By: Monday Munkaila, Gombe
Gombe State has commemorated the 5th anniversary of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration with a symposium to celebrate the significant achievements and milestones under his leadership.
The event, held as part of a series of anniversary activities, brought together various stakeholders to reflect on the progress made in the state over the past five years.
Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola was the lead speaker at the symposium.
Speaking on the topic “Leadership in Times of Crisis: Exploring Effective Leadership Strategies in Challenging Situations,” Fashola commended Governor Yahaya’s administration, scoring it highly for its impactful policies, programmes and projects.
He emphasized that the documentation of the administration’s first-term achievements validated its success.
“The Development Agenda for Gombe (DEVAGOM), highlighting His Excellency’s 10-year development plan, tells you how visionary Governor Inuwa Yahaya is,” Fashola remarked. “The documentary we just watched here proves that the governor transformed Gombe State beyond how he met it, considering the human-oriented projects that directly improved the lives of the common man.”
The former Lagos State Governor noted the positive feedback from local and international acquaintances from Gombe, affirming the state’s progress under Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
He highlighted major projects, including substantial investments in road construction in both urban and rural areas and the consolidation of infrastructural development following Governor Yahaya’s re-election.
One standout project mentioned was the construction of Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park in Dadinkowa, expected to host numerous major factories, creating 10,000 direct jobs and almost 100,000 indirect jobs.
In agriculture and export, Fashola pointed to efforts connecting farmers with industrial companies to boost the export of agricultural produce like tomatoes.
On health, Fashola praised the upgrade of primary health care facilities across all 114 wards, the overhaul of the state’s specialist hospital, and the reconstruction of general hospitals across the three senatorial districts.
He attributed Gombe State’s ranking as the best state in ease of doing business twice to Governor Yahaya’s developmental strides.
“He has invested millions to upgrade the ultra-modern mega motor park and established a task force to facilitate the seamless relocation of three major motor parks to the mega one,” Fashola added.
“The implementation of SURWASH and addressing the state’s devastating ecological challenges have significantly impacted citizens’ lives.”
The former Works Minister urged Governor Inuwa Yahaya to maintain his human-oriented policies and legacy projects strategy for sustainable development.
In his presentation titled “Governing Gombe State: Progress and Challenges,” Governor Inuwa Yahaya detailed his administration’s mission to elevate Gombe State by meeting the people’s needs.
He emphasized that his campaign promises were driven by a thorough needs assessment in critical sectors like education, health, environment and infrastructure.
“I did not come to become Governor blindfolded. I came with a mission and vision to transform the state,” the Governor stated.
The Governor highlighted achievements in environmental sustainability, public service reform, security, and ongoing regional water upgrades in metropolitan and local government areas.
The Governor, during the symposium shared his vision for the state going forward, with assurances that he’ll leave Gombe better than he met it.
The symposium featured a panel discussion where dons and experts provided insights and feedback on the government’s successes and challenges. Key issues included infrastructure development, healthcare initiatives, education reforms, and economic growth implemented over the past five years as contained in a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General, (Press Affairs), Government House, Gombe.
