As part of activities to mark the 2020 democracy day, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state on Friday commisioned some projects he executed within his first year in office.
Although the activities were devoid of the usual pomp, pageantry and large gatherings due to the covid-19 pandemic, people could not hide their appreciation to the Governor for touching their lives in many ways within his first year of stewardship.
First on the list of the projects was the expanded Specialist Hospital Gombe, where the newly constructed accident and emergency and general outpatient buildings were unveiled.
Performing the ceremony, Governor Yahya lauded the professor El-nafaty led state task force on health for supporting him in upgrading the edifice to its present status.
The Governor further said the task force had gone round healthcare facilities across the state and made recommendations on necessary measures required in each facility with a view to improving them and by extension, the well being of the people.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya was later conducted round the various units of the new buildings by the chairman state task force on health.
Sub units inspected in the new structures included the x-ray room, pharmacy, laboratory, scanning and theatre rooms among others.
Governor Yahaya also commissioned brand new ford hilux vehicles allocated to the primary health care centres across the eleven Local Government Areas of the state.
He said the vehicles were meant to conduct outreaches, supervisions on routine immunization as well as boost the rapid response team’s test detection on covid -19 in the local government areas.
Supported by the Executive Secretary, state primary healthcare development agency SPHCDA, Dr Abdurrahman Shuaibu, the Governor said within its first year, his administration, has kept to its pledge of establishing a functional primary healthcare facility in 90 out of the 114 wards of the state so far and efforts are on to reach the remaining wards.
He further said aside revitalizing PHCs, secondary and tertiary healthcare centres will also have a similar treat in few months coming.
The Governor also commissioned the completed and furnished 24 housing units for resident doctors in the specialist hospital after about 20 years of abandonment.
Another project commissioned by Governor Yahaya was the Jekadafari primary healthcare centre.
The construction of the healthcare facility began at a community level with personal support from Governor Inuwa Yahaya before he became the state chief executive and later suppprted by his administration for completion in January 2020.
The facility he said has so far impacted on the lives of Jekadafari residents where since its establishment, 7 months ago, about 99 deliveries were received with 96 children immunized and about 1,600 patients treated.
These achievements, the Governor said are worth celebrating, adding that the democracy day of year 2020 will remain memorable to the residents of the area.
The Governor also commissioned one of the completed township roads in the metropolis along Makeran farfaru, unguwar sarkin fawa new market road in Gombe.
He said despite the lean resources, his administration will continue to keep to its promise of improving the lives of the people in all facets of human endeavours.
The Governor explained that apart from the road he commissioned, there are several others already completed by his administration within and outside Gombe citing Billiri Dogon ruwa, Gona, Kalshingi roads as examples.
The Governor was also at Kwami where he commissioned the Education Resource Centre.
He was was received by the officials of the ministry of education led by the Commissioner, Dr. Habu Dahiru, SUBEB Chairman and members of the traditional institution represented by the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III.
He stressed the need to give all the desired priority to education sector with a view to securing a brighter future for the sons and daughters of the state.
Governor Yahaya said his administration saw the need to restructure and upgrade the hitherto dilapidated and abandoned structure built by the Federal Government as almajiri school into something that will impact meaningfully in the lives of the people.
Underscoring the importance of teachers in attaining quality education, Governor Yahaya noted that “a sound teacher makes a good student that is why the institution is brought on board to ensure the capacity of our teachers are routinely improved”.
He said salvaging education from its previous status in the state is one of his key priorities and will not relent in achieving that.
Commissioner for Education, Dr. Habu Dahiru said the Centre is equipped with ICT pool, conference hall, planning unit, recreational and other modern operational facilities that will improve teaching and learning.