The Sector Commander of FRSC in Gombe, Corps Commander Ishaku Gambmi Ibrahim has revealed that in the third Quarter that the state recorded 220 accidents, 659 injuries and 47 fatalities while 50 overloading cases were recorded and appropriate penality of ten thousand naira ( N10,000) paid each by the affected offenders. Speaking to Journalists on Thursday as part of African Road Safety Day and Remembrance for Road Traffic Crashes at the Command’s Headquarters in Gombe the Sector Commander Ishaku Gambmi Ibrahim noted that the drastic reduction recorded within the third quarter was as a result of drastic measures taken to checkmate overloading, serious sensitization of drivers against taken enhancing drugs, creating awareness on obeying speed limits, dangers of answering phone calls while driving and constant patrol by his men both within the metropolis and highways. The pragmatic Commander who ensures that accidents are drastically and metholodically reduced in Gombe State has pointed out that the commemoration was to highlight the scourge of road accidents on African roads particularly Nigeria whose cost implications, apart from human fatalities, the social and economic implications cannot be ignored by the system. He recalled that the celebration came about as a result of the African Union Summit held in 18th January, 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia which endorsed the conclusions of the Second Sessions of the Conference of African Members Transport also held in Luanda, Angola from 21-25, November,2011. He explained that it was based on these deliberations in which the Union adopted among others the African Plan of Action from 2011-2020 Road Safety in accordance with the resolution proclaiming the decade of action for Road Safety. The Sector Commander further explained that the decision made it mandatory that the third Sunday of November was declared as the World Day of Road Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims as Africa’s Road Safety Day.
Apart from the support and encouragement the Command’s received from their National Quarters in Abuja that made the celebrations possible, he noted that the establishment of this was the instrument for African state in their ongoing struggle against Road Traffic Accidents.
Ibrahim said that the event was expected to be celebrated by all member States while in Nigeria, the theme is the commemoration of 2020 African Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance for RTC victims hence Remember Support and Act in Nigeria as celebrated from 9-15 November,2020 was premised.
He also disclosed the line- up of activities which included prayers in mosques and churches, adding that as FRSC are ambassadors of safety on the roads, he appealed to everybody should obey all the rules guiding safety on the road as well as preached safety whenever the occasion calls for people to do that so that the country may record safety trip and preserve lives through the reduction of Accident crashes in the country particularly Gombe State.
…As FG Begins Disbursement of N20,000 Grant to Gombe Rural Women
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has paid glowing tribute to President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating several intervention programmes for the economic upliftment of Nigerians especially the downtrodden in the society.
The Governor gave the commendation when he received the Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk and her Women Affairs counteroart, Dame Pauline Tallen at the Gombe Government House.
Both Ministers were in the State to flag-off the disbursement of twenty thousand naira (N20,000) grant to rural women in Gombe State, a gesture Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described as apt in view of the economic hardship occasioned by the covid-19 Pandemic.
“Our rural women are indeed the backbone of the economy of Gombe State knowing fully well that about 80 percent of our people are peasant farmers and when you go to the villages you see the women more in the fields either the old ones or the young girls working and toiling day and night in order to maintain the families. So for us the support you are bringing to them is not small but very big .”
He said other critical interventions like trader money as well as other support that have been coming from the social investment office have succeeded in uplifting the living conditions of the people of the State.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya said his administration will continue to engage with both Ministries with a view to canvassing more support to the State.
Earlier speaking the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk said she was in the State alongside her women affairs counterpart at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari to flag-off the disbursement of N20,000 grant to rural women in the State.
She disclosed that the disbursement is carried out in collaboration with the office of the first lady of Gombe State as well as the State Ministry of women affairs and social development.
“Your Excellency you may recall that Mr. President has come up with different social investment programmes to alleviate the sufferings of our vulnerable groups all over the country”.
She said the intervention programmes of the Federal Government come in different components, one of which is the conditional cash transfer that the Government gives to poor and vulnerable households across the country.
Hajiya Sadiya Farouk said the 20,000 grant to vulnerable rural women which has the approval of the National Assembly is a one off gesture aimed at giving succour to rural women.
She thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his support to the women fork, describing his disposition towards women activities as encouraging and worthy of emulation.
Also speaking, the Minister of Women affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen said women play a pivotal role in the life of every society hence the need to empower them and make them supportive Pillars to their families.
