The Heroes of Significance to Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is solely and wholeheartedly the initiative of this writer to evaluate and assess the tremendous contributions,their commitments, unalloyed dedications, faithful services and unquantifiable and unparalleled sacrifices to see that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya succeeded in the great tasks of piloting the affairs of the state and to ensure that the people of Gombe State enjoys and continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy in Gombe State.
Though despite the challenges of governance which the Governor initially had which was “empty treasury” his administration inherited, lack of motivation and acticulated work force hence the number of ministries were reduced to 21, the global challenges of Covid-19 pandemic which he pursued with all seriousness it deserves and today,the situation is under control as well as other teething problems of governance.
According to him, “my decision to contest for the office of the Governor of our state under the plaform of our great party the All Progressive Congress (APC) is borne out of my desire to bring the most needed change in governance in order to take the state to the next level of development”.
“If elected, I shall mobilize our enormous human and material resources to re- focus the state with a view to entrenching good governance and setting it on the path of long- term development. We shall restore accountability, fairness, and prudent management of public resources, we would pursue rapid social and economic development through the completion of ongoing and initiating people- oriented projects such as schools,hospitals, markets, provision of potable water, support to farmers and the development of small and medium- scale enterprises”.
“Our administration would strive to end the neglect of rural areas and low- income neighborhoods through the provision of rural/ feeder roads, and other social amenities”.
These statements were made by the APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in 2019.
As God would have it, he won massively to the shame of PDP that the then incumbent Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo accepted defeat and the “man of the moment” went into business of governance with determination and hope to actualize his policies and programes which is evident in all corners and crannies of the state.
Like the biblical junctions which stated thus; “get all the advice you can, and you will succeed; without it you will fail, what a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion”- Proverbs chapter 15:22-23.
The success- story could not be completed without the articulated supports and unalloyed loyalty of those the Governor graciously appointed into various positions of responsibilities to assist his administration to fulfill those promises made when he was looking for their votes.
“Happiness has gone out of our lives; grief has taken the place of our dances”-Lamentation chapter 5:15 which the defigatible Governor on assumption of office has brought happiness and joy back through a purposeful administration that ankles human capital development, agriculture, education, security, provision of social amenities and construction of new roads and completion of ongoing projects inherited and these feats was achieved through the contributions, support, commitment, loyalty and hardworking personalities named as the heroes of significance to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya led – administration.
First among them is His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State,Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, a vibrant technocrat, a tested public servant with intimidating records of accomplishments in the public sector.
His insatiable demand for knowledge took him to the Bayero University kano where he bagged a Ph.D in Sociology of Organization in 1999.
The deputy Governor also attended several capacity- building conferences, workshops and seminars within and outside Nigeria.
Dr.Manassah Daniel Jatau started work as an Assistant Superintendent of Customs with the Nigerian Customs Service in 1981 and served in various Area Commands in different capacities and performed several ad hoc duties while in service.
Incidentally , the deputy Governor who is versatile public administrator rose through the ranks to become the Deputy Comptroller- General of Customs ( DCG) in 2010.
He was at different times Area Comptroller of Customs, Federal Capital Territory; Area Comptroller Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara Area Commands as well as Area Comptroller Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command.
This thoroughly sound academic was the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs: Human Resources and Development Department and later Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Modernization, Research and Economic Relations Department.
As manager of human and material resources expert, the Deputy Governor voluntarily retired from the services of Nigerian Customs in January 2004.
These pedigrees as a retired Acting Controller- General of Customs and served in different capacities and also continue to serves speaks volumes of the calibre of person the deputy is.
Until his recent election to the office of the Deputy Governor, Gombe State, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau was a senior Lecturer with Bingham University Karu in Nasarawa state before he was called upon to serve his people in his state as the Deputy Governor under the pragmatic leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya who graciously opened up the opportunity for him to assist in the governance of the state.
Although,two of them contested under the APC plaform and won but
as a faithful servant and a committed Deputy Governor, he has not be found wanting in the challenges of moving the state to the next level of change mantra under the administration of Yahaya.
Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau is loyal, committed,dedicated and patriotically pursues the aims and aspirations of the Governor and defends the interest of the people of Gombe State in all the circumstances he finds himself as the Deputy Governor hence he is eminently qualified as one of the heroes of significance in the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State. A humble man of time who instills discipline, punctuality, hardwork in the system unlike Indira of India, “my life is my message”, no doubt, the life of the Deputy Governor is personalified hence the daunting task of the state government is strictly adhere to achieve the mantra of Change of APC in the state.
Secondly, is the Secretary to the State Government ( SSG), Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi who is an international scholar of repute, an academician with many records of published journals both Nationally and Internationally as well as books to his credit.
As you know the office of the Secretary of the State Government is headed by the Secretary of the State Government (SSG) who is the first appointee of the state government, a central person linking all units of government, coordinating activities in a set design in finances and coordination, feeds back to the executive, legislature and the judiciary.
Note also that all government activities centre on the SSG as may be assisted by various Permanent Secretaries in charge of Ministerial and Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies. The SSG serves as the Clearing house for policy proposals from the various arms of Government for the Executive Council. The holder of this office of SSG is no doubt an accomplished administrator and an versatile expert as the central person linking all the units of government.
The profiles of this SSG, Professor Njodi can covered many volumes of books as an academic, as a politician, as co-ordinator, as policy analyst to achieve result- oriented and to monitor the implementation of such policy guidelines.
He is the Secretary to the State Executive Council, Liaison officer with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Secretaries to other State Governments. The duties are challenging that Governor gave it to
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi who was the immediate Vice- Chancellor of the prestigious University of Maiduguri .
He demonstrated his acumen of leadership by building one of the best Senate and Council chambers in Nigerian Universities at Maiduguri, Borno State when he was the Vice Chancellor of the Institution
No doubt, as an administrator he has brought his vast experience, his versatilities into the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in the development of the state.
As a scholar ,stressful works, coordinating and monitoring various activities of Government at state level, national level and other matters required hardworking personnel hence leaving office lately in the nights has been part of the life of this SSG who is indeed humbled, acticulated, intelligent and gentle hence the best staff for the office of the SSG for the workholisic Governor.
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi is indeed a book in himself and his inclusion to help the “man of the moment” in shaping and fulfilling Government policies and programes as well as to actualize his Yahaya” s administration’s dreams of giving the state quality and purposeful administration under the direction of the State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is commendable and is a welcome development in the state.
Also Alhaji Abubakar Inuwa Kari, the Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is part of the heroes of significance because of his high pedigrees in coordinating, supervising,directing and marshalling out the direction of the State Government to all the political appointees in their various tasks of moving the change mantra of Yahaya led- administration to the next level of development.
Like a golden fish which has no hiding place, his pragmatism is evident in Government House Gombe, as the National Organizing Director for APC in the country which led to the emergency of President Muhammadu Buhari as the President of Nigeria.
Apart from his contributions and support of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya victory at the polls, he was also allegedly said to been one of the foot -soldiers of the National leader of APC, Alhaji Bola Tinubu.
No wonder that these cumulative attachments to high profile politicians in the country has contributed immensely in shaping his personality as detribalised leader before his appointment as Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
His philanthropic gestures cuts across tribal, political, religion probably because of vast association with different classes of people in his quest to serve humanity and his great party the All Progressive Congress (APC).
His exposure added with his connectivity as stressed cuts across the shores of Gombe State and his contributions to the growth and development of the state under “Inuwa gidan-gidan”, is not in doubt under the leadership of the Governor., no doubt he is a hero of significance in the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe. He is committed, dedicated,loyal and faithful public officer in the discharge of his duties as Chief of Staff and has contributed in the governance of moving the state forward progressively and in “building a better tomorrow for Gombe State”.
Like Ken Saro-wiwa said ” Iam a man of ideas, whether in life or death, this idea will live”, no doubt, these gentlemen the deputy Governor, the SSG and the Chief of Staff have contributed immensely to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya led- administration that the achievements recorded by the Governor could have been attested at least in their contributions to the massive developmental
and people- oriented projects cut across which time may not permit it to mention them item by item, hence the continuity.
To be continued.
Sahel Online News 