UN Commits To Deepening Partnership With Gombe Across Key Sectors

The United Nations (UN) has pledged its commitment to support and collaborate with the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State in various critical sectors, including health, education, and more to foster socio-economic development.   The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed gave this indication during a meeting with the Governor on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York. She commended the giant strides and progress achieved under the leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in Gombe State, noting that the Governor has set a precedent in subnational governance. Hajiya Amina Mohammed offered words of encouragement to Governor Inuwa Yahaya, lauding the discernible improvements in the quality of life of the people of Gombe State.  She assured the Governor that the UN would stand shoulder to shoulder with him and his administration throughout his stewardship to deliver meaningful development to Gombe State. The DSG assured Governor Inuwa of her willingness to engage with international development partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Susan Buffet Foundation, and the African Peace Corp to garner support for Gombe State in the realm of healthcare and human resource development. She also offered to facilitate UN’s technical support to bolster the Secretariat of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, a crucial platform for regional development, as soon as a formal request is made. In his remarks, Governor Inuwa Yahaya commended the Hajiya Amina Mohammed for her remarkable contributions to the UN’s global mission, describing her as a worthy daughter of Gombe and proud global ambassador of the state and Nigeria. During the meeting, he presented an overview of the multifaceted development initiatives that his administration is currently implementing, with a particular focus on healthcare and education. The Governor appealed for support in leveraging Hajiya Amina’s international networks to enhance Gombe state’s healthcare system, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. This includes attracting skilled manpower to fortify the operations of the three General hospitals that have either been constructed or rehabilitated across the three senatorial zones of Gombe State. He emphasized his administration’s unwavering commitment to providing counterpart funding where necessary to facilitate this vital endeavor. In his capacity as the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Governor Inuwa Yahaya also sought the UN’s assistance in strengthening the Forum’s Secretariat through the provision of technical experts. These experts would work in tandem with the Forum to drive its overarching development objectives.

BugetIT: Gombe earns high ranking in 2023 Fiscal Transparency Report

Gombe State’s commitment to fiscal transparency and accountability has earned it a significant distinction in the 2023 Fiscal Transparency Index published by BudgetIT, a reputable fiscal policy tracking organization in Nigeria. The state has been ranked an impressive 6th out of 36 states, with a commendable score of 74/100. This achievement reflects Gombe State’s dedication to transparent budgeting, procurement practices, and online fiscal reporting. The report underscores Gombe State’s accomplishments in various key areas, including budget transparency, procurement transparency, the integrity of the state’s website, and fiscal transparency online. Particularly noteworthy is the state’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which has been recognized as comprehensive and well-structured. The report acknowledges that Gombe State’s approved budget met several stringent criteria, while its e-procurement portal stood out for its accessibility and navigability. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration has consistently demonstrated its commitment to fiscal transparency and accountability, earning Gombe State esteemed recognition both on a national and international level. Notably, the state recently secured the World Bank’s States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) award in multiple categories, a testament to the administration’s impactful efforts in prudent public resource management. Furthermore, Gombe State achieved a remarkable 7th position in Nigeria and clinched the top spot in the North East sub-region in the Transparency and Integrity Index by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CETIW). This recognitions affirmed the state’s position as a role model in good governance, financial prudence, and fiscal integrity. An associate professor and multi-disciplinary researcher, who also serves as the Director-General of Research and Documentation at the Government House, Dr. Mu’azu Shehu explained that based on his close monitoring of national and international open government and development ratings, Gombe State has performed credibly well in fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability. He noted that Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s leadership has been pivotal in fostering a culture of good governance and transparency, positioning Gombe State as one of the most transparent and well-governed in the nation. The remarkable strides taken by Gombe State underscores Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s unwavering commitment to international best practices, as he continues to drive comprehensive reform to enhance the state’s public finance management structure.

Development Bank builds capacity of 1,000 MSMEs

In continuation of its capacity development training programmes for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has organised a one-day training for over 1,000 small businesses across six states in the North-East and North-West. The MSMEs were spread across Gombe, Maiduguri, Adamawa, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi states.  The capacity training programme, which was conducted in each of the locations, had facilitators with experts in business management for small and medium-scale enterprises.  A statement from DBN stated that the training focused on optimisation and development of skills, aimed at further strengthening the capacity of the beneficiaries to scale up their businesses.  It also said the key objective of the training programme across locations, was to help the owners of the businesses develop their capacity and gain better knowledge of how they could access the DBN funding through the participating financial intermediaries (PFI). The Managing Director/CEO, Development Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Tony Okpanachi, commended the facilitators for bringing their expertise and experience to bear and expressed the optimism that the training would have a lasting impact on the participants and their businesses.   He affirmed that the training was in line with the Bank’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the capacity of MSMEs in the country so that they can continue to contribute more to the economic growth and development of the country.  Okpanachi said: “The strategic role of MSMEs as enablers of socio-economic development cannot be over-emphasised. A larger percentage of businesses in Nigeria are in the informal sector dominated by MSMEs. The MSMEs sector is a significant pillar of Nigerian economic growth; they make up 97 percent of businesses, generate six million jobs and contribute 50 per cent of the national GDP. “Small businesses are value-creators and they create wealth for individuals. At DBN, we are passionately committed to seeing MSMEs increase their capacity for growth and expansion, and being more sustainable so that together, we can continue to build a stronger economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.” The Development Bank of Nigeria through its numerous capacity training platforms has enriched the knowledge and capacity of MSMEs owners in the country through regular highly-enriching training initiatives and retooling, thereby positioning them for sustainable growth and expansion.   One of the platforms is the annual DBN Entrepreneurship Training Programme (DBNETP) currently in its 5th Cycle and has benefitted over 2000 MSMEs across Nigeria who have been trained digitally and physically, leveraging partnerships and the DBN Learning Management System (LMS).