She said her office is working with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs as well as the National Assembly to reduce poverty among the vast majority of Nigerians.
She equally thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for always supporting the activities of women in the State and granting the request she earlier made when she came visiting less than a month ago that more women should be given space particularly in the forthcoming Local Government election in the State.
The Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has added another political points into his administrative acumen by been the first Governor in the state to introduce Treasury Single Account (TSA) to guard against some fraudulent activities in the civil service.
In a one- day workshop for accounting and paying officers of Ministries, departments and agencies as well as Chief Executives of Institutions of higher learning in Gombe State on Thursday 12th November, 2020 at Government House, the Governor explained that they were gathered today to declare open the workshop which was aimed at equipping their accounting and paying officers and chief executives of tertiary institutions with the relevant skills and techniques in order to meet the demands of the new TSA regime. The TSA policy, he said, is geared towards the promotion of sound financial discipline and entrenching a culture of accountability and transparency in governance, adding that the reason was that
“our coming to office on May 2019, we met the State finances in a delicate situation, characterized by high debt burden, wastefulness and lack of accountability. Since then, our administration has taken bold and calculated decisions towards putting the State on the path of financial prudence and accountability”. The Governor further added that the introduction and enforcement of the State Treasury Single Account (TSA) is one of them and it was meant In order to ensure successful implementation of the TSA hence they set up a standing committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Governor. The Further stressed that the ugly development led to the signing of an Executive Order No. 005 of 2020 to further strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the TSA.
Alhaji Yahaya explained that the exercise has no doubt recorded tremendous successes and was not meant to witch-hunt anybody while a total of 2,292 accounts linked to the state government were captured by the NIBSS and additional 265 hidden accounts were discovered and the sum of N1.48 billion was discovered from 860 accounts that were hitherto dormant or undisclosed while 586 dormant accounts were closed after generating their annual account statements for proper reconciliation and documentation. No doubt, this figure the Governor noted shows the enormity of the financial indiscipline and opacity inherited by the administration. The Governor lamented that these descripancies were unacceptable and should not been allowed by any purposeful administration to continue. To show his administration human- face, the Governor pointed out that the policy is in order to further foster efficient management of cash resources and approved the Cash Management Strategy which will help enhance budget performance by preventing costly budget overruns that negatively affect the implementation of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). “Our administration does not see budget as mere figures, but as a tool of governance where expenditure must be carefully planned and backed by revenue, allowing us to meet our budget expectations.”
The Governor who is desirous of moving the state forward developmentally said that there would be “no development without the requisite resources to help implement our development agenda. That is why our administration is focused on mobilizing resources to finance the execution of projects and programs that will impact positively on the lives of our people.”
“The implementation of the Treasury Single Account is the first step towards achieving this. There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to devastating economic consequences globally. To navigate this, States must develop innovative ways of saving cost, improving efficiencies and eliminating wastage. This requires the highest level of competence and professionalism from our accounting officers” He said it is his hope that the workshop will arm them with the required skills and strategies to ensure prudent and transparent management of state resources.
According to him , “this workshop is designed to bring all the relevant stakeholders on board the new TSA policy. The participants are carefully chosen, comprising key accounting and paying officers from all MDAs as well as our tertiary institutions. The success of the TSA depends on your ability and willingness to buy in to the new policy. I call on the participants to fully participate in the workshop and gain the necessary insights and experience to make this policy a huge success” He also frown that his administration would not tolerate any act of negligence, indiscipline or sabotage from anyone no matter how highly placed in the society.
On his part, the Governor made it clear that his administration is determined to continue implementing policies that strengthen the institutions and promote the wellbeing of the people. “Be rest assured that my administration will continue to provide the required support to build the capacity of our civil service in order to enable it meet the demands of 21st century governance”.
While thanking the Standing Committee on TSA Implementation led by the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah DanielJatau for their tireless efforts in making this a huge success, he also commended the accounting officers from various MDAs and tertiary institutions for their cooperation as well as organizers for their time and knowledge.
…Says Gombe Discovers 1.48 billion Naira from Dormant, Hidden Accounts
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya says his administration’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy is geared towards the promotion of sound financial discipline and entrenching a culture of accountability and transparency in Governance.
