh Hamdi presented Governor Inuwa Yahaya with a Special Qatari Emblem in recognition of the Governor’s prioritization of humanitarian services in his state.
Our reporter, who was in Gombe for a fact finding mission, reports that, the impact of Governor Mohammed Yahaya reform process is being felt in all sectors of economy.
If the innovative reform spirit is sustained, especially in the technology development and utilization, youths development and humanitarian services, Gombe will soon take its rightful place in the comity of the most developed states in the country.