Eid-el-Kabir: Gombe bubbles as Emir Abubakar III stages spectacular Durbar

Governor State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON on Friday played host to the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Dr Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, CFR and other eminent traditional title holders of Gombe Emirate on a Sallah Homage as part Eid-el-Kabir celebration.  The visit witnessed a colourful royal Durbar and other traditional displays. The annual Sallah homage to the Government House is an age-long tradition and is usually led by the Emir in the company of district heads and members of his traditional council. In an address at the occasion, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya remarked that the successes so far recorded by his administration would not have been possible without the moral support of traditional, religious, and political leaders as well as the good people of the State. “The achievements under my watch are not my making alone, the political, traditional, and religious leaders as well as men, women, and the youths; all played pivotal roles towards attaining these feats; so we are grateful to all”. Governor Inuwa, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, used the occasion to assure the people of the State that the second lap of his administration will witness the provision of more dividends of democracy that will make Gombe stand shoulder to shoulder with its peers and continue to be a reference point to others. He noted that in spite of the numerous socio-economic challenges, his administration has remained undaunted towards the provision of critical infrastructure and other social amenities as contained in his campaign manifesto. The Governor appealed to the Emir of Gombe and other traditional rulers in the state not to relent in seeking for opportunities and ways that will further bring development to the people of the state. He assured the people that his administration will not relent in seeking the support, cooperation, and wise counsel of the traditional rulers and opinion leaders in order to lead the State in the most effective, efficient, and equitable manner. Governor Inuwa Yahaya disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is proud of Gombe State based on verifiable indicators that promote and enhance the fiscal and physical development of the State. He called on the people of the state to continue to exercise patience as Government at the national and sub-national levels are working to stabilize the economic condition of the people. The Governor noted that it was the determination of his administration to create an enabling environment for economic development that led to the state’s emergence as number one in the Ease of Doing Business ranking for two consecutive times. Governor Inuwa Yahaya called on the people of the state, particularly the youths to take advantage of the growing economic opportunities and possibilities in the state to engage in meaningful ventures and contribute to the growth and development of the State.  He expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah and the Emir of Gombe for leading his council members and other Muslim faithful to the Government House for the traditional Sallah homage. Governor Inuwa equally thanked the royal father for paying glowing tribute to him and acknowledging his administration’s modest efforts towards repositioning Gombe State as well as uniting the people through purposeful leadership. Earlier speaking,  the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Dr Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, CFR paid glowing tribute to Governor Inuwa Yahaya, noting that there is no area in the state that has not witnessed the remarkable and developmental strides of the APC- led administration. He scored Governor Inuwa’s administration very high in areas of roads construction; where he noted that over 700 KM of roads have been put up across the nooks and crannies of the State with special emphasis on the provision of ultramodern solar streetlights in the Gombe metropolis, revitalization of healthcare facilities, repositioning of the education sector; in particular construction and renovation of over 1140 classes; mopping up of out of school children and returning them back to the classroom, industrial revolution going on in the State; especially with the construction of the 1000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, prompt payment of salaries and settlement of outstanding gratuity of retirees,  among others. He described the achievements so far recorded by the Governor as monumental and unprecedented in the history of Gombe State.  He also described the commitment of the Governor as one deserving of applause of all men and women of goodwill. The Emir of Gombe, who is also the Chairman of Gombe State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, assured Governor Inuwa Yahaya of the support of the traditional institution in the state in the overall interest of the people. The royal father later led hundreds of horsemen clad in colorful robes and regalia to stage a spectacular Durbar to the admiration of the Governor and other dignitaries present.

Gombe establishes Drugs, Medical Consumables Mgt Agency

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has assented to the Gombe State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency and Public Wholesale Company Law, 2023. The law, which was passed by the State House of Assembly on the 18th of May, 2023, seeks to provide for the establishment of the Gombe State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency which will serve as an assured source of qualitative, affordable and accessible drugs and other medical consumables in the State. The purpose is to create a patient-centred supply chain standard that will achieve significant levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of healthcare products to the citizenry in line with Universal Health Coverage. Ismaila Uba MisilliDirector-General( Press Affairs)Government HouseGombe