The Governor stated this while declaring open a one day workshop on Treasury Single Account on cash management strategy for chief accounting and paying officers as well as heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies/higher institutions in the State.
The Governor told participants at the Workshop that on coming to office, his administration met the State finances in a delicate situation characterized by high debt burden, wasteful spending and lack of accountability.
This was why, he said, his administration took bold and calculated decision towards putting the State on the path of financial prudence and accountability, adding that the introduction and enforcement of TSA is one out of the numerous steps.
The Governor said in order to ensure the successful implementation of the TSA, his administration set up a committee under the chairmanship of the State Deputy Governor, this the Governor explained, was in addition to the signing of Executive order number six to further strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the policy in the State.
He said the TSA has recorded huge success in Gombe state as hundreds of dormant accounts were closed after generating their annual account statement for proper reconciliation and documentation, which goes to show the enormity of financial indiscipline inherited by his administration.
“It is worthy of note that on our coming to office on May 2019, we met the State finances in a delicate situation, characterized by high debt burden, wastefulness and lack of accountability. Since then, our administration has taken bold and calculated decisions towards putting the State on the path of financial prudence and accountability.
“The introduction and enforcement of the State Treasury Single Account (TSA) is one of them. In order to ensure successful implementation of the TSA, we set up a standing committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Governor. I also signed an Executive Order No. 005 of 2020 to further strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the TSA.
“The exercise has no doubt recorded tremendous successes as a total of 2,292 accounts linked to the state government were captured by the NIBSS and additional 265 hidden accounts were discovered.
” The sum of N1.48 billion was discovered from 860 accounts that were hitherto dormant or undisclosed. 586 dormant accounts were closed after generating their annual account statements for proper reconciliation and documentation.
” This shows the enormity of the financial indiscipline and opacity inherited by our administration”.
“You can imagine over two thousand two hundred accounts being operated in one Government and you expect proper accountability and record, we must do something in order to safeguard ourselves because reforms are inevitable and for us is either we reform or we perish”.
He said considering the paucity of funds the State grapples with amidst competitive demands, the government has no choice than to initiate reforms in the financial sector so as meet with the ever growing demands of the State.
The Governor said in order to further manage cash resources, his administration approved the cash management strategy to enhance budget performance by preventing costly budget overruns that negatively affect the implementation of medium term expenditure framework.
“Our administration does not see budget as mere figures but as a tool of governance where expenditure must be carefully planned and backed by revenue allowing us to meet our budgetary expectations”.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya noted that there will be no development without requisite resources to help implement the present administration’s development agenda, saying that was why his administration is focused on mobilising resources in order to finance the execution of programmes and projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people.
He expressed the hope that the workshop will earn the participants the required skills and strategies in order to ensure prudent and transparent management of State resources.
The Governor who noted that the success of the TSA depends on the participants’ ability and willingness to buy into the new policy, called on the accounting and paying officers to take advantage of the seminar and gain the necessary insight and experience to make the policy a success.
Governor Yahaya said his administration will not tolerate any act of negligence, indiscipline or sabotage from anyone no matter how highly placed.
The chairman implementation and enforcement committee of the Treasury Single Account and Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau said the policy is aimed at minimizing Government borrowing, maximizing the opportunity of cash resources and harmonizing fragmented Government receipts and payment accounts.
He said the implementation and enforcement of TSA is apt and germaine considering the low revenue earnings from the federation account and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
Dr. Daniel Jatau said with the global economy in reverse gear occasioned by the covid-19 pandemic, it becomes necessary for government at all levels to imbibe financial discipline in order to engender prudent management of scarce resources.
He therefore thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his intellectual acumen in putting up the implementation and enforcement committee on TSA with a view to blocking leakages while promoting discipline in Government transaction and expenditures.
Following recent media reports on one Dahiru Buba, a native of Dukku Local Government area of the state who is suffering from limb ailment after he trekked from Gombe to Abuja to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the 2019 presidential election, the Gombe state government has taken the man to a medical facility for diagnosis and treatment.
It will be recalled that the media was awash with the story of Dahiru Buba calling on the Government and public spirited individuals to come to his aid after developing limb complications from a solidarity trek he undertook to celebrate the second term victory of the President.
On the directives of the Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Dahiru Buba was taken to the Government House clinic, Gombe from where he was referred to a private orthopedic hospital where he was thoroughy examined and placed on medication.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after undergoing the first round of his medical treatment, Dahiru Buba thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for promptly coming to his aid.
