*Says Gombe disposed to state police
*Gives account of sectoral reforms in states
By Mohammed Danlami, Abuja
The Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today (Tuesday) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, and briefed the President on the current progress in Northern states, including developments in Gombe under his stewardship over the past five years.
On the current electricity supply challenges in Gombe and other neighbouring states, Governor Inuwa Yahaya said that his government is taking the necessary steps towards boosting electricity supply to its people, adding that Governors of States in the North-East zone are doing the same thing.
“Transmission and whatever electricity had been on the exclusive list before now but with the new electricity Act, it means that states can now do from generation to transmission and marketing.
“Even at the last meeting of the North-East Governors, we resolved that each of us should generate 10 Megawatts of solar power so that we kick-start activities and all the Governors are amenable to working with the new electricity Act, knowing that so far, one leg has not been able to deliver us. Whatever we had before was not able to take us out of this situation,” the Governor added.
A statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director General, Press Affairs in Gombe Government House, said the Governor have assurance that there is a better approach now, and that the Governors of the North hope to overcome the persistent problem.
In respect of Gombe, he said the positive impacts of his leadership and the ongoing efforts to improve governance and development at the state level is paying off.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Governor highlighted his administration’s strategic planning and deliberate approach to governance since his assumption of office in 2019.
“I didn’t go into the contest blind-folded. I went into the contest with an agenda, a clear vision and mission to see that I accomplish what I want to achieve in Gombe,” he stated.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya outlined the significant strides made across various sectors, including health, education, infrastructure, social development, and economic investment.
He expressed pride in the accomplishments of his administration, noting the substantial progress made in enhancing the quality of life for Gombe State residents.
“These are the things I have been trying to achieve over the last five years across every sector; health, education, infrastructure, social development and economic investment drive. We have achieved a lot in all those respects and I am very proud of what we did in the last five years,” he added.
He assured the people of Gombe State that his administration remains committed to continue its developmental agenda.
He pledged that his team would work diligently to fulfill all planned initiatives in the remaining three years of his tenure.
On Education, the Gov Yahaya said the Governors in the Northern part of the country are poised to give education to children in the zone and the problem of out of school children would be a thing of the past.
“That issue was top on the agenda of our last meeting because it is a very big menace that we are unfortunately contending with but mind you it is a build-up of the past; over 50 years or so of neglect of the educational system.
“We are trying to see that this time around, with the window we’ve gotten especially with Better Education and Service Delivery for All ( BESDA), the States are up and doing and we shall enrol the people and retain them so that they will continue from primary to secondary and even tertiary level. That is a herculean task I know, but all the Governors are doing their best and we shall continue to do so,” he assured.
On State Police, the Northern Governors’ Forum Chairman said: “The State Police issue is a constitutional matter that will have to go through the National Assembly and eventually the States individually because it needs two-thirds of the State Assemblies in Nigeria to endorse whatever position.
“Personally and I believe the whole of the people of Gombe State are behind the idea of having State Police because that will take security closer to the people and we will be able to monitor more than somebody else monitoring or managing our own security.
“I think that is the vision of the President with regard to his support for that and even everybody across the broad spectrum of Nigerians. I believe when the bill goes to the National Assembly, it will have easy passage through the states and very soon because inadvertently, it is the states that are managing security now since almost every state has its own security outfit that is supporting the various security agencies.
“Even though it is said that the Governors are the Chief Security Officers, the men on the ground commanding the security agencies, that is, the General Officers Commanding (GOC) or the Commissioner of Police, are answerable to their commanders here in Abuja but with State Police, we will be able to monitor the pulse and implement any decision hastily and there will be results.”
The Governor said that he is fully convinced about his love for the creation of State Police, adding that he believes many of the states in Nigeria will go in the same direction.
