By Citizenship Newspaper, Abuja
The Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has signed into law, the Local Council Development Areas (Creation and Administration) Bill, establishing 13 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to complement the existing 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
The newly created LCDAs, modeled after successful examples in parts of the country, were drawn from the state constituencies, bringing the number of local administrative units in the state from 11 to 24.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Government House, Governor Inuwa Yahaya described the development as a bold, constitutional and people-driven reform designed to correct structural imbalances, expand governance frontiers and ensure equitable service delivery across the state.
He cited Section 4 (7) and Section 5 (2b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the legal basis for the establishment of the LCDAs.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya, according to a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli,
Director-General ( Press Affairs), Government House, Gombe, said that this landmark law fulfills the state’s responsibility under Chapter II of the Constitution to promote the security, welfare, and democratic participation of all citizens.
“Our state has one of the smallest numbers of LGAs in the country, despite our expansive landmass and rapidly growing population,” he said.“
This imbalance, he noted, has hindered development and weakened the presence of government in many rural communities, adding however, that With this law, “we are correcting that historical anomaly.”
The Governor instructed all Local Governments and LCDAs to focus their operations on four core areas: security, basic education, primary healthcare and agriculture.
He gave a six-month performance timeline for Local Government Councils and the new LCDAs to begin delivering measurable results in these sectors.
To ensure a seamless transition, the Governor announced the constitution of a high-powered Transition Technical Committee, chaired by the Deputy Governor with the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioners of Local Government and Finance, Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, ALGON Chairman and his deputy, DG Joint Projects Development Agency, State Auditor-General and the Chairman of NULGE as members. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is to serve as secretary.
He said an Executive Order will be signed in the coming days to formalize the committee’s mandate, while Interim Management Committees will also be established to oversee the LCDAs pending full operationalization and future elections.
Drawing a parallel with the creation of Gombe State in 1996, Governor Yahaya noted that structural reforms, though initially demanding, ultimately yield outcomes. He added that the Gombe State of today has outgrown its original structure, citing the evolution from a modest Gombe Division into a fast-growing subnational model.
The Governor listed the New LCDAs and Headquarters, to include: Akko North (Amada), Akko West (Pindiga), Balanga South (Bambam), Billiri West (Tal), Dukku North (Malala), Funakaye South (Tongo) and
Gombe South (Bolari).
Others are, Kaltungo East (Wange), Kwami West (Bojude), (Nafada South (Birin-Fulani), Pero-Chonge (Filiya), Yamaltu East (Dadinkowa) and
Yamaltu West ( Zambuk).
Presenting the Bill for assent, the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Muhammad Luggerewo, stated that following the receipt of the proposal from the Executive, the House acted swiftly and diligently by subjecting it to the full rigour of legislative scrutiny.
He explained that the legislature organised public hearings and engaged with critical stakeholders across the state to gather input and consider the prayers and submissions of citizens.
Rt. Hon. Luggerewo commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight and political will in initiating the Bill, describing the interest and solidarity shown by citizens during the public engagement process as unprecedented.
“We made several thoughtful amendments during the legislative process to enrich the Bill and ensure it is operationally sound, with the goal of deepening grassroots development,” the Speaker said.
Providing legal context, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Zubair Muhammad Umar, explained that the establishment of LCDAs is in line with the ongoing national constitutional review process, which envisions the future creation of new Local Government Areas (LGAs).
“Given the volume of community requests for LGAs and the limitations of time and constitutional constraints, the government opted for a practical solution, converting state constituencies delineated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into LCDAs”.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, noted the significance of the event, describing it as a major milestone in the state’s commitment to grassroots governance and enhanced service delivery.
“The creation of these 13 LCDAs will expand opportunities for citizen participation, strengthen local governance structures, and promote more responsive and inclusive development”, Prof. Njodi affirmed.