He said he started feeling some discomfort on his limbs after returning home from his fifteen days solidarity walk to Abuja.
Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya and Isa Faruk who coordinated the evacuation of the patient from Dukku to Gombe said Dahiru suffered serious problems with his legs since his return from his solidarity walk to Abuja.
They however expressed delight and optimism that, “With the intervention of the Gombe state government, Dahiru Buba will be properly diagnosed and treated “.
They described Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s gesture as unprecedented and heart warming, praying Almighty Allah to reward him abundantly.
They also acknowledged the support rendered to the patient’s family by the state Commissioner of Finance, Muhammad Gambo Magaji, whom they said has shown tremendous support and concern since he learnt about the condition of Dahiru Buba.
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has received a team of Research and Development Committee (RDSC) from the headquarters of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund TETFUND who are in the State for a high level interactive engagement.
Represented by the Secretary to the Gombe State Government Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, the Governor assured the visiting team of his administration’s readiness to partner the fund in the development of Science and technology in institutions of higher learning across the State.
Ministries that took part in the high level engagement to fine the realization of the objective include Works and Infrastructure, Ministry of Higher Education,Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation. Others are, Ministry of Water resources, Ministry of Environment and that of Trade and Industry.
Earlier Speaking the Executive Secretary Tedfund Professor Sulaiman Elias Bogoro represented by Sir Henry Etiama said they are in the State to intimate the state Government on the proposed National Research Development Foundation which is aim at a paradigm shift on how Universities across the country conduct research.
He said move was part of Federal Government policy on exploring alternative revenue generation rather than the over dependence on oil.
The representative of the Executive Secretary of TETfund said the team will also discuss ways of improving the economy through research and development.
…Mourns Bappa Saidu, Baba Saidu Awala of Jekadafari
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has expressed grief over the demise of former governorship candidate of the Alliance for Demcracy ( AD) and the party’s Chairman in Gombe state, Alhaji Magaji Kwairanga, who died yesterday in Gombe after a protracted illness.
Governor Yahaya, who attended the funeral prayer for the late large scale farmer, which took place at the Federal Teaching Hospital Mosque Gombe, described the deceased as a selfless grassroots man, activist and promoter of social justice who has carved a niche for himself even at the risk of standing alone. He said the death of Magaji Kwairanga is a great loss, not only to his immediate family, but the state and the country at large.
Governor Yahaya, on behalf of the Government and people of Gombe State, extended his heartfelt condolences to the entire members of the Sarkin Fulani family as well as the deceased’s political party and his associates over the great loss, praying Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and reward his good deeds with Aljannat Firdaus.
Similarly, Governor Yahaya also attended the funeral prayer for Alhaji Bappa Saidu and Baba Saidu Awala of Jekadafari Quarters which took place at Mai Anguwa Doma mosque.
He commisserated with the families of the two late community leaders, describing their deaths as personal losses to him. He prayed Almighty Allah to grant them Aljannat Firdaus and comfort those they left behind.
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has led a delegation to the Tangale Chiefdom in Billiri local government where he condoled with the Mai Tangle, Dr. Abdul Buba Maisheru ll over the death of his son, Prince John Abdu Buba Maisheru, the Santurankin Tangale.
Speaking at the palace of the traditional ruler, Governor Inuwa Yahaya described the death of John Abdu Maisheru as a great loss, not only to his immediate family, but the State and the nation as a whole.
It will be recalled that Governor Inuwa Yahaya had earlier in a condolence message lamented the death of John Maisheru, noting that the late Santuraki died at his prime when hopes and expectations were high on him for greater heights and exploits, not only as a prince but as an upcoming leader with penchant for the unity, progress and development of his community and the State.
He consoled the monarch and members of the royal family to take solace in the fact that the late Santuraki left behind good records and lasting imprints that will continue to linger in the hearts of the people.
Responding, the Mai Tangle Dr. Abdul Buba Maisheru ll thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for identifying with Tangale Chiefdom in their moment of grief.
He described his late son as a man full of life whose memories will remain with him for sometime to come.
Special prayers were offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased.
