By Arzoo Gombe
No sincere Government can initiate, launch and Commission a capital project within three (3) months of its emergence, doing that may be a miracle
The reason is simple, any capital or physical developmental project requires processes and stages before being realized.
A lay Man in the street finds it difficult to appreciate or see a “process” as an achievement, rather he believes only in what he can point, touch or see not minding the stages to be taken to plan and execute a project. So, for him, the stages which the project passes through to become a full pledged project is not an issue since he is not part of these processes.
That’s why the caption above was chosen so as to explain the giant steps taken by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, laying emphasis on project processes because of its importance in achieving sustainable development.
The three (3) months old Gombe state present Administration since its emergence represent this thinking.
Therefore, achievements recorded in its hundred days can be seen and understood from developmental process level and sound policies which serve as a cornerstone to attaining development.
However, i see process as an achievement because a journey of a Thousand miles begins with a step, this long journey is what Gombe state presently set to embark upon.
Despite the lean resources with inherited problems associated with incomplete and abandoned Government structures in place, the hero of Gombe progressives, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya within his 100 days in office was able to keep his words of repositioning Gombe state for the better.
There is this general assumption that State Governments have no business with Federal institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations operating in one's state.
However, this notion was demystified by
Governor Inuwa Yahaya because upon his assumption of office the people's Governor introduces collaboration movement with the Federal Government institutions and NGOs operating in the state which apparently changed the narrative.
Gombe state partnership with Federal Government and International donor agencies such as USAID, UNICEF, UBEC, World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation as well as High Commissions of countries like Bangladesh and other countries in the areas of Education, Healthcare, Agriculture, Trade and Youth Empowerment received a boost.
These form part of the developmental processes Gombe residents can attest to.
One of such projects is the “Gombe Goes Green” project, which is a Tree planting campaign that aims at engaging 27,000 youths on N7,500 Monthly allowance, It is a project that kills two birds with one stone. On one hand the project addresses the worsening environmental challenges the state is facing – erosion and desertification and also provides public service works to teeming youths in the state.
Another project is better Education service delivery for all, (BESDA), a world Bank Assisted project which targets to mop up and enroll over 600,000 out of school children into the class room across Gombe state.
Most of the collaborations that require counterpart fund have been met by Gombe state present Administration and projects that are yet to be implemented hoped fully put into effect by 4th quarter of year 2019.
To ensure full participation of government in these projects, Governor Inuwa Yahaya Appointed a special adviser to co-ordinate the activities of donor agencies operating in Gombe state.
This helps in ensuring that NGOs and the state government are working on same page for the development of Gombe state.
He mandated the office to ensure periodic review meetings to assess progress, ensure fairness in the recruitment exercises by allocating a certain percentage of the workforce to the indigenous employees as well as monitor project implementation in line with the agreed guidelines among other developmental strategies.
In terms of government projects, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya ensures that every contract to be awarded by the state Government will henceforth have its manpower and materials sourced within the state unless where unavailable.
This is to encourage local industries within the state and boost employment opportunities.
One of the key moves made by the present Administration in that direction is that of resuscitating the comatose Gombe local Tomato processing company (MANTO), the state Government recently deployed the services of consulting firm for the company's revival.
The Governor also set up several committees to work on various areas which today have started yielded the desired results.
The works of these committees is what led to a significant improvement in power and water supply within the metropolis.
Another Committee was inaugurated to work and recommend how LGAs across the three (3) senatorial zones of the state can have accessible water.
The people of Gombe town can bear us witness that his recent meeting with Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) fetchs Gombe state an additional 800 megawatts hoped to be supplied in no distance time.
The government through a set up task force also recovered Multi -million naira diverted public property.
He also ensured an improved working conditions in the state civil service, this is evident in the improved productivity within the state civil service today.
Governor Yahaya recently approved over 1 billion naira for immediate commencement of payment of retirees gratuities in the state while payment of local Government retirees is expected to follow suit after the verification exercise.
Apart from the road construction projects he awarded in the neglected outskirt communities of Malam Inna, Kagarawol, Kurba and Doho, Governor Inuwa Yahaya instructed the continuity of all the road projects initiated by the immediate past administration in the state metropolitan.
Transportation sector in the state also begun to taste the positive impact of the pledge keeper within the 100 days of the present Government as he approved the procurement of 50 brand new buses to enhance operation in Gombe line motor park, this by implication will not only ease transportation difficulties or improve travelling comfort of the state citizenry but also boost additional workforce and revenue generation in the sector.
The morally upright Governor, makes it a duty to always remain with the people that voted for him by Frequenting funerals, sympathy visits to Communities ravaged by natural disaster across the state by offering them immediate relief materials as a form of succour so as not to make them feel abandoned. He ensures immediate preventive measures are taken and also the engagement of emergency management agencies for provision of relief materials.
His three (3) attempts vying for the most exalted seat in the state has cleared every doubtful mind of his resilience, doggedness and Committment towards salvaging Gombe state, that is why analysts following
Governance in the first 100 Days of Governor Inuwa Yahaya believe that if a three (3) months old administration with 48 months Constitutional time bound can go this far, it is obvious these processess today coupled with human oriented policicies in place will metamorphose to development in due course.
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