Aged 44, the late John Abdu Buba Maisheru, Santurankin Tangale died on 6th November, 2020 in Bauchi after a brief illness and was buried on yesterday in Billiri. Until his death, he was a senior staff of Ashaka Cement Plc.
Governor Yahaya was accompanied on the condolence visit by the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abubakar Inuwa Kari, PPS, Alhaji Usman kamara, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries and other top Government functionaries.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has commiserated with the family of Brigadier-General D.A.Lubo over the death of his father, Baba Ahmadu Abare who died at the age of 100 years.
The Governor who sent a powerful delegation led by the Commissioner of Education, Dr Habu Dahiru and his team, condoled the immediate family, Lubo Community and Yamatu/ Deba Local Government Area over the death of their patriarch who died on Thursday 4th November and was buried on Saturday 7th,2020.
The Late Baba Ahmadu Abare Lubo is the father of Brigadier-General D.A.Lubo who retired from the Military, had 9 Children, several grand children and great grand children and he was a good disciplinarian, focused and hard-working during his life time. Governor Yahaya who said he was shock on the demise of the Baba Ahmadu Abare Lubo urged the children that Baba had not died rather they should maintain the legacy of Baba as he had made Gombe State great and proud due to the good children Baba has produced who have distinguished themselves in their various professional callings. The Governor who knows the family personally also extolled his virtues of commitment to his family, community and Church activities where Baba left lasting imprints in the hearts of the people and on the sands of time should not been forgotten hence Baba was nicknamed “Caterpillar” due to his workaholics spirit of Baba.
He explained that death is inevitable and all mortals must test adding that Baba’s contributions and legacies shall forever linger in their hearts, praying God Almighty to grant his soul perfect rest and the family the fortitude to bear the loss, while condoling the family and extended family on behalf of the Governor and the Government of Gombe State.
Those who accompanied the Commissioner of Education, Dr Habu Dahiru to the condole family are Commissioner of Lands and Survey,Hon Muhammad Danladi Adamu, Commissioner of Health, Dr Ahmed Mohammed Gana who was unavoidably absent due to ill- health, Special Adviser on Inter-Community Relations, Prince C.C.Ewuzie, Special Adviser, Group Captain Peter Bilal rtd and Special Adviser on Health Matters while all the speakers extolled the fatherly legacies and commitment of Baba to raised all these outstanding children that have made Gombe State and Nigeria proud. Responding on behalf of the family, his son, Brigadier-General, D.A.Lubo (rtd), expressed appreciation to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya despite his tight schedules and prayed to God to reward him greatly and promised to personally visit the Governor to register his appreciation and to commend him for his developmental strides recorded in the state within this shortest time in office. He said that despite the short notice, many people came for the burial of his father who died on Thursday and the burial is today Saturday 7th November 2020 especially both serving and retired military brass came from Abuja, Lagos and other places to condole them and expressed appreciations to each and every one of them. Meanwhile, his in-law who incidentally is the current Commissioner of Higher Education, Hon Meshack Audu Lauco was full of appreciations for the Governor for identifying with them at this moment of grief, describing Baba as a good father who raised his children in a godly way and described Baba as a father of all to them.
Tempers from youths flared across Nigeria recently like the slashing of a tornado. The seething anger of mass protests by the youths in the guise of ‘End SARS’ Protests later metamorphosed into an orgy of mass lootings and ransacking of every warehouse suspected to be housing COVID -19 palliatives.
States like Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Edo, Cross River, Enugu, Kogi, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja all had a fair share of these lootings which apparently have gone beyond the youth protests onto a general looting by both the young and the old. In all of this unprecedented chaotic display of volatility and dispassionate lootings, Gombe State was kept in peace and equanimity. The looting scenes beamed to the public on state and national television screens as well as chronicled in print and online media are replete with dramatic and chaotic men, women and children including the aged breaking into warehouses stocked with bags of rice, corn, millet, sorghum, cartons of noodle, milk, pasta and other provisions, carting away the stocked food items while security agents watched helplessly.
In some cases, security agencies managed to restore order and repelled the advancing hordes of listless and desperate citizens keen on helping themselves to what they perceive as their own share of the national cake. These anarchic scenes were replicated in many states of the federation.
Apart from the sporadic looting of food reserves, the actions of the looters also degenerated into organized criminal activity as assorted lawless gangs and criminal enterprises used the opportunity to break into private homes and shops to steal food items, electronics, furniture, cash and other items belonging to individuals who had no link or connection with the government or the authority that the initial protesters were agitating against.
Well-meaning Nigerians however have spoken out and condemned the looting of warehouses and burgling of private homes and commercial enterprises.
Although distrust by the citizenry may have contributed directly or indirectly to the mass action by deprived sections, the common opinion among the multitude of people ransacking food warehouses was that those food items and provisions were supposed to have been distributed to the hungry populace but government failed to do their bit hence they felt their actions were justified.
Top government officials were accused of hoarding the palliatives in order to hand them over to their cronies, associates, family and friends.
Indeed the mass looting to some extent points crucially to a critical disconnect between the people and government in some cases and the importance of decisive confidence – building measures by the leaders in order to restore trust, hope and confidence in the institutions of governance and its administrators.
However, on the governance scorecard, while some states might have fallen short of the citizens’ expectations, the Gombe state government under the people- focused leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya seems miles ahead of many others.
In terms of providing crucial dividends of democracy to the people and building the required confidence, trust and rapport, Governor Yahaya has squarely positioned Gombe state as an oasis of calmness, tranquility, stability, and solitude amidst an otherwise turbulent and tumultuous environment.
Gombe State has been remarkably calm and peaceful as the citizens are going about their normal businesses without fear or anxiety keenly aware that the state government has taken giant strides in improving their welfare and wellbeing.
For instance, on the sore point or allegation of palliative diversion and hoarding that set many looters against their state governments, the Gombe State government is an exemplary exception.
Right from the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Yahaya was among the first governors to have set up a Committee on Reliefs and Palliatives under the chairmanship of the highly revered Emir of Gombe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III with a mandate to ensure a timely and equitable distribution of reliefs and palliatives provided by the state government to the 114 wards of the eleven local governments of the state. The palliatives include bags of rice, millet, sorghum, wheat, maize etc to cushion the harsh socio-economic effects of the lockdown and the associated COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee was also mandated to solicit for donations from private sector organizations, non-governmental organizations, philanthropists and the general public in order to support the laudable objectives of the state government.
According to the commissioner for Special Duties, Barr. Mela Nunghe, during the first and second phases of the exercise, over 100, 000 households including cooperative and vulnerable groups had benefited across the 11 LGAs of the state.
The commissioner, who is also the Secretary of the state Palliatives and Relief Committee, explained that in the first and second phases, the committee distributed the palliatives to Achaba and Keke NAPEP associations, people with disability, religious bodies, widows, and low income earners. “Also, 50 households in each of the 2, 218 units across the 114 political wards of the state were reached, where each household got at least a bag each of maize, rice, millet, sorghum and vegetable oil among others,” he said.
Barrister Nunghe disclosed that a template for the third phase is ready which is targeted at pensioners, unemployed and other vulnerable groups not reached in the previous phases of the exercise.
In this regard the Gombe State government clearly anticipated the magnitude of the issues likely to arise from a failure of an uneven distribution of the palliatives and the damaging effect it would have on communal peace and social cohesion. It is this transparency and efficient distribution of palliatives and relief materials to all communities suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 restrictive and preventive measures particularly to the most vulnerable segments of society that has so far shielded Gombe State from the looting pandemonium that has erupted in many states including the neighboring ones . Indeed most Gombawas are keenly aware of the compassionate and benevolent disposition of Governor Inuwa Yahaya and his dedicated team who have left no stone unturned in ensuring that the palliative and relief materials reach those mostly in need of them and not to be stocked in warehouses for selective distribution to the privileged of society.
Apparently, there is a clear connect and meeting of minds between the Gombe people and government which has prevented the scenes of lootings, arson, theft, vandalisation and destruction of public property from being perpetrated in the state.
Amidst the unfortunate nationwide brigandage occasioned by the ENSARS protests and palliatives lootings, the Gombe people apparently adjudged Governor Yahaya’s government as one working for their overall benefit.
Inuwa Yahaya is seen as a Governor for the many and not the few, to borrow the favourite mantra of the British Labour Party.
That Gombe state remains calm, tranquil, stable, safe and secure is to the credit of Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s political sagacity cum foresight, firmness and leadership vigour, rigour, fervor and fortitude.
Misilli is the Senior Special Assistant ( Media and Publicity) to Gombe state Governor